Inserting a “Text Box”

A “text box” is an object which we can insert to highlight text or to emphasise something.

View a “text box” as a container.

To add a “text box”, select the “Insert” tab in the “Ribbon” and click the “Text Box” button.

If we now move your mouse over our “Worksheet”, this looks lika a topsy-turvy cross.

Click and drag the mouse pointer until the desired size of the text has been reached.

To edit the text, go to the “Format” tab in the “Drawing Tools” now seen in the “Ribbon”.

For formatting the text we use the “WordArt” button in the “Format” tab or we can use the options in the “Home” tab in the “Ribbon”.

 

Selecting objects

To select an object, click on the object. A selected object has handles on the edge of the object.

To select many objects, you hold the ‘Shift’ key on your keyboard while you click the next object.

To “de-select” a selected object , hold the ‘Ctrl’ key while you click the object again.

 

A second way to select objects is by clicking on the “Find&Select” button in the “Home” tab of the “Ribbon” and choose “Select objects” from the drop-down menu.

Your mouse pointer changes into a white arrow.
Click and drag your mouse over the objects you want to select.

If you want to switch back to the normal display of the mouse, click again on the “Select Objects” under “Find& Select” in the “Ribbon”.

This disables the option and you can proceed with the regular work in your “Worksheet”.

 

Customize object size

When an object is selected, handles appear around the object size. These handles allow us to change the dimensions of the object, horizontally, vertically and diagonally.

Click and drag the mouse to the desired size.

If you wish to maintain the proportions of the object, hold the Shift key on the keyboard pressed while you click and drag a handle.

If you wish to keep the proportions and location at the center of the object the same, hold the Shift and Ctrl keys while clicking and dragging the handle.

Another way to change the dimensions of an object is by making use of the “Column Width”, and “Row Height” options in “Format” button.

Just click the upward or downward pointing arrows, or type a value in a textbox.

And a third way is to click on the arrow to the right of the “Size” text in the “Ribbon”.

 

This opens the dialog box “Size and Properties” where you will find three tabs where you can set various dimensions and properties.

 

Moving Objects

To move an object, move the mouse pointer over the object. This turns into a four-part arrow, click the object and drag it to a new position.

When your mouse pointer changes to a four-part arrow, such as text fields, and “WordArt”, first select the object, and move the mouse pointer over the edge of the object.

The mouse pointer will change to a four-pointer.

Click and drag to the desired position. Release the mouse button when the position is reached.

 

Object deformation and rotation

Some of our objects have yellow blocks on the edges when they are selected.

By clicking and dragging the edges, we can adjust the shape of the object.

But the way to change the shape of an object depends on the object.

We can rotate the object by clicking and dragging the green circle which you find at the top of the object.

When your mouse moves over this, it changes into a circular arrow.

 

You can also rotate the object by first selecting and then clicking on the “Spin” button in the “Format” tab of the “Ribbon”. Choose one of the options from the drop-down menu. These options also have live examples.

 

Copying Objects

You can copy objects in different ways.

One way is by selecting it and clicking the ‘Ctrl C’ on your keyboard. Choose a position on your “Worksheet” where you’d like to paste and press ‘Ctrl V’ on your keyboard.

A second way is by clicking the object and dragging with the ‘Ctrl’ key pressed.

Release the mouse pointer before you release the ‘Ctrl’ key.

If you have to copy multiple objects, select them all and then click and drag with the ‘Ctrl’ key pressed.

 

In order to copy an object to another “Worksheet” or “Workbook”, you should use the first method.

Obviously, you can always use the “Copy” and “Paste” buttons in the “Ribbon”.

 

Aligning Objects

To align objects, first select it and then click one of the buttons in the “Alignment” group in the “Ribbon”..

Choose one of the many options in the drop-down menu.

 

Organizing objects

We can change the order of objects by using the “Bring to Front” and “Send to Back” options in the “Ribbon”.

Clicking on this brings one object in front or behind the other.

Clicking on the “Selection Pane” button opens a window where we can change the order of the various objects by clicking on the upward or downward pointing arrows.

 

Deleting Objects

To delete an object, select the object and then click the “Delete” button on your keyboard.

 

Grouping

To group several objects, first select the objects. Click the “Group” button in “Format” tab of the “Ribbon”.

Once you group the objects they will be treated as one object.

To ungroup these objects, click the “Group” button again and choose “Ungroup”.

 

Outline Format

By clicking on the downward pointing arrow next to the “Shape Outline” in the “Ribbon”, we can not only format color but also change the line thickness and line type.

The “Shape Outline” option has a live example.

The same is true for the “Filling of the form” option and “Form Effects”.

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