Problem editing the placeable text boxes? Is it bugged?

Hi my issue is with Text tool feature. As I try to change font, font size, colour etc, when trying to edit text the selection tool thinks I'm trying to slect something else everytime I click the text option box. I have used it before in the past to copy a text box I have created paste it again underneath in a different colour and offset it to add a shadow to the text for title screens but now I can't change any settings because using the text tool will only try and create a new text box only and everytime I go to edit text the select tool just thinks I am trying to select another item on the map. Please can you help because this is becoming rather a nuisance when trying to set up title screens.

Are you having this problem on the map layer? Best advice I can suggest is to place stuff on a different layer before moving it to the map layer.  I do scenery dressing on the token layer and usually do the labels on the GM layer. 

I do usually avoid doing stuff directly on the map layer, in case I forgot to lock the background image after getting the grid lined up.  Seems like sometimes the undo keystroke gets intercepted by the browser or a different pane and does something else instead. Same with CTRL+A to select all.

I don't know that there's anything bugged with the select tool, except for maybe very thin line objects (I use select all drawings by holding ALT when it doesn't want to click on those) There might be a similar problem with very small tokens or text fields? I guess it's possibly a bug that you can't draw a box on the map layer if you have a background image because it just selects that.

You might be able to temporarily move your map to the GM layer or something if it's being selected instead of your text.  Cumbersome but it might let you fix an area you're having trouble with.

Hi MysterX,

Thanks for your reply. I did try that, I moved the text to the tokens and objects layer and still had the same issue. I zoomed all the way out so the menu wasn't covering anywhere on the map as to not click anything else and still had the same issue. I might try a different browser just to be sure but I had this be a reccuring problem for a few months now.

This is likely an issue with the order in which you are trying to do things.

Text objects are very simple things. They are just labels, with no specific character styling. Any colors and such are applied to the entire object, not selected parts of an object. What is likely happening is that instead of selecting an object, you are trying to click on it with the text tool (understandable and intuitive), but it doesn't work that way. Clicking with the text tool will always create a new text object, not edit an existing one.*

To edit the contents of a text object:

Select it with the selection tool (arrow) and double click. This will put you into text editing mode. You can edit the wording, but not apply color, font, etc.

To edit the style of a text object:

Select it with the selection tool (arrow), but do not double click. You can then use the formatting tools that automatically appear at the top left of the VTT to change colors, font, and size.

*an annoying side effect is that empty text objects remain, invisible little gremlins that clutter up the map. I have a script that deletes these (Survey), but it would require a Pro account to use.

keithcurtis said:

This is likely an issue with the order in which you are trying to do things.

Text objects are very simple things. They are just labels, with no specific character styling. Any colors and such are applied to the entire object, not selected parts of an object. What is likely happening is that instead of selecting an object, you are trying to click on it with the text tool (understandable and intuitive), but it doesn't work that way. Clicking with the text tool will always create a new text object, not edit an existing one.*

To edit the contents of a text object:

Select it with the selection tool (arrow) and double click. This will put you into text editing mode. You can edit the wording, but not apply color, font, etc.

To edit the style of a text object:

Select it with the selection tool (arrow), but do not double click. You can then use the formatting tools that automatically appear at the top left of the VTT to change colors, font, and size.

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*an annoying side effect is that empty text objects remain, invisible little gremlins that clutter up the map. I have a script that deletes these (Survey), but it would require a Pro account to use.

I was going to chime in that I've been experiencing exactly what CornelSleepy has posted...  BUT I no longer have an issue after following your advice Kieth.  Thanks

It's not intuitive, but once you wrap your head around what a text object actually is (I'd call it a label object), it makes sense.

AFTER placing a text, you just need to highlight it in order to change font size or color! Do NOT (!!!) double click on it! ONLY Double Click if you want to edit the text itself!

CornelSleepy said:

Hi my issue is with Text tool feature. As I try to change font, font size, colour etc, when trying to edit text the selection tool thinks I'm trying to slect something else everytime I click the text option box. I have used it before in the past to copy a text box I have created paste it again underneath in a different colour and offset it to add a shadow to the text for title screens but now I can't change any settings because using the text tool will only try and create a new text box only and everytime I go to edit text the select tool just thinks I am trying to select another item on the map. Please can you help because this is becoming rather a nuisance when trying to set up title screens.