Symbol text

Symbol text is text which appears next to a symbol or the horizontal bar next to the symbol, as shown below. Symbol text remains attached to the symbol when the symbol is moved to another date or task row. Up to three lines of text may be entered for each symbol.

Tutorial Lesson 3 - Work with text

• Add text to a symbol
• Add text centered within a bar
• Add a symbol text SmartColumn
• Set background color
• Set the symbol text and date positions
• Hide all symbol text
• Adjust the horizontal proximity of symbol text to the symbol
• Set symbol text line, color and style
• Show symbol text and date at an angle

Symbol dates and symbol text can be positioned around or on the symbol. The examples below show the date positioning as "middle left," "below center," and "above center."

Set the default text and date position for a toolbox symbol:

1. In the toolbox, double-click the symbol to change.

2. In the Symbol Options dialog box, select the Text and Date Properties tab.

3. As changes are made, the Sample Symbol on top of the dialog box will reflect the selections.

Override text and date position for a symbol on the schedule:

1. Click .

2. Click once on the symbol on the schedule.  This will display the Selection menu.  Choose the Text tab.

3. Under Date Placement, make selections.

4. Under Text Placement, make selections.

-OR-

1. Click

2. Click once to highlight a symbol on the schedule

3. To alter Date Placement, use ALT + Ctrl + Arrow Keys

4. To alter Text Placement, use ALT + Arrow Keys

Add text to a symbol

1. Click  .

2. Click once on the symbol in the schedule.  This will display the Selection menu.

3. Enter text next to Text Line 1, 2, and/or 3.

4. Make selections for Text Placement and Date Placement to override an individual symbol's text and date placement.

5. Optionally, in the Font section, choose Bold, Italic and other settings.

Add text to a horizontal bar:  

Text attached to a bar's left most symbol can be centered inside a bar.

1. Click .

2. On the schedule, click once on the first symbol (left-most) in a symbol+bar+symbol combination.  This will display the Selection menu.

3. Click the Text tab.

4. Enter text next to Text Line 1, 2, and/or 3.

5. Under Text Placement, choose Middle and Centered on Bar.  Click the Apply Text Changes button.

In addition to three lines of symbol text, a formatted symbol note can also be displayed with each symbol.

Each symbol can have three rows of symbol text. Each of those text rows can be individually formatted, as an override to the default symbol text settings.

1. Click .

2. Click once on the symbol on the schedule.  This will display the Selection menu.

3. Click on the Text tab.

4. Click the Text Overrides button.

5. Set color and text attributes, including bold, italic, and underline.

6. Repeat as needed for other symbol text entries.

Each symbol can have three rows of symbol text. Each of those text rows can be individually formatted, as an override to the default symbol text settings.

1. In the toolbox, double-click the symbol to set that symbol's text background coloring.

2. Click the Text and Date Properties tab.

3. Optionally, choose a target color, special fading effects, border, and shadowing for the symbol text.

4. Fill area around text.

5. For Fill Color, click Change and select a color.

Set the global angle.

1. Click the Tools tab.

2. In the Program Options section, pick Edit.

3. Under Angle for Angled Symbol Text, pick one of the available options.

Show text and or dates at an angle for an individual symbol on the schedule:

1. Click .

2. Click once on an existing symbol on the schedule.  This will display the Selection menu.

3. On the Text tab in the Text Placement section, check "Draw Text at Angle."  

4. Check "Date also" to angle the symbol date.

Show text at an angle globally for all instances of a toolbox symbol:

1. 1. Click

   2. Double-click the symbol in the Toolbox

   3. On the Text and Date Properties tab, in the bottom right-hand corner, check "Draw text at angle"

1. Choose Insert | Rows, Columns | New Column | Symbol Text.

2. Under Choose symbol, select the symbol source as the first or last symbol on a task row and the type of symbol.

   • The "first" symbol has the earliest date on the task row.

   • The "last" symbol has the latest date on the task row.

   • Choose "any symbol" type on the task row, or a specific symbol type.

3. Under Choose text source, select the symbol field whose text should appear in the column.

   • Symbol Text: The text from all three lines of symbol text will appear in the column.

   • Symbol Note: The text found in the symbol notes field will display in the column.

4. Make changes under Column Heading and Column Formatting.

Example: Symbol Text SmartColumn

In this example, the symbol text of the first symbol in every task row is automatically displayed in the "Phase Name" column, which is a Symbol Text SmartColumn.