The Text Options inspector lets you change settings of selected text layers. You can make changes to multiple layers at once by selecting several layers in the Storyboard/Timeline before adjusting settings in the Text Options inspector.
Formatting
When multiple text layers are selected any formatting changes made in this inspector apply to the whole text of the selected layers. If you are currently editing the text of a single layer, then any changes made in this inspector are only applied to the selected text range. That way to can use multi-styled text.
Choose the desired Font and Style. The Font popup lists all fonts that are installed on your system. The available styles depend on the chosen font.
Alignment is applied on a paragraph basis. you can left-align, center-align, right-align, or justify a paragraph.
The Size is relative to the Stage size and the zoom value of the text layer.
Color
Choose the desired text color. If a text layer is placed above an image layer and text is difficult to read against the background, you may want to add a shadow effect.
Spacing
Adjust kerning (horizontal character spacing) or leading (vertical line spacing). if you are currently editing the text of a layer, then the spacing is only applied the the selected range of characters. When not in editing mode, then the spacing is applied to the whole text of the selected layers.
Opacity
Adjust the opacity curve if you don’t want a layer to be visible during the whole duration of a slide. Click on the disclosure triangle to reveal the opacity curve.
The yellow sections of the bar represent the transition intervals. Add curve points and move them as appropriate to create the desired opacity curve.
- Hold the ⌘ key and click on the curve to add a new point
- Hold the ⌘ key and click on an existing point to delete it
- Click and drag an existing point to move it
The action popup contains several preset for commonly needed opacity curves:
- Constant
- Fade in
- Fade out
- Fade in/out
Animation Speed
When animation is enabled in the Slide Options, you can use the animation speed curve to fine tune animation timing. Click on the disclosure triangle to reveal the animation speed curve.
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The bar represents the total time a layer is visible. The yellow sections of the bar represent the transition intervals. Add curve points and move them as appropriate to create the desired animation speed curve.
- Hold the ⌘ key and click on the curve to add a new point
- Hold the ⌘ key and click on an existing point to delete it
- Click and drag an existing point to move it
The following curve uses constant 100% speed throughout the layer’s lifetime:
If you want to wait for while before starting the animation and then slowly ease-in before reaching full animation speed, use a curve like this:
If you want to animate at full speed, then slow down and show the final position for a while before transitioning to the next slide, use a curve like this:
You can also do more complex animations like a pause in the middle by creating the following speed curve:
Effects
You can apply on or more effects to a text layer.
- Click on the disclosure triangle to expand the effects list.
- Click the checkbox next to an effect name to enable that effect for the selected layers.
- Click on the disclosure triangle next to particular effect name to reveal its parameters. Here you can customise the effect.
Find out more about available effects in Using Effects and Effects