Multi-line braces

[TedMi]

I need to create a graphic that looks like the brace character { or }, but is
stretched vertically to span several lines of text. Is that possible? It
would also be useful if the size of the brace would adjust with changing font
size!

Thanks.

 

[Klaus Linke]

Hi Ted,

You could use the Symbol font, which has different characters for the top,
middle, and bottom of curly brackets, plus extender lines that you can put
in between.

But you'll have to set the line spacing to "exactly" the font size, and even
then, the characters often don't seem to touch or overlap (maybe depending
on the printer driver?).

Another, maybe simpler option in Word would be AutoShape brackets (from the
drawing toolbar > AutoShapes > Basic shapes), which you can
stretch/size/squish as needed.

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Anne Troy]

Ted, the easiest way I can think would be to put a 3-column table. The two
outside columns would be skinny, while the middle one would be wide. Put the
left brace in column 1, the right in column 3, both in huge font size, then
type your text into the middle column.
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The problem with increasing the font size is that the brace becomes
correspondingly fat, which you probably don't want. One alternative is to
use the Equation Editor, which might solve your problem depending on what
kind of text you're wanting to enclose.

Another option is to use one of the brace AutoShapes from the AutoShape menu
on the Drawing toolbar. These shapes can be sized as required and made as
"curly" as you like, and the line weight can be selected from 0.25 pt to as
heavy as you like.

 

[TedMi]

Anne: I tried the 3-column approach with large fonts, but the huge brace is
all our of proportion to the text - too heavy, and too wide.

Klaus: The Drawing shapes are just what I need! Takes some careful
formatting to line them up just so, but does the job, and is easier than
piecing together components of a symbol font.

Thank you both.

 

[Anne Troy]

Yep. Suzanne had it right with her comment, and I never even gave that a
thought. It's been a while since I've actually done my own workarounds...
Good luck!
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

And I didn't even notice that Klaus had already mentioned the AutoShapes
(didn't read far enough down).

Yep. Suzanne had it right with her comment, and I never even gave that a
thought. It's been a while since I've actually done my own workarounds...
Good luck!
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com