Align Text Frames/Objects

Dorico
1

My score includes block lyrics.(See attachment) It made sense to create separate frames for each verse. Is there a way to align these frames once they are created, other than visually?
TUM BALALAIKA.dorico.zip (666 KB)
A couple of other questions regarding text frames:

  • Can they be selected, copied, and pasted in another place in a document, or another document?
  • Can they be selected and dragged with the mouse/trackpad, or can they only be moved with the arrow keys+modifiers?

Thank you!

2

Dear windrag,
the features you’re asking (1) for (copying) are not there yet. [Edit : ignore this bit of answer, the accurate is given below by Chris Davey.)
You can perfectly line up things, thanks to constraints (Engrave mode>Frames sub-mode, look at the left panel, the locks are the constraints) and the properties panel. Select a frame and you’ll see there are all the data you need to fine tune your frames, according to the constraints.
I know there’s at least one great video tutorial about frames and constraints and a discover Dorico where John Barron details this too. I’ll try to add the links here.
Hope it helps!

3

Yes, frames can be copied in Engrave mode. I do this all the time when creating block text at the start of a piece with a translation next to it when I want the frames to be exactly the same size and aligned.

Choose Frames in the left hand panel. Select the frame you want to copy.
In the right hand “Pages” panel select the page you want to copy it to, right click, and choose “Copy selected frames to selected pages”.

It was a comment by Daniel that made me realise that you could do this on the same page. The new frame ends up directly on top of the frame you’re copying and you can’t see it. However it is selected, so move it directly with Ctl-Alt-right arrow (Cmd on Mac, I think) and it comes into view.

4

Thanks Chris, nice tip!

5

Thanks for the guidance, Marc and Chris!