Callout Tool

The Callout tool places a leader line connected to a text box in a selected location. The text box and arrows are moved independently. Drag the text box or arrow to a new location and the leader line will stretch so they continue to be connected.

ClosedCreating a Callout
  1. Select the Callout tool using one of the following methods:
    • Go to Markup > Text > Callout.
    • Click   on theMarkups toolbar.
    • Press Q on the keyboard.
  2. Click to set the location of the arrow at the end of the leader line.
  3. Click to set the location of the text box. The leader line will automatically connect to the callout box, which will be ready to accept text.
  4. Enter the desired text.
    • If desired, press ALT+Z to autosize the text box to fit the text.
  5. Click away from the text box or press ESC to finish.
ClosedResizing or Adjusting a Callout

Select a markup to reveal its control handles. Each handle controls a different aspect of the markup's size and orientation.

To rotate the markup, click and drag the orange handle. By default, the markup is rotated in increments of 1°; to rotate in increments of 15°, hold down CTRL while dragging.

To resize the markup, click and drag the appropriate yellow handle.

To move only the text box, click inside the text box and drag it to the desired location. Alternatively, click and drag the leader line (not its handles).

The arrow will remain where it is and the leader will automatically adjust to text box's new location.

To autosize the text box so that it fits the text, select the markup and press ALT+Z.

To move only the leader arrow, click and drag the arrow's yellow control handle to a new location. The text box will remain in the same location.

To move the entire markup together, hold down ALT while moving any part of the markup.

To move the leader origin from one side of the text box to the other, click and drag the leader line's bend (or "knee") control handle to the desired side.

See the examples below.

Similarly the leader origin can be moved to the top or bottom of the callout.

See Editing Markups for more information.

ClosedChanging a Callout's Appearance

The appearance of the text, text box, and leader lines of a Callout markup are all configurable.

The entire contents of a callout text box can be selected by clicking the text box. Once it has been selected, changing any of the font formatting options will apply to all text within the box.

To select particular words in a callout text box, click the box to make it active, then click and drag over the desired text. Any formatting you change in the Properties tab will only affect the selected text.

To edit the appearance of a Callout markup, select it and click the Properties tab.

ClosedAppearance Properties

The Appearance section of the Properties tab contains the following options:

Color: Sets the color of the text box and leader line, if any.

Fill Color: Controls the fill color of the text box.

Opacity: Sets transparency level for the text box and the leader line.

Fill Opacity: Sets transparency level (100 = opaque, 0 = completely transparent) for the fill color.

Line Width: Sets the thickness of the line segment in points. If the Line Width is set to 0, it is effectively invisible.

Style: Determines the pattern of the line segment. The Cloud style only affect the text box; the leader line will be solid. Any styles other than Cloud will affect both the text box and the leader line.

Shape: Sets the shape of the text box.

End: Controls the appearance of the end point of the line.

  • Click the first list to choose a different arrowhead or end type.
  • Click the second list to choose the size of the arrow.
  • Click the color button to change the color of a filled arrow.

The Appearance section of the Properties tab contains the following options:

Color: Sets the color of the text box and leader line, if any.

Fill Color: Controls the fill color of the text box.

Opacity: Sets transparency level for the text box and the leader line.

Fill Opacity: Sets transparency level (100 = opaque, 0 = completely transparent) for the fill color.

Line Width: Sets the thickness of the line segment in points. If the Line Width is set to 0, it is effectively invisible.

Style: Determines the pattern of the line segment. The Cloud style only affect the text box; the leader line will be solid. Any styles other than Cloud will affect both the text box and the leader line.

Shape: Sets the shape of the text box.

Font Size: Sets the size of the font.

Auto Font Size: Automatically adjusts the font size of the text to the maximum value that will fit in the text box.

Line Space: Adjusts the spacing between multi-line rows of text.

Margin: Defines the amount of space between the text characters and the border of the Text Box.

Text Color: Sets the color of text.

Alignment: Defines the alignment of text within the box. The icons represent Left, Center, Right, Top Justified, Middle Justified and Bottom Justified respectively.

The Font Style and Script Style settings control the formatting of the text. Options include Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, Superscript and Subscript. Generally, any combination of these styles can be applied to format the text.

Related topics

Text Box Tool

Note Tool

Typewriter Tool

Markups Toolbar

Editing Markups