Writing Text...HOW TO?

Hi all. I've searched everywhere I can think of and am still coming up empty, so I'm not looking for the easy way out here. lol Can someone please direct me to documentation or share with me how to place text on a prim that I have made into a storefront sign (and it is textured with a background design). It is placed above my selling space and all I'd like to do, at this point, is add my biz name. TIA

Caroline

Depends exactly what you mean really.
If the text is unlikely to change then a new texture is the best approach.
Or if it is going to change then you can use a message board approach using XYText or something similar.

I probably won't change it. It'd be just as easy to create a new one...that is after I find out how to apply the text. ha! SO, if you were me, what would you do? Which would be the easier route to take?

IF I opt to use the XYText, can I apply it to/over the existing texture? I'm fairly new to this, but I'm moving through it rather nicely, if I do say so maself. Thanks for your help.

After a little further reasearch, I believe I am going to have to apply the text in a photo editing program, then upload as a .tga file and apply it to the sign I made. Hope maybe this will help someone else.

Personally I use Paint Shop Pro, others use PhotoShop or the GIMP. or god knows what.
You can uplaod as a JPG if you're not using transparencies.

XY Text uses lots of prims and scripts to put letters on an unchanging sign. But, use XY Text if:
You've built a movie theatre, and need the sign to change everytime the movie changes.
Hold a SALE every week and need a new sign announcing the item.
etc.

For most other stuff, Upload a new texture with your store name and logo already painted on.

Yep, this is the route I will go. Do I need to make the texture the usual 512 x 512 ? Will the text be distorted when I apply it to the sign? I guess I will find out.

Thanks so much for the help. I really appreciate it. I'll post what does and doesn't work as I figure it out, so if anyone else is wrestling with this issue, they can learn along with me.

Can anyone out there who has a sign in front of their business establishment PLEASE share with me what program they used to create the text on it? Apparently you cannot insert TEXT in SL. I'm guessing you'd have to use Photoshop or another program and upload it into SL ? Do I need to create the text as an alpha channel in addition to the texture layer? As I said in one of my previous posts, I have already created the sign as and object/prim and texturized it. All I would like to do now is put my business name on it. Point me in the direction of a tutorial if there is one. I've looked EVERYWHERE. Thanks.

Yes, you'll need to use Photoshop or something similar to produce a texture, and then upload it. It sucks that there's no SL-specific solution, but fortunately, there are many, many tutorials for Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, discussing how to do different text effects, and even basic text. Just try Google.

If you're after something really quick and simple try GRSites logo Maker.

Sounds like you could use some links to free image-editing programs, since Paint Shop Pro costs money and Photoshop costs a LOT of money.

I'll assume a Windows platform since you didn't say otherwise.

Paint.net: http://www.getpaint.net/index2.html Not terribly well-known, but quite good IMHO and pretty easy to use.

The Gimp: http://www.gimp.org/ Better-known and also good, slightly weird interface like many other programs developed primarily for unix-type systems and later made cross-platform. Lots of people use it and like it though

Both can apply text in a layer on top of an image, and both can handle .tga files (the best-quality file to upload into SL).

I'm sure there are lots of others, but there's a couple to look at anyway. Hope that helps.

Actually Paint Shop Pro v4, very old now I know, was posted on at least one magazine front cover and I'm sure I found it on a freebie site a while ago.

You guys are great. Thanks so much for the input. I have the current version of PhotoShop and I also use Adobe Illustrator. I have PhotoDraw too, and it's a very cool program, but I'm not sure if it'll save to a .tga file or not. NEway, I believe I know just what to do now. Thanks again. I'll post the end results here when I'm finished.

I did it! Finally! In Adobe Illustrator, I opened the small swatch/texture and then resized it, makiing it a bit larger. I added the type making the stroke black on transparent. This is all one layer, which surprised me. I thought I'd have to do it on two layers but I didn't. I think the tricky part, at least for me, was getting the font and the font size and placement correct on the swatch/texture for what I was trying to do. It's not like it was just a simple square or rectangle sign. Nooooo. I had to make a sign that is arched at the top and flat across the bottom. lol Anyway, all's well that ends well and I learned a bunch along the way. Thanks to you all for your help and advice.

Caroline

You don't need fancy/free graphics packages to create a simple text sign.

Use any application on your system that can display text. For this example, I'm going to use this forum entry box. Type something, like: Caroline's Shop

Use the screen capture built into your system to take a picture of the text. Check your system's Help for instructions. Try to select just your text, and save it in one of the formats that Second Life accepts (JPG, TGA, or BMP). If it looks good, upload it and you're done! (See attached sign.)

If you captured more than your text, or have the wrong format, you'll need to select & save using some other program. For instance: Windows Paint, Macintosh Preview, not sure what you use on Linux. (Ok, technically you're now using the "graphics package" I said you didn't need to use. But you already have this one, and the dirt-simple interface is a lot easier than any full-featured package.)

If you want to include a background, fonts, and images, use a fancier text program or simple html editor. If you need a sign with transparency and other "professional" features, by all means use a professional program. But after you've been through this screen-shot procedure once, you can make any simple sign very quickly.

update:
I just tried the GRSites Logo Maker. Cool, simple, great.

How do i upload an image to sl?

Thanks

Menu/File/Upload...

Photoshop