WordArt WYSIWYG Freeform Resizing & Print Parity
In desktop publishing, graphic headlines frequently need to be stretched wide across a banner or condensed vertically to fit publication spines. Prior to version 5.2.1, WordArt in Open Publisher suffered from a visual mismatch: resizing on the editor canvas kept the text locked to its original aspect ratio, causing selection handles to float far away from the letters, while the print engine stretched the text to fill the box. Version 5.2.1 established true WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") parity between canvas and print output.
WordArt selection handles stay tightly bound to the text boundary during both freeform and proportional resizing.
The Canvas-to-Print Divergence
Investigation into the rendering pipeline revealed why the on-screen editor differed from exported documents:
Canvas Letterboxing (contain): In the editor canvas, WordArt images were rendered with object-fit: contain. When a user dragged the bottom resize handle down to make a headline taller, the container expanded, but the text remained letterboxed inside, leaving empty transparent gaps above and below the letters.
Detached Selection Handles: Because the text did not expand, the blue bounding box and corner resize handles floated 100px to 200px away from the actual letters, making snapping and selection unpredictable.
Print Engine Full Fill (fill): During PDF export and physical printing, the spooler detected full element width and height, drawing the image stretched to fill the bounding box. As a result, documents looked different on paper than on the design screen.
Desktop Publishing Principles & Parity Solution
Unlike body text or photographs, WordArt is graphic display typography intended for custom geometric shaping:
Freeform Stretch Standardization: In elements/wordart/beta-wordart.js and style.css, WordArt image elements were updated to object-fit: fill !important. WordArt fills its bounding box dynamically in real time, matching Microsoft Publisher and InDesign conventions.
Zero Dead Space: Selection outlines and drag handles hug the exact contours of the WordArt glyphs at all dimensions, ensuring intuitive snapping against margin and column guides.
Consistent Graphic Framework: Aligns WordArt with Open Publisher's Smart Images, Drawing Engine, and Clipart components, which all utilize responsive frame-bound scaling.
Proportional Resizing Controls
When you want to scale a WordArt headline larger without changing its proportions, simply hold down the Shift key while dragging any corner resize handle, or check Lock Aspect Ratio in the Picture Tools tab.
Tip: Double-clicking an existing WordArt element on the canvas reopens the WordArt dialog, allowing you to edit the text or switch styles without losing custom size settings.