Problem
This recipe will teach you the steps required to create custom shape text containers in Fireworks. Traditionally Fireworks allows text to flow into rectangular shapes but you can also flow into, or around, shapes.
Solution
We will draw shapes and use "combine path" to get complex text layouts. The approach is similar to masking but the difference here is that the text will respect the newly created shape, it will not be obstructed by the mask.
Detailed explanation
Draw shapes
Begin by drawing at least two shapes. The base shape could be a rectangle out of which you will exclude an area defined by the second shape. An exclusion is an area that text will avoid filling.
The red circle will act as an exclusion for the text flow.
Make sure the shape that will act as the exclusion is positioned on top. Select both shapes then go the menu and click:
Modify > Combine Paths > Punch
You should now have a rectangle with part of the overlapping circle cut out of it.
Flow text in the custom shape
Use the "Text Tool" to add a block of text.
Select both the text and the shape then go to the menu and click:
Text > Attach to Path
You should now have the text flowing inside the shape avoiding the cut-out of the circle.
That's what you need to do for custom text shapes in Fireworks.
Feel free to experiment more with combining shapes. There are also "Union", "Intersect" and "Crop" options. The more shapes you combine together, the more complex text shapes you can achieve.
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