I'd like to connect some text descriptions to features on an image with simple line callouts. If I change the connector preferences to allow connectors to attach to text, I can do that, but the lines start from the middle of the text, rather than the edge. Is there any way to prevent that? (Incidentally, I'm using reflowed text, not simple text, because connectors and the latter don't seem to behave properly when the text is moved.)

The only other option I can see is to flow the text into a rectangle, and attach the connectors to the rectangle. This works well, but is a lot more trouble, and I've got a lot of these to do.

See attached sample of both methods. The image is a spectrogram, if anyone is interested.

Well, I guess it does seem silly to connect to the center of the text! I would guess that there's probably already a bug report about that, but I don't really know. For now, you could use the Pencil tool. It works the same as the Connector tool for drawing a straight line (click once to start, click once to end line). It has many other features too, and you could also use the Pen tool for this (although it works differently than the Pencil) (double-click to end line) which also has many other features. But it certainly will work for this task.

If you set the text to be centered, and you enable snapping, you can snap the line to the text handle (which will be in the middle of the text, except below it). Or left justified text, the the text handle is on the left side of the text. Anyway, snapping to the handles will be a handy way to keep the lines together, if there are more than one lines, like in your sample image. If the lines need to stop above the text, then first draw one line, and the ends of the other lines will snap to it.

Also, if I haven't mentioned it before, don't miss all the great instructional materials in my forum signature. The manual really is well organized and easy to follow

brynn wrote:For now, you could use the Pencil tool. It works the same as the Connector tool for drawing a straight line (click once to start, click once to end line).

If I use the Pencil tool, and then later move the text, will the text end of the lines follow the text like the connectors do? I was thinking I should use the connectors because I might decide that the text isn't in the right position when I've drawn, say, the 5th connector in. If they don't then I'd better persist with connectors.

No, the line made with the Pencil tool will not move with the text. You'd have to move it separately. ....OH!...unless...

Will the text ever be converted to Path? If it will be converted to paths, or can be converted to paths, you could select the end nodes together with the text, and then the lines will follow the text movement. But note that once you convert the text to paths, it will not be editable as text, so you can't fix a typo, for example. And it cannot be converted back to text. So if you use this technique, be sure to save the original text somewhere (outside page border, or better, on a hidden separate layer).

However, that IS a lot of extra work, compared to just using the Connector tool in the first place. But if you're drawing the rectangle first, setting the connector lines, and then deleting the rectangle (or making transparent) it wouldn't be that much more work to convert the text to path, and make the multiple selection (hold Shift for multiple selection, then drag selection box around text, and endnodes).

Anyway, there's another option for you