How do I make a curly brace?

[kasper...@gmail.com]

I would like to make a curly brace, to indicate that something is
related.
In LaTeX it would be an \overbrace .

My problem is that I do not know how. I can make one using { and } in
some font and size, but I would like one that I can manipulate in any
direction, without the thickness increasing/decreasing.

While I'm at it, I could also use one that denotes a length of
something, like a horizontal line with two short vertical lines at
each end.

Thanks!

[Doug Winger]

In article
<62fa41a1-ee81-4e95...@79g2000hsk.googlegroups.com>,
kasper...@gmail.com wrote:

This is somewhat of a shot in the dark, but if you're running on a Mac,
seek out LaTeXiT. It allows you to typeset LaTeX equations easily and
provides for pdf and cut and paste conversion, as well as optionally
adding a Service for same.

It does requires that LaTeX be installed, though not with all the bells
and whistles.

If you're intent upon doing it all in Illustrator, look into Symbols-
though, if I'm reading you correctly, a simple direct select of the ends
of an outlined bracket character and vertical scale/move might get the
job done for you.

- Doug

[kasper...@gmail.com]

On 29 Maj, 11:55, Doug Winger <justd...@socal.rr.com> wrote:
> In article
> <62fa41a1-ee81-4e95-92f4-75b0acb8c...@79g2000hsk.googlegroups.com>,

Thanks for the reply!

I tried with an outlined bracket, and it was horrible!

It is not so much that I want to use LaTeX in Illustrator, it was just
an example of what I wanted (I knew how it looked in LaTeX).
But isn't there a symbol default package that has common symbols such
as a curly brace? It is used all the time in geometry books and the
likes, so it seems weird if the illustrators of the books, must make
their own symbols when they are as common as a brace.

[YourBin]

kasper...@gmail.com schreef:

Being Dutch...what is a "curly brace"??

This?: { }

[kasper...@gmail.com]

On 29 Maj, 22:18, YourBin <your...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> kasper.hjo...@gmail.com schreef:

Exactly! But it is not the character "{" per say I want to make, but a
custom (in length and angle) representation to indicate that this
belong together
As an example, have a look at http://www.toadz.dk/MatrixBracesPerfect.JPG
where you can see what I mean. This is done in LaTeX, and it seems
reasonable to think that it is also possible in AI.

[katyp]

I would just type one out in the font I want at the standard size, and
then covert the font to outlines and use the white arrow tool to move
the points to the length I want to make them more custom. Maybe that
is not the correct answer to your issue, but it would be how I would
solve that problem. As for the horizontal line, I would draw a line
the length I want and the make two short vertical lines to put on the
ends of that line and group them together.

[carrie]

"katyp" <kphi...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:d5c6ae85-e316-4df7...@m3g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...

I might be totally off (I just found this group, I've been attempting to
learn AI for awhile now) but I would just draw it with a pen or marker and
scan it (LOL)
I mean if a person has to go through so much, and maybe the program doesn't
even DO it the way they want.
After scanning the drawing, maybe Live Trace could be used to make it look
more like computer art and not a plain old drawing?

[YourBin]

carrie schreef:

I would just make the bracket (typing/outlinines or draw it) and make a
brush.

[mora...@gmail.com]

I had luck making the curly brace in PowerPoint and then cutting and
pasting. It helped to get the size about right in PowerPoint first,
but it still resized nicely in Illustrator.