I am trying to create some room inside an object for my text.  Ideally I would like 0.5 inches of border inside a curvy object that my text can follow in paragraph form.  I can easily create the paragraph text inside the object.  One would think that by dragging on the text outline box, that it would scale proportionally, but it does not.  As I drag down it shows the box shrinking proportionally, but yet, when I release it goes back to its default position.  Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary 

Check if you have put on the option "Expand and shrink paragraph frame to fit the text". You will find it under Tools > Options > Text  > Paragraph.

 Hello Anand,

Thank you for your comment.  However, this had no effect on what I am trying to achieve.  I was able to create a work-around by using left and right indents, though one would think that it should be easy and common sense to be able to grab a corner of the text box, as formed within the object, to contract or expand it as necessary to create a margin for the text to reside within the object.

Best,

Gary

Gary, the text box is tied to the object/container.

If it were me, I'd first make a 2nd object, with the border you require, inside the object. Use that 2nd object for your paragraph text.

Take your original object. Make a contour to the inside. Use that contour object, instead of the original object to enter your text.

One little (quick) extra step.....but then you won't need to fuss with borders, indents, etc.

 Thanks,

That works as well.  I actually do something similar when repelling text from a .png image; so it would make sense to do the same internally to the object.

Cheers