TikZ nested text boxes margins

Question

I have nested nodes with text. The text could be variable size, however I would like a constant margin between the inner box and outer box.

I've played around with the text width property, but this is trial and error based, and not a perfect solution.

In this example, how do I keep the current layout, but have the right padding match the auto-generated left padding in the blue box.

\documentclass[tikz, border=2mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes.multipart}
\begin{document}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\tikzset{
    Core/.style={rectangle, draw, fill=CoreBlue,  draw opacity=0, text=white},
    Core2/.style={rectangle, draw, fill=CoreOrange,  draw opacity=0, text=white},
}
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \node[Core, text width=17mm, align=center] {Lorem \
     \tikz{ \node[Core2,align=center,text width=15mm] {\scriptsize Ipsum};}
    };
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Why don't you use a box created with the tcolorbox package? — AndréC, Jul 21 '20 at 15:55
Not familiar with the package, am looking now. This box will be a unit used inside a larger TikZ picture. — Prunus Persica, Jul 21 '20 at 16:09
I didn't understand what "This box will be a unit used inside a larger TikZ picture" means. — AndréC, Jul 21 '20 at 16:14
This is a minimum working example. The full TikZ diagram would have several of these boxes connected with arrows. Not sure if tcolourbox is the way to go here or not. — Prunus Persica, Jul 21 '20 at 16:15

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 21 '20 at 16:24

To long for the comment:

Don't nest TikZ pictures!
One of possibilities for your node is

\documentclass[tikz, border=2mm]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{backgrounds, 
                fit,
                positioning,
                shapes.multipart}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\begin{document}
\tikzset{
    base/.style = {text width=#1, align=center, text=white, outer sep=0pt},
    base/.default = 17mm,
      CB/.style = {base=#1, fill=CoreBlue},
      CO/.style = {base=#1, fill=CoreOrange},
        }
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \node (1a) [CB] {Lorem};
  \node (1b) [CO,below=0mm of 1a] {Ipsum}; \\
\scoped[on background layer]
  \node (1)  [CB, fit=(1a) (1b)] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \node (1a) [CB] {Lorem};
  \node (1b) [CO,below=0mm of 1a] {Lorem Ipsum}; \\
\scoped[on background layer]
  \node (1) [CB, fit=(1a) (1b)] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

or

\documentclass[tikz, border=2mm]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{backgrounds, 
                fit,
                positioning,
                shapes.multipart}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
\tikzset{
    base/.style = {text width=#1, align=center, text=white, outer sep=0pt},
    base/.default = 21mm,
      CB/.style = {base=#1, fill=CoreBlue},
      CO/.style = {base=#1, fill=CoreOrange, font=\scriptsize},
        }
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \node (1a) [CB] {Lorem};
  \node (1b) [CO,below=0mm of 1a] {Ipsum}; \
\scoped[on background layer]
  \node (1)  [CB, fit=(1a) (1b)] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \node (1a) [CB] {Lorem};
  \node (1b) [CO,below=0mm of 1a] {\lipsum[1][1]}; \
\scoped[on background layer]
  \node (1) [CB, fit=(1a) (1b)] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 21 '20 at 16:19

I suggest to draw it directly rather than nested node. If they are repeated in your code, put it in a pic.

\documentclass[tikz, border=2mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{fit, positioning, backgrounds}
\begin{document}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\tikzset{
    Core/.style={rectangle, draw, fill=CoreBlue,  draw opacity=0, text=white},
    Core2/.style={rectangle, draw, fill=CoreOrange,  draw opacity=0, text=white},
}
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \def\padwidth{2mm}
  \node[Core2,align=center,text width=15mm] (a) {\scriptsize Ipsum};
  \path ([xshift=-\padwidth]a.west) coordinate (a-l)
    ([xshift=\padwidth]a.east) coordinate (a-r);
  \node[above=0pt of a] (b) {Lorem};
  \pgfkeysgetvalue{/pgf/inner ysep}\wrapnodetbsep
  \path ([yshift=-\wrapnodetbsep]a.south) coordinate (a-b);
  \scoped[on background layer] \node[fit=(a)(b)(a-l)(a-r)(a-b), inner sep=0pt, fill=CoreBlue] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Thanks, this works, and I've learned about the pic environment. However, Zarko's solution is more elegant. — Prunus Persica, Jul 21 '20 at 16:32

Black Mild · Answer 3 · 2020-07-21T17:03:32.860

This is a simple and quick solution/suggestion: use minimum width,minimum height, text width, and align=center. You may make a \newcomnand to fit your need. The above Zarko's answer has some advantage over mine.

\documentclass[tikz,border=2mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\path 
(0,0) node[fill=CoreBlue,minimum width=30mm,minimum height=12mm] (A) {}
(A.center)+(90:3mm) node[text=white] {Lorem}
(A.center)+(-90:2mm) node[fill=CoreOrange,text=white,minimum width=25mm,text width=20mm,align=center,font=\scriptsize]{Ipsum};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 22 '20 at 07:58

An alternative solution with a matrix of nodes. A matrix is a node which contains other nodes, therefore, the outer node can be filled with blue color, and inner nodes with its own color, blue for top most nodes and orange for others.

\documentclass[tikz, border=2mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{matrix}
\begin{document}
\definecolor{CoreBlue}{HTML}{5b9bd5}
\definecolor{CoreOrange}{HTML}{ec7d2d}
\tikzset{
    Core/.style={matrix of nodes, draw=CoreBlue, fill=CoreBlue, text=white,
        nodes={anchor=center, text width=17mm, align=center, fill=CoreOrange, draw=CoreOrange},
        row 1/.style={nodes={fill=CoreBlue, draw=CoreBlue}}},
}
\begin{tikzpicture}[]
  \matrix[Core] {Lorem \
     {\scriptsize Ipsum}\};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

TikZ nested text boxes margins

4 Answers4

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