I'm trying to draw a hollow rectangle in inDesign. In PageMaker this is easy; I just draw a rectangle, specify the weight of the line, set the fill to paper, and it's done. When I try to do the same thing in iDesign it just gives me what appears to be a text frame, and refuses to let me modify it. Or rather, it says I can but nothing happens. I think it must be a problem of terminology. Help, you ex-printers!
Hi Eric,
your question doesn't get into specifics much, but here are some basic pointers.
If you click in an image or an unassigned frame with the text tool it will become a text frame
until you visit the Object > Content menu and change it.
For Indesign CS5 (my current version, but unlikely to differ much in CS6):
1. Frames (rectangle or ellipse) whether text or image or unassigned.
–can be re-purposed:
Object > Content > text - image - unassigned.
–can be coloured:
Swatches > colour > none - paper - colour - (registration)
"Paper" means knock out everything "down to the paper". If the "paper" is white the knockout will be white.
–can have visible edges (stroke):
stroke weight > swatch colour > none - paper - colour - (registration).
2. Colours can be
–solid,
–a gradient (a gradient can be applied to an edge stroke while a different gradient is applied to the box),
–translucent (colours or gradients).
3. To change the "Paper" colour: right-click on "Paper" > select Swatch Options > Colour Definition, and use the sliders.
4. Colours can have Effects (here Frame Stroke and Fill work as one, not individually):
Thanks, Euan, I've printed that lot out so I can study it at my leisure; a couple of hours should be long enough, ha ha. I'm actually using inDesign 2.0.1 so there may be some differences!
I'll let you know.
Hi Eric,
thanks for the version number, although these outline pointers refer to CS5.
- GRIDS -
There are two grids (non-printing)
Baseline grid - for text alignment
Document grid - for object alignment.
Both are "voluntary" and snapping can be switched on-off.
see: View > Grids and Guides > [choices].
Grids are editable and are visible or not to choice:
InDesign > Preferences > Grids… - Guides and Pasteboard.
Object > Text Frame Options... > General - Baseline Options
- RULERS -
can be seen on screen or not to choice:
Layout > Ruler Guides > colour - visibility threshold
Layout > Create Guides > Rows - Columns - options
Layout > Layout Adjustment > Snap Zone
Ruler origins are set from the edge of the paper, and this
can be altered by click and drag from the top left rulers corner box.
Ruler units can be changed by right-clicking in the top left ruler box.
- SNAP ZONES -
Snap zones for rulers are governed by your choice of measurement unit:
InDesign > Preferences > Units and Increments.
Snap zones for Grids are (if I remember right) in pixels.
Snapping behaviour can be turned off temporarily by pressing the Ctrl (control) key.
Seems to me that you could do with using the built-in Adobe InDesign Help files which are invaluable.
You might also like to refer to or buy (Amazon) this excellent book:
Real World Adobe InDesign (CS2)
Olav Martin Kvern and David Blatner
Adobe/Peachpit Press
ISBN: 0-321-32202-9
2006.
If you did either it might save me a lot of time !
Eric Jervis 