Adobe InDesign: The Knowledge

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Matilda Payne
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1 Adbe InDesign: The Knwledge Linda Trst Washingtn & Jeffersn Cllege Hints 1. Plan/design yur dcument s layut befre yu start placing text. 2. The first time yu call up Adbe InDesign CS, even befre yu pen a new dcument r a template, make this change at Edit / Preferences / Units & Increments: change bth Hrizntal and Vertical t inches. Als change Windw > Strke t weight: 0 pt (unless yu really want all yur images and ftntes utlined in black). 3. Edit > Und (^Z) will und whatever hrrr yu just cmmitted and wrks fr several levels f hrrr. 4. Yu can make guidelines t align things. Click and hld the muse as yu pull dwn r ver frm the rulers at the tp and side f the wrk area. Turn grids and rulers n and ff frm View > Shw Guides. Adjust the scale f yur grid at Edit > Preferences > Grid. 5. There is much t learn by cnsulting Help > InDesign Help. 6. Save yur dcument as a template while it s still blank. Yu may need the frmat later. Designing a New Dcument 7. Open File > New > Dcument. 8. Set the number f pages. It desn t matter if yu dn t knw hw many pages yu ll need in yur initial dcument. Yu can add and delete them later frm Windws > Pages (F12). I always start with Decide if yu ll want t see facing pages r nt. Yu can always turn them ff later at File > Dcument Setup. 10. Set the size f yur sheet f paper (the page size ), edge t edge. 11. Chse the number f clumns yu want and the amunt f space between them. 12. Set the margins fr the actual bdy text area d nt include the header r fter. Yu are setting margins fr the main area f the page that yur text will flw int. 13. It s usually wrth saving the page specificatins in Save Preset. Give it a descriptive name. Yu can edit r delete the preset later at File > Dcument Presets > Define. 14. Nw is als a gd time t save the actual file give it a descriptive name and pay attentin t where yu save it. InDesign files have the suffix *.indd. 15. If yu later decide t change page size, clumn number, r margins, it s best t start all ver with a new dcument. The mral: plan yur page befre yu start desktp publishing. 1

2 Palettes and Tlbars These are the palettes yu will invke mst: they are pened and clsed frm the Windw menu (tp f screen). Windw > Pages: gives yu access t the Master Pages that set layut fr all pages subservient t them set up Master A with a page number and use Master Nne fr n page number. Als yu can g t a specific page in yur dcument r add/delete pages. Windw > Strke: gets rid f r adds lines arund text r graphic bxes (frames). Use the black arrw cursr t select yur frame. Yu can preset this (see Hints ). Windw > Text Wrap lets yu adjust text and white space arund/behind a graphic r a pull qute. Yu can pre set this just as yu d strkes (see Hints ). Windw > Tls: this palette shws up n the left f yur wrk area and is heavily used. Edit > Edit in Stry Editr (^Y): the best way t prfread, edit, r add text, which yu shuld keep t a minimum at this pint f the desktp publishing prcess but yu can see spacing and styles mre clearly in stry editr than yu can in layut mde. Hit either ^Y r the red x at the tp right t return t layut mde. Yu can change the fnt and backgrund clr f stry editr at Edit > Preferences > Stry Editr Display. Learn yur way arund the tlbar at the left. When clicking the muse desn t d anything, yu prbably have chsen the wrng kind f cursr. Black arrw cursr ( selectin tl ) is the default fr mst activities. White arrw cursr ( direct selectin tl ) lets yu mve bxes arund. T cursr ( type tl ) lets yu add text t yur dcument r bx. White bx ( rectangle tl ) lets yu draw frames. The fllwing are available as palettes frm the Type menu (als frm Windw > Type & Tables). Type > Paragraph (^M): lets yu change alignment left, center, right r add a drp cap n the fly. Type > Paragraph Styles (F11): lets yu autmate changes in text frmat these are imprtant t set up and use if yu want t maintain cnsistency acrss a lng dcument. Type > Character (^T): lets yu change the fnt, size, r shape f letters r wrds n the fly. Type > Character Styles (SHIFT F11): lets yu autmate changes in wrd r line level frmat. Save special styles in a template t make life easier. Type > Insert Glyphs: when yu need a dingbat, webding, r any symbl. Type > Insert Special Character: streamlined versin f the Glyph palette: when yu need an ellipse, em dash, r autmatic page number. 2

3 Setting up Paragraph Styles Set up as much basic frmatting as yu can in Basic Paragraph Style, then base all ther styles n this style. It will save scads f time when yu later decide t change yur fnt. Access the styles palette frm F11. Fr each style, click n the arrw/circle at the tp t pen the submenu and chse New Paragraph Style. Give each style a descriptive and clear name and custmize. Yu ll need t create Nrmal r Bdy Text as the main bdy text style what the bulk f yur material will use. Duble click n the name f a created style if yu want t revise it later. Advice: n the submenu entry Indents and Spacing, the alignment yu ll want is left (ragged right) r else left justify (this prevents ugly spread in a title line). Mre advice: use paragraph styles t make indented paragraphs abut 0.2 r 0.3 inches is right fr a typeset page. In fact, I use my Nrmal style t shw the indented paragraph. I set up anther, based n Nrmal, called Nrmal, n indent. Yu can Lad Paragraph Styles frm anther dcument click n the little arrw/circle and chse the file where yur styles live. Imprt whichever nes yu want. Styles with a little diskette symbl next t them came in with the imprted file delete them if yu dn t need them. Styles with a + next t them indicate that the paragraph has sme imprted frmatting prbably italics. This is rarely a prblem. Placing (Imprting) Text This is hw t get edited text int InDesign. Use File > Place t imprt text frm a file. Select yur file; check the bx t shw imprt ptins fr yur edited file; click n OPEN. Decide if yu want t remve all styles and frmatting frm the imprted file. If nt, then decide if yu want the wrd prcessr r InDesign t win style name cnflicts. I tend t Preserve styles and frmatting frm tables and text (which keeps italics), Imprt styles autmatically, and Use InDesign style definitins. Click OK. The cursr will turn int a little page. If yu hld dwn the SHIFT key, it turns int a sine wave. This autflw mde lets the prgram add as many pages as it needs t accmmdate yur text (especially useful if yu did nt specify enugh pages when first creating the dcument). Place the sine wave in the crner f the page and click the muse, all the while pressing n the SHIFT key. The text will flw int the crrect number f pages. If yu are snaking text int dd clumns r nt a specific page mre an issue in newspaper wrk d nt hld dwn the SHIFT key when yu place text. The additinal text is stashed in a red bx at the bttm f the page. Click n that red bx t lad up the cursr and dump it where yu need it. Repeat until there are n mre red bxes t unlad. Clean ut fnts that wn t appear in yur dcument using Type > Find Fnt. Sme esteric fnts can cause printing prblems later, even thugh yu aren t actually using them in any f the paragraph tags r text. It s wise t cull the dcument. 3

4 Tagging Text with Styles Select the T cursr and pen the styles palette (F11). First, tag the entire dcument with the bdy text paragraph: Click the cursr nce in the text and type ^A (r Edit > Select All). The area will g black. Click nce n the name f yur main bdy text style (Nrmal r Bdy Text). Mve the cursr ut f the style palette and click nce. The area will return t nrmal and all text be frmatted in the designated style. Then tag thse paragraph that need t be in anther style: Click in the paragraph nce, then click n the style name nce. Prceed thugh the text until yu are dne. That s all there is t it! Fnt, attribute, r size changes t individual wrds r letters shuld be dne frm the Characters Palette (SHIFT F11). Adding Frames fr Graphics and Text 1. When yu want t add a graphic bx (fr a picture) r a text bx (fr a pull qute, page number, r header), yu need t draw a rectangle n the page first. Select the white bx n the tlbar ( rectangle tl ); draw the bx where yu want it; select the black arrw; File > Place t add image r text frm anther file. Hint: use yur grid and guidelines t align: View > Shw Guides. The frame yu create will be made f light blue lines. 2. Yu cannt write n a page until there is a text bx n it imprted text will bring a frame with it autmatically. If yu are nt placing text, yu need t draw a frame. It may be the same size as the text area (the pink/purple bx). 3. T create a header/page number that will appear n every page, draw the frame (blue bx) abve the text area (pink/purple bx) n the Master Page (F12) and add whatever yu want t the frame. Yu can als put a frame inside a frame fr example, ne frame can cntain centered text and the ther a flush right page number. 4. T get yur text t align at the tp, center, r bttm f the frame, yu can invke text frame prperties. Place the cursr (T style) in the frame and type ^B. 5. When a secnd blue frame unexpected appears and it eventually will just hit ^Z. 4

5 Adjusting Frames 1. T mve a graphic r a text bx t a different lcatin, use the arrw cursrs (bth black and white seem t wrk), grab in the middle, and drag it arund. Then use Object > Fitting > Fit Frame t Cntent t srt ut things in the new psitin use fit cntent t frame. 2. T change the size f a graphic r text bx, use Object > Fitting > Fit Frame t Cntent. 3. Anther way t change the size f a graphic: with the muse, grab frm a crner handle f the frame (t prevent distrtin) and pull. Yu ll need t use Object > Fitting > Fit Frame t Cntent t get things in rder. It is best t have the image at the size yu want befre yu start and use the methd in #2. Use Adbe PhtShp r anther picture editing prgram. 4. T center the text in yur pull qute, use Object > Text Frame Optins. Then, set the Vertical Justificatin t Center. Yu may find Fitting useful if yu drew t large r t small a bx fr yur text. Trubleshting Frames 5. Black line arund yur page number r header n the printed cpy? Windw > Strke gets rid f r adds lines arund text r graphic bxes (frames). Select the white arrw; click in the frame; set the line t the desired weight and type (Zer gives n frame); check yur wrk by clicking n the bttm right icn ( Preview ) n the tlbar (the bttm left icn returns yu t Nrmal view). 6. Image blcking yur text? Windw > Text Wrap will adjust text and white space arund a graphic r a pull qute. Select the white arrw; click in the picture; chse the methd f wrap desired; adjust the margins arund the image. 7. Everything is weird? Remember that yur text is als in a frame (the size f the page). Be sure yu knw what yu are clicking in. Frames are blue. 5

Scroll down to New and another menu will appear. Select Folder and a new

Scroll down to New and another menu will appear. Select Folder and a new Creating a New Flder Befre we begin with Micrsft Wrd, create a flder n yur Desktp named Summer PD. T d this, right click anywhere n yur Desktp and a menu will appear. Scrll dwn t New and anther menu will