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Changing unit to inches for New Document in InDesign

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Hello,

My InDesign somehow just decided to change the unit for documents from inches to points. I don't really points so I want to put it back to inches but haven't trouble. I think the way to change the units for new documents was to go to Preferences - Units and Increments and change the H and V units there. My Preference for units is already set as inches. And my rulers are shown in inches, too. But, when I open a New Document, it still shows me all units in "p". After having this issue, I updated the InDesign CC yesterday, too, but still having the trouble. Can anyone help please? Thank you!

GeоrgeCorrect answer

Legend

Close all opened documents, and than only set your units in CTRL+K, than shutdown and open ID.

Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner

M

MontyBird45

Participant

One wonders why Adobe makes someone so simple so hard. A convenient toggle is all that's needed. Tech bullying?

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Mike Witherell

Community Expert

If you find going into Preferences > Rulers & Increments > Ruler Units leaves you feeling tech-bullied, how about simply right-clicking the ruler and choosing your favorite measurement system? Or how about the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+Shift+U to cycle through the measurement systems? BTW, some parts of the publishing world work in two units of measure. That is why the vertical and horizontal rulers can be set separately, if working that way.

If you are looking for help in learning InDesign and its many shortcuts, visit this mostly-free InDesign learning resources page.

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Mike Witherell

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MontyBird45

Participant

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled PICAs…

I am pretty well acquainted with the systems needs of the publishing industry. I helped take Systems Integrators international (and public) in the 80s. Our customers: LA Times, SF Chronicle, SJ Mercury, London Times, The Financial Times, Reuters, etc.

Lecturing a representative of a $3 billion (annual potential) new market on why things are the way they are instead of listening their needs is self-limiting.

By terminating Publsher, Microsoft created a market gap Adobe could drive a tank through. My 20-page church newsletter was left high and dry. There are dozens of small businesses for every church.

Churches and small businesses need newsletters. We are struggling with a product (InDesign) that wasn’t designed for us. It’s 90% overkill and we don’t need picas.

InDesign meets our needs, but the learning hump is frustratingly steep. There’s not even an Adobe tutorial for newsletters. Tutorials are a challenge because to build one you need to know the user at an intimate level. There’s no algorithm for that (though AI’s makingg inroads).

I guess a dinky little $3 billion market isn’t important enough.

Thanks for the tip, though. It works, but it’s a clunky workaround. I want a button.

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Jeanne36886561neoz

Participant

Totally wonderful to finally discover this after 30 some years! (I began with Pagemaker.) 😍

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Geоrge

Legend

I'm not mean to restart windows But, cool that this help to topic-starter.

Mean that need to add changes in preferences in ID when not opened any documents, than close ID (shutdown ID, not PC), and open again. That works not only to units - works for all preferences of InDesign to change some default settings (workspace, basic styles, etc).

However - When InDesign works slow with Windows, or have some "bugs" first decision is a restart PC, yes

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Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner

GeоrgeCorrect answer

Legend

Close all opened documents, and than only set your units in CTRL+K, than shutdown and open ID.

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Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner

A

Ahisa71Author

Participant

When I pressed CTRL+K, nothing happened, but I changed the preference again, closed ID, re-opened and somehow it worked!! Thank you!!

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Barb Binder

Community Expert

That's an unexpected extra step (quitting and restarting)—but good to know!

FYI, I didn't need to quit on my system to see the measurement change —Mac 10.11.5/InDesign 2015.4—so hopefully, that function will be restored for you with a later patch.

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~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

Barb Binder

Community Expert

open a New Document

Are you opening a document or creating a new document?

File > New > Document will use the units as set in Preferences.

File > Open will use the units already set within that file. Changing the rulers by right clicking within an open file will change the units of measure for that one file.

Try closing all open documents, and return to Preferences > Units & Increments and set Horizontal and Vertical to Inches. Then try again with File > New > Document.

Set preferences in Adobe InDesign

Use rulers and measurement units in Adobe InDesign

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~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

A

Ahisa71Author

Participant

Hello, thanks for your quick reply! I am trying to open a New Document. I did change the horizontal and vertical unit setting to inches in the preferences but it still doesn't change the setting for opening up a new document. When I go back to the Preference, it does say "inches" in the H & V units. But the New Document setting still stays the same. I closed, it, re-opened it, tried the same process a few times, updated the InDesign, but still no luck... Very strange...

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