Skip to main content
P
printlives
Inspiring
September 7, 2022
Answered

Help with split/span columns

  • September 7, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 1221 views

Old school ID user here, and have never used span/split columns.  Have inherited a job that is set up that way, and spent the better part of a day trying to understand it.  Got it almost down, and its probably a valuable way to work on certain projects in the future, but am stumped on one point.  The layout is a 9 column grid with one column spanning 3 columns and the next column spanning 6.  Got that straight, but there is some invisible character that forces the text to jump from the narrow column to the wide column.  I can copy it from an old document and it will work, but it doesn't appear to be any of the insert break characters options that I am used to on traditional column layouts, and really need to know what it is.  Thanks for any guidance.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer James Gifford—NitroPress

So I think that may have felped me figure it out.   By "a column-break setting on either each of those headings" do you mean the setting under "Keep options > Start Paragraph > Next Column"?  Thats another area of ID I have never really messed with much, but have been working on some ebooks lately, and have had work with some of those keep settings.  Thats seems to get it all to break correctly. Thanks.


Whoops, I garbled that slightly. But yes, set a "Break to next column" on either those head styles, or on a child version ("StyleName break") so you have an option. Breaks are the only way you should ever force a paragraph to the next frame, column, or page.

 

—

2 replies

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 7, 2022

A screen shot with invisible characters showing would help, but presuming this isn't a simple column break inserted, my guess (and I have not tested), and it goes along with what James has said, is that the paragraph style spanning three columns is forcing the break because there are only two columns in the current frame.

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
September 7, 2022

What's specifically wrong does come down to the exactly text flow, breaks, extra characters etc. But the core of the answer likely lies in the span settings of all the relevant paragraphs.

 

Maybe one reason "split colums" isn't used much is that it can fight something awful with the rest of the layout, and not be obvious about why.

 

Unless a completely fluid text flow is needed, using separate text frames is probably a better all-around solution.

 

—

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
September 7, 2022

Just to make sure — column spanning (whether all, or just some, the latter being called 'split') is controlled by paragraph styles, under "Span Columns":

 

 

Do you have a handle on the settings in that menu?

 

—

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices