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sPretzel
Inspiring
May 18, 2020
Answered

How to apply different TOC style to existing TOC in InDesign

  • May 18, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 3038 views

Hi. Is it possible to apply a different TOC style to an existing TOC, without having to place a new TOC? Updating an existing TOC updates it with the same style it is currently using. I am not able to update it with a different style.

Thanks.

 

 

{Renamed by MOD}

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Hi IDEAS. I'm not sure I understood what you mean. I don't think the TOC style affects Text Frame Options. As you said, an Object style would do that. I didn't want to make modifications to the current style because I wanted to keep the style (for future use). I am not aware of how I can duplicate a TOC style (is that what you meant by "dupe"?). If I could duplicate the TOC style, I would duplicate the current TOC style, save it, then modify the current style and save it with a new name. I could have done that in the existing text frame and that would have solved my problem.


InDesign can't duplicate the TOC style directly, but you can do this in about 10 seconds:

  1. Open your document with the TOC
  2. Go to Layout > Table of Contents (not Styles)
  3. Select your TOC Style at the top
  4. Click the Save Style button and rename
  5. Cancel this dialog box
  6. Go to Table of Contents Style and your copy will be there
  7. Edit copy as needed.

2 replies

L
Community Expert
LaubenderCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 18, 2020

Maybe it is grayed out because there is no TOC in the document that is styled with that custom TOC style?

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

S
sPretzelAuthor
Inspiring
May 18, 2020

Uwe. That's right, there is no TOC styled in the document with that TOC style because that's the style I wanted to change it to. If I select the current style, then the "Replace Existing Table of Contents" is not greyed out, but that means you have to replace the TOC with the same style!

 

IDEAS-Training. No, I don't think so (or maybe it is not worth it) since the manual style changes are related to the Text Frame Options holding the TOC, not to the TOC itself.

Dave Creamer of IDEAS
Community Expert
Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 18, 2020

Why can't you load the TOC style if necessary, dupe the style, and make modifications to it?

Replacing the TOC should affect the frame. Just to be sure, an Object style would simplify that. 

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 18, 2020

    Hi sPretzel,

    as far as I can see this is not possible.

    You can use a custom named TOC Style and change this later.

    But this has no immediate effect on an existing TOC.

    To change it you have to update it.

     

    What can be done:

    If you want to change the applied paragraph styles or character styles:

    Change the styles themselves. That has an immediate effect.

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender

    ( ACP )

      S
      sPretzelAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 18, 2020

      Hi Uwe. Thanks for your prompt response. That is also what I am seeing. I have some manual styling applied to the story frame where the TOC resides that are not part of other styles so I wanted to preserve those. Unfortunately, it looks as though the only way is to apply those manual styling elements again once the TOC style is changed to a different sytle. Oh well...

      S
      sPretzelAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 18, 2020

      There is a "Replace Existing Table of Contents" option in the TOC menu, but it is greyed out. I wonder why.

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