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Participating Frequently
December 27, 2018
Answered

Paragraph styles won't update

  • December 27, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 2585 views

I'm trying to change the paragraph style in a book. I've changed the font and font size and they updated through the document. I also need to update the justification so I've changed the option to full justification but it won't update through the document. It's a 160-page book and would take me hours to manually reset the justification for each paragraph.

Any suggestions?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Bill Silbert

It sounds like you may be trying to change the justification through the Justification tab which actually controls Single Word Justification. You control Paragraph justification for a Paragraph Style through the Indents and Spacing tab in the Paragraph Style Options dialog window. See screen shot:

3 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 27, 2018

Hi Rhonda:

Or maybe you are running up against overrides?

An easy way to update a style is to use the Control Panel (Window > Control). This will change the active paragraph and displays a + next to the style name. (A + indicates an override.)

Just right+click the style with the override and choose Redefine Style.

All of the other paragraphs using that style will update.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
Participating Frequently
December 27, 2018

Thanks, Barb. That wasn't the problem this time but I dealt with it earlier in the project. I figured it out the hard way, but I sure wish I had asked here first because it would have saved me a lot of frustration!

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Bill SilbertCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
December 27, 2018

It sounds like you may be trying to change the justification through the Justification tab which actually controls Single Word Justification. You control Paragraph justification for a Paragraph Style through the Indents and Spacing tab in the Paragraph Style Options dialog window. See screen shot:

Participating Frequently
December 27, 2018

Thanks, Bill! This was exactly the problem - five minutes of resetting a few paragraph styles and I'm set to go. Cheers

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 27, 2018

Happy to help.

Eric Dumas
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 27, 2018

Hi

Can you confirm the version of InDesign and the OS you are using? just in case.

Can you also include screenshots to show the formatting of the text and the paragraph panel' settings?

I had issues with full justification in the past due to a last line return or simple details like that.

Participating Frequently
December 27, 2018

Thanks for responding, Eric. Bill nailed it!