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J
JRC_User
Known Participant
September 23, 2020
Answered

Printing Document Grid.

  • September 23, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 2049 views

Hello all,

 

I am trying to print and export a PDF version of my Adobe InDesign document with the document gride included in it. I have tried multiple alternatives but so far haven't succeeded. Does anyone know how I can make the document grid appear on the exported PDF and also on the printed copy of my InDesign document?

 

Thank you in advance.

Correct answer Randy Hagan

Actually, I think you'd find it easier to do in Illustrator than you think:

 

Create an "artboard" (what you and I would call a page in InDesign) the same size as the area you want to place in the background with InDesign. If you just want to covcer the page, do the same size. If you want to include bleed area, take that into account for your "artboard" before you start your work.

 

  1. Draw a vertical line along the left edge of the artboard. Make it the thickness and color you want it to be.
  2. Place a guide to the right by the distance you want for the grid, then Alt/Opt (depending on if you're working on a Windows PC or a Mac system, respectively)+Shift+drag a copy of the line to the guide you created. Alt/Opt makes the copy, Shift constrains the line to move perfectly horizontal to the first line. This creates a second line that lines up vertically by precisely the distance of your intended grid.
  3. Now comes the easy part: Press Ctrl/Cmd+D to repeat another line. The menu command would be Object>Transform>Transform Again. Lather-Rinse-Repeat with the Ctrl/Cmd+D thing until it steps and repeats perfectly across the artboard.
  4. Now draw a perfectly horizontal line across the top of the artboard. Adapt steps 2 and 3 as appropriate to apply the cross-hatching for your intended grid.
  5. Save the file. Place it in InDesign. Then marvel at your handiwork.

 

It's really pretty easy. And it should work for you just fine.

 

Good luck,

 

Randy

 

 

5 replies

B
Brenda21905003fjcb
Participant
April 26, 2024

Here's how I created a grid in InDesign that I could print if I wanted. Simply use the table function and set the rows and columns accordingly. For my 8.5 X 11 document, I went to Table > create table and chose 22 rows and 17 columns. Now drag the cursor to cover your entire 8.5 X 11 doc to place the table. To change your row height and column height, you must select your Text tool and drag and select all the cells of the table until it looks all black. Now go to Table > Cell options > Rows and Columns. For my document, I set Row height: exactly 0.5 inches. Then I set my column width to 0.5 inches (these need to be the same if you want a square grid. I you want a tighter grid, you can double the amount, such as 44 rows and 34 columns for a tighter grid and change your row height to exactly 0.25 inches and column width to 0.25 inches. You can go to Table > Cell options > Strokes and fills to change the stroke color and width. I chose either 0.25 or 0.4 for my stroke width and light grey for the color.  Remember that you can always go back and change your rows and columns to accommodate the row height and column width you choose. Make sure you put your grid is on a separate layer and lock it. Now you can turn the eye (visibility) on or off for your grid. Turn it on and you can print your grid!  

    C
    caro263
    Participant
    May 5, 2025

    This worked perfectly for me, thank you!

    E
    Emils5E68
    Participant
    September 25, 2020

    You can use the shape tool and build shapes over the grid, combine and group them together and you could colour the boxes to look similar to the grid

    vladan saveljic
    vladan saveljic
    Inspiring
    September 23, 2020

    yes it works for "Visible Guides" and for "Baseline Grids" but doesn't work for "Document grid"

    Also "vinny38" in his answer has written "Please note Document grid won't show"

    Regards

      L
      Community Expert
      LaubenderCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 23, 2020

      Hi together,

      even if it would work with the Document Grid, the grid lines in the PDF would be very thin.

      If I recall this right, the default value of the stroke weight is exactly 1 dot.

      It would require an extra step in Acrobat Pro to change the stroke weight so it can be printed visibly. Especially on highres office printers. With a 1200 dpi printer 1 dot stroke weight is too thin to make it visible on printed paper. Even on a 600 dpi machine this would be difficult.

       

      Regards,
      Uwe Laubender

      ( ACP )

      Geоrge
      Geоrge
      Legend
      September 23, 2020

      >> In the export to PDF options, there's a checkbox called "Visible Guides and Baseline Grids" in the "Include"

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/grids-in-exported-file-indesign/td-p/10094176?page=1

      Is this not works?

      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
      Randy Hagan
      Community Expert
      Randy HaganCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 23, 2020

      The only way I know to place a "grid" and print in with InDesign is to create a graphic of the "grid" in, say, Adobe Illustrator, then place it at 100% actual size within your InDesign document and arrange it the way you desire to simulate the non-printing document grid.

       

      As contrary as it seems, sometimes the workaround is the most direct way to get past your issue.

       

      Hope this helps,

       

      Randy

        J
        JRC_UserAuthor
        Known Participant
        September 23, 2020

        Randy,

         

        Thank you for your reply and suggestion. Short of having to draw line by line using InDesign, is there an automated or semi-automated way of accomplishing this task? I am not very familiar with Illustrator as it is probably the one Adobe app I have used the least in the past. 

         

        Thank you to all who have answered my post and shared recommendations.

        Randy Hagan
        Community Expert
        Randy HaganCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
        Community Expert
        September 23, 2020

        Actually, I think you'd find it easier to do in Illustrator than you think:

         

        Create an "artboard" (what you and I would call a page in InDesign) the same size as the area you want to place in the background with InDesign. If you just want to covcer the page, do the same size. If you want to include bleed area, take that into account for your "artboard" before you start your work.

         

        1. Draw a vertical line along the left edge of the artboard. Make it the thickness and color you want it to be.
        2. Place a guide to the right by the distance you want for the grid, then Alt/Opt (depending on if you're working on a Windows PC or a Mac system, respectively)+Shift+drag a copy of the line to the guide you created. Alt/Opt makes the copy, Shift constrains the line to move perfectly horizontal to the first line. This creates a second line that lines up vertically by precisely the distance of your intended grid.
        3. Now comes the easy part: Press Ctrl/Cmd+D to repeat another line. The menu command would be Object>Transform>Transform Again. Lather-Rinse-Repeat with the Ctrl/Cmd+D thing until it steps and repeats perfectly across the artboard.
        4. Now draw a perfectly horizontal line across the top of the artboard. Adapt steps 2 and 3 as appropriate to apply the cross-hatching for your intended grid.
        5. Save the file. Place it in InDesign. Then marvel at your handiwork.

         

        It's really pretty easy. And it should work for you just fine.

         

        Good luck,

         

        Randy

         

         

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