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Arcosd
Arcosd
Participating Frequently
November 11, 2020
Answered

Remote teaching and missing components on InDesign 2021

  • November 11, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 625 views

Like most people who are teaching remotely, there are always challenges adjusting to the new reality and also the dreaded Adobe upgrades such as the latest version InDesign 2021.

 

I'm teaching a class about text and columns properties and at some point, I was to show spanning a title across multiple columns. To my surprise, that feature is nowhere to be found under the Properties' Panel > Paragraphs' section properties, there are no flyout menus in panels, I went and opened the Paragraphs from the Window Menu and there is no span feature there either.

 I'm starting to feel uncomfortable the awkward silence while I trying to find the span feature.

I ended not finding the feature, so I had to promise I will have an answer for the next class.

Although, I've been teaching InDesign since 2005 and certified with Adobe to teach it in 2014.

I can't help it to feel terrible in front of other adult students they're expecting to have all answers.

Not only that it was removed from the Properties Panel and from the Widow > Paragraph but it was hidden under the flyout menu of the paragraph's panel. 

After so many years I'm not surprised by the level of ineptitude of the developers anymore. 

Same with the Wrap Around Object features, I wrapped text around an odd shape object, where are the contour options to select the Alpha channel on a PNG? There are none available on the Properties Panel.

Again, that feature is found under the Window Menu > Wrap around Panel > Contour options.

 So, what's the purpose does it serves to display the wrap tools on the new Properties' Panel still incomplete? 

What was the point of the new interface if you still have to access features from the Window-menu, when will Adobe understand that moving things around doesn’t improve the program?

Improving the user experience by concentrating features into a single unit in a more intuitive way does.
Please see attached JPGs

 

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Correct answer Barb Binder

Hi David:

 

Here is my Control Panel—and you can see a bit of my workspace as well. As I said, I don't use or teach the Properties panel, other than to acknowledge its existence to my Intro students, and to tell them why we aren't going to use it.

 

With the Type tool selected, take a look at the far right side of your Control Panel. The Gear icon allows you to customize the Control Panel (for example, in class I have students disable Object > Corner Shapes so that they can see the Frame Fitting Options on a small, low res display when teaching how to place and control graphics). The Hamburger underneath (only visible with the Type tool) gives you access to all the Advanced typography features when you aren't using styles, including splits and spans.

 

As for Text Wrap/Contour Options—I always make a big deal about moving from Button #2 Wrap Around Object to Button #3 Wrap Around Text Shape in the Text Wrap panel, and how nothing is different until we find the easy-to-overlook Contour Options menu at the bottom. As soon as they say, "ohhh" because the wrap is working, I tell them to write it down!

 

I've been teaching layout apps since 1986 (PageMaker and Ventura back then). I've had years to figure exactly how I want to present a given topic and know what works and what doesn't. I have learned everything the hard way, most of it in front of my students. These days, I usually open classes with "I know a lot, but I don't know everything. You can ask me anything, and if I don't know the answer, we will figure it out together." 

 

~Barb 

4 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
November 24, 2020

Hi David:

 

Here is my Control Panel—and you can see a bit of my workspace as well. As I said, I don't use or teach the Properties panel, other than to acknowledge its existence to my Intro students, and to tell them why we aren't going to use it.

 

With the Type tool selected, take a look at the far right side of your Control Panel. The Gear icon allows you to customize the Control Panel (for example, in class I have students disable Object > Corner Shapes so that they can see the Frame Fitting Options on a small, low res display when teaching how to place and control graphics). The Hamburger underneath (only visible with the Type tool) gives you access to all the Advanced typography features when you aren't using styles, including splits and spans.

 

As for Text Wrap/Contour Options—I always make a big deal about moving from Button #2 Wrap Around Object to Button #3 Wrap Around Text Shape in the Text Wrap panel, and how nothing is different until we find the easy-to-overlook Contour Options menu at the bottom. As soon as they say, "ohhh" because the wrap is working, I tell them to write it down!

 

I've been teaching layout apps since 1986 (PageMaker and Ventura back then). I've had years to figure exactly how I want to present a given topic and know what works and what doesn't. I have learned everything the hard way, most of it in front of my students. These days, I usually open classes with "I know a lot, but I don't know everything. You can ask me anything, and if I don't know the answer, we will figure it out together." 

 

~Barb 

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    Derek Cross
    Community Expert
    Derek CrossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 24, 2020

    Well said Barb.

      D
      darcos-63
      Participant
      November 24, 2020

      Thanks, Barb, for responding to my concerns.
      I don't think I made a comparison to control panel 2020 to 21. What I said is it used to be easily accessible from the control panel on classic mode. I think that's an important feature to have at hand.  I am using a 27" iMac monitor full screen and I don't see the ¶ visible anywhere in the control panel, would you mind circling red the "Gear Icon" I don't see it at full screen, neither see the hamburger for the fly out menu on the control panel.    I see the three dots indicating "hidden options" so, if the Gear Icon, is not easily accessible under the hidden options either then is not an interface friendly feature.  The purpose of upgrading to newer versions is time and user experience tested, the interface ought to improve according to usability.
      This reminds me when I was 15 years old I bought a used 1971 Chevy Nova with a 350cc  V8,  I aimed to improve the car performance,  so I tared the motor apart; block, transmission everything to pieces in my garage,  couple weeks later, I ended up with parts I didn't know where they fit so, I put them in the trunk just in case they're important and need to use them later on.  I hope you understand this analogy;  sometimes is better to just leave things where they make sense so later on you don't have to dig them back out. Thanks for your comment. David

        Barb Binder
        Community Expert
        Barb BinderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 12, 2020

        Hi @Arcosd:

         

        First off, I understand your frustration. As a career Adobe instructor, been there, done that, too many times to count!

         

        Not only that it was removed from the Properties Panel and from the Widow > Paragraph but it was hidden under the flyout menu of the paragraph's panel. 

        That said, here are the Properties panels side by side. They look the same to me. 

         .    

         

        By the time I am teaching spans and splits, I have already taught paragraph styles, and they have their own category in the Styles Options dialog box. I can see teaching columns, splits and spans together, so working outside of styles, the list is in the ¶ view of the Control Panel (if the display is wide enough) and in the Paragraph styles flyout and in the Control Panel flyout (under the gear icon). Personally, I still teach the Control panel and don't do much with the Properties panel in class. I explain to my students what was explained to me when the Properties panel was first introduced into InDesign (Photoshop and Illustrator)—it is geared for a new user who wants to install the program and start using it without attending training. It has the basics that a new user is looking for, but since you are attending training, let's use the Control panel, which is more powerful.

         

        Again, that feature is found under the Window Menu > Wrap around Panel > Contour options.

        I am not at all sure what you mean by Window Menu > Wrap around Panel > Contour options. Contour options for text wrap are—and have always been—in the Text Wrap panel. If you can't see them, click the little widget in front of the panel name to expand it. 

         

        Hope that helps.

         

        ~Barb 

         

        P.S. I have also found that adult learners understand that we can't know everything. The best we can do when we get in a pickle is exactly what you did. Tell them you will come back with the answer, and then don't forget to do it. 😊

         

         

         

         

        ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
          D
          darcos-63
          Participant
          November 24, 2020

          Same with the Text Wrap,  add the Contour Options under ... "hidden options" on the Control Panel that would be awesome rather than going through the Window> Text Wrap.  Don't you agreed?

          L
          Community Expert
          LaubenderCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 12, 2020

          Hi Arcosd,

          the feature is still there with InDesign 2021.

          In my German InDesign 2021 I can easily access the feature through the options of the Paragraphs panel.

          And of course also through the options of a paragraph style in the Paragraph Styles panel.

           

          I see no way to get it through the Properties panel.

           

          Regards,
          Uwe Laubender

          ( ACP )

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