Text frame problem

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
December 19, 2016
3 replies
1184 views

I'm having a problem with text frames in inDesign. Is it possible to change the height of columns within a text frame? This would seem like a basic function but a person I was talking to on customer support says it cannot be done. Does this mean you are stuck with the same block of text at the same height and width once it is divided into columns? What if you want to put in a picture without using a runaround? Do you have to draw a different text frame each time and then adjust that? It just seems so clunky compared to other design programmes I have used when designing news pages, having to draw a new frame each time you want to adjust the height of a column. Was just wondering if there isn't something obvious I am missing here or are customer support correct?

[Moved by moderator from the nontechnical Lounge Forum to the InDesign forum]

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Barb Binder

Community Expert

I agree with Derek—take a few minutes (ok, maybe 30) to familiarize yourself with text frames in InDesign. Once you understand them, it's pretty darn quick. In particular, read about manual flow (slow but controlled), semi-automatic flow (faster but still provides control for multi-story documents) and autoflow (one click to draw all the threaded frames needed to add the text to your established layout).

There's always a learning curve on any new application, even when you arrive with years of layout experience on other applications. I love having students like you in my classes—all I have to do is show how to accomplish the tasks in InDesign. You already know why you need to know, and we don't have to spend time on all the basic concepts that we do for a brand new user. Those are my easiest (and fastest) classes!

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

Barb Binder

Community Expert

There are two ways to approach a multi-column layout:

Draw one frame and divide it into columns, and add the text.
Add multiple threaded frames that can be manipulated individually. While at first glance, this 2nd option might seem like a lot of work, it's what happens naturally when you place text from Word onto a spread without template frames.

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

S

SJRiegel

Legend

You can use a column break to force text into the next column.
For the picture, what is your objection to using Text Wrap with it?

roberto5265144Author

Participant

I'm just getting to grips with indesign and in the three previous page design software systems I used it was simple to adjust columns anyway you wanted (without having to draw new boxes each time). I have no problem using a text wrap (which i'm guessing is another name for a runaround) but I find it hard to believe you cannot adjust columns in one text frame anyway you want (especially up and down). It just seems the most basic function necessary in page design or certainly has for me in the 12 years I've been designing newspages. It seems so basic to page drawing that I am wondering am I not getting my problem across right and there is an easy solution. Having to draw a new box to get a different height each time you want seems like an awful waste of time, what with adjusting the width, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by "use a column break to force text into the next column" so would you be able to give a brief explanantion.

Thanks for your reply SJ

Much appreciated

S

SJRiegel

Legend

Type > Insert > Break Character > Column Break (or use the Enter Key)

This forces all text after the break to move to the next column.

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