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ldolanuspolo
ldolanuspolo
Participant
March 15, 2018
Question

Text Line Limit

  • March 15, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 976 views

Hello,

I am wondering if there is a way to limit the number of lines in a text box. I have a section that is a list of members and each "entry" is 3 lines long. I have them set to continue through multiple boxes. Depending on the page sometimes the second and third line end up on the next page, and I wanted to see if there is a way to set a line limit to each box. Say I want there to be 67 lines per box. The way I have done this in the past is with a column break, but I am guessing there is an easier way.

Thanks,

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    2 replies

    Jongware
    Community Expert
    JongwareCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 16, 2018

    Do all of these lines have a different leading ("line spacing")? If they are all the same, then your text frame height should be 67 times that value (possibly ever so slightly rounded upwards for convenience, because InDesign is extremely accurate – if a line does not fit by a value as small as 0.001 pts, then it will push it over).

    You may find that there is no way to have groups of 3 lines on 67 lines in total.

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 15, 2018

    I'm guessing we can come up with a keep options scenario, but no, there is no way to specify a set number of lines per text frame. If you show us a screen shot of your layout with what you want and what you are getting, perhaps we can help.

    ~Barb

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    ldolanuspolo
    ldolanuspoloAuthor
    Participant
    March 16, 2018

    Here is a screen shot. The first column has the last line of someone from the previous page and then it happens again in the 3rd column, and then the end of the 4th has one more line.

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 16, 2018

    Ok, you can do this easily with three paragraph styles and setting up the Keep options, which tell InDesign which paragraphs can break across columns, and which ones can't.

    I called mine Name, Club and Details.

    Name is the parent style. Format as desired and in the Keep Options category at left, choose Keep with Next 1 Line. Set Next Style to Club.

    Club is the first child style, based on Name. Format as desired, but leave the Keep Options alone so that they follow the options already defined for Name. Set Next Style to Details.

    Details is the final style, based on Club. Change Keep Options as follows: check Keep with Previous but change Keep with Next to 0 Lines. Next style should be Name.

    The reason we are setting the Next Style is for a super-quick application of styles. Select all the text, and right click Name in the Paragraph Styles panel. Apply Name then Next Style.

    InDesign does the rest.

    ~Barb

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
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