Trouble Generating Static Captions for Images in InDesign

Question

I want to generate static captions for images in a document. I want to do it this way because there many images. I have watched various tutorials online and I think I've done it correctly. First I opened an image in Bridge, opened the metadata tab and in the field called 'Description' I entered the text of a caption. Then I placed the image in InDesign and set the text wrap. Then I went into Links panel->right-click image->Captions->Caption setup and in the dialogue set the Metadata dropdown to 'Description'. I entered a para style, set the alignment to 'Below Image' and the Offset to 6mm. I checked 'Group Caption with Image'. Then I went back to the links panel image, right-clicked and chose 'Generate Static Captions'. The bounding box then duly extended to accommodate a caption but the caption did not appear. Of course I have checked and re-checked everything but I cannot spot the error.
Can anyone shed any light?
 
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jmlevy · Accepted Answer

I think I'm getting there. I drag out a text frame (which has to be on the pasteboard outside the page otherwise it simply selects the text), then move the textframe into the text page - then Ctrl+B, set to 'Ignore Text Wrap', then Ctr+D to select an image, double-click loads the image into the frame. Then go to Links, right-click image and choose Caption Setup - choose 'Description' in Metadata dropdown, choose (for me) 'Below Image', Para style, Offset and 'Group Caption with Image' - then OK. Then Links->right-click image and choose Generate Static Caption and it appears (with chosen Offset). To change Offset, delete text, go back to setup, change Offset and then click Generate Static Caption again.

To add space below, select the Caption box only, then use Text Wrap to control.

That is now working for me and hopefully I am doing it right - can you confirm?

I drag out a text frame (which has to be on the pasteboard outside the page otherwise it simply selects the text), then move the textframe into the text page - then Ctrl+B, set to 'Ignore Text Wrap', then Ctr+D to select an image, double-click loads the image into the frame.

I don't want to be rude, but it seems that you don't fully understand how frames work in InDesign. What's the point to:

create a text frame
set it to ignore text wrap
then transform it to an image frame by importing a picture?

That is a lot of useless steps.

What you should do:

import an image (in an existing frame or not, does not matter)
select the image frame. To choose how the caption will be set up, right click > Caption Setup. Choose whatever you need in Metadata dropdown, and other settings (pargarph style and so on) then OK. You just need to do this once, it will be the default caption until you'll change it later.
right click the frame > captions > generate static caption

Scott Falkner · Answer

You said you added a text wrap to the image. This text wrap might be forcing the caption text out of the text frame. Select the frame and turn on Ignore Text Wrap in Text Frame Options. You can make this an object style.

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