how to place a png image next to a table

[mattb9716549]

I have placed a table and now I need to place a png image right next to it that will extend beyond the master page text boundary. can you advise on how best to do this?

see the images below for reference...

this is what I currently have...

this is what I need...

[Barb Binder]

Just one, or a lot of them, Matt?

This is not an easy thing in FrameMaker. A couple of ideas:

1. Add a column to the left of the table, hide all the rules and shading and straddle the cells all the way down. Set the table to right align so that the image can move past the left margin and add the image, or
   
2. Add a right-align anchored frame (again allows the frame contents to move past the left margin), then add a text frame inside and create a side head column. You'll need two paragraph tags one set to Sidehead and one set to In Column, and then add the image to the Sidehead ¶, and the table to the In Column ¶. Once it is working, you can minimize the size of the pilcrows so that they aren't so prominent.
   

~Barb

[Ian Proudfoot]

If side heads aren't used anywhere else in the flow, then why not just set the image anchor ¶ to 'Side Head' , the table anchor ¶ to 'In Column' and all other ¶ Styles to 'Across All Columns and Side Heads? Set the Side Head alignment to First Baseline and it should all work as required.

Ian

[Barb Binder]

Hi Ian:

That's why I started out by asking with how many of these are in the document.

Just one, or a lot of them, Matt?

It sounded like perhaps it was just one ("I have placed a table and now I need to place a png image right next to it") and changing the whole layout for a single occurrence might be too much for a newer user. As a trainer, I am exposed daily to how overwhelming FrameMaker (and InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) can feel to someone just getting started and I try to balance that with how I respond. There is a lot of guess work in answering forum questions—unlike with my students where I can gather all the information prior to answering and tailor my response to their specific knowledge level.

That said, if this image/table combo happens a lot, then I would wholeheartedly agree with your suggestion. For now, we have to wait for Matt to answer that first question.

~Barb

[mattb9716549]

Barb, Ian -

thank you both for the responses. Barb you are correct. I am trying to place one (1) image along side one (1) table only. as such, solution 2 and the solution that Ian described are above my current skill level.

I tried adding a column to the table, but I'm not able to straddle the top two cells presumably because they are part of a heading that can copy from page to page. I abandoned this option and moved to another.

currently, I've inserted an anchored frame (run into paragraph) next to the table in which I'm hoping to place the image. however, when I go to stretch the anchored frame it just expands into the table rather than into the left margin.

please see the image below for reference...

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

You are right on the heading rows—you can't straddle heading and body rows together. Can you keep the table on one page and convert the heading rows to body rows for that one table? (In your latest screen shot, the table is now breaking across pages which is going cause its own issues.)

Run into paragraph won't work if you want the image to sit on the left and expand into the left margin.

It's time to ask: does the image have to move with the table automatically? (Of course we want it to, but does it have to?)

1. If no, just put it on the page (not in anchored frame) and make a note to keep a close eye on it after the final edits.
2. If yes, we can walk you through my second suggestion.

~Barb

[Bob_Niland]

re: ...you can't straddle heading and body rows together.

True, but you can use Heading para tags in Body rows, and as needed fake any unique heading ruling and seps with Custom Ruling and Shading. This hack won't work for all cases, such as if Continuation headings are needed, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

The number of users with tables having what appear to be headings, but no actual heading rows, or body rows that are actually heading rows, is often depressing.

[mattb9716549]

Thank you again Barb for your help. I think I've managed to generate something that will work for my needs. I have one more question though...

I've drawn a text frame on the body so I could label the image. Is there a way to anchor it so it flows with table and the image if additional text is added upstream somewhere else in the document?

see below...

thanks and regards,

matt

[Barb Binder]

Hey Matt:

You were able to anchor the image and the table so that both move with the edits? Nicely done!

In that case, just make the frame holding the image longer and you can drag the caption inside. Then they will flow together.

~Barb

[mattb9716549]

Thank you Barb. that worked great. I'm amazed at the capabilities of the software. there are so many things that can be done.

regards,

mb

[Bob_Niland]

Because there's just one of these tables, handling the oversize table could also be done using a Master Page hack. Two that immediately come to mind are:

• Anchor the table to a unique para tag (say, BigTableAnchor), which is MasterPageMapped to an L/R set of MPs that have a column width larger than normal.
• Put the table on these MPs directly in a graphic frame, background, (with, as needed, some content in it, like a white rectangle sent to back, so that run-around can be set).