Automatic centering of the images with Object Style [none]

[David_Predom]

Hi,

I have some troubles with the [none] Object Style in InDesign.
When importing an image / pdf inside a picture frame, even if the picture frame has the style [none] and so wouldn't have any fitting options pushed, the image is centered inside the frame.
So after importing the image / pdf and when manually placed correctly (not centered), the style is getting a "+" after the name -> [none]+.
When using ALT+Click on the style when frame is selected, it reset the placement of the image / pdf to "center" inside the frame, and that's something problematic when using scripts to place adverts on a layout, because bleed adverts are not placed centered, especially when you have adverts smaller than 1/1 page because 1 of the side will have the bleed hided. If centering again after that, the placement will be wrong.

Any idea if and where to change this?

I already looked everywhere in the prefs, but couldn't find anything to adapt the [none] style. The style is also locked because it shouldn't have anything active (therefore the name "none"), but it appears to be wrong because it center images in frames at least.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

It's best practice to never use any of the default style settiings, including [Default Paragraph], [Basic .... Frame] and [None] wherever it appears (except, for the latter, as a manual choice to clear formatting).

The whole purpose of these styles is to allow you to set and manage expected behavior. Create an Object Style that positions these imports as you wish, save and update it... and use it. Then create variations for your standard layout elements.

[Peter Spier]

While I wholeheartedly agree that object styles are a wonderful thing that should be defined and used in many, if not most cases (especially when multiple objects require the same treatment), the unfortunate truth still seems to be that they don't work as one would hope with Graphic frames.

Ever since Day One, graphic frames seem to be hard coded to use the uneditable [None] style. No matter how they are created (pre-drawn or on the fly while placing a graphic) and regardless of the selected object style they always instantly revert to [None]. The only thing that seems to allow them to be pre-assigned is to put them on a Parent Page (and reapply the style after drawing each one).

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I know Object Styles are imperfect, especially in this regard. I think they simply try to handle too much varying information and it's easy to get conflicts or unwanted interaction. (A thorough re-engineering would seem to be in order, perhaps dividing it into two general features.) But Place-Reapply works and is probably faster than any other solution, especially anything trying to get [None] to be a useful default.

Very good point, though.

[Peter Spier]

But Place-Reapply works and is probably faster than any other solution, especially anything trying to get [None] to be a useful default.

By @James Gifford—NitroPress

I would agree with that.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier

They work fine - won't revert to "[None]" - if you use Rectangle/Oval/Polygon Tool - not Rectangle/Oval/Polygon FRAME Tool.

But it still doesn't work when placing Images.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Given ID's on-the-fly adaptation of frames, I've never quite understood why there are two different tools. I'm sure things are happening 'under the hood' but as any frame can be instantly reassigned to any mode (text, graphic or where a different thing "color shape" it all seems unnecessarily complicated and redundant.)

Which doesn't prevent there being these operational quirks. 😛

[Peter Spier]

Off topic a bit, but pretty weird stuff happens when you try to place a graphic in a designated text frame. If you have a active cursor, you get an inline anchored object, if no active cursor the graphic does not place into the text frame.

No problem using graphic frames for text though -- that just works.

[Peter Spier]

OK, that's somewhat helpful, but still doesn't allow you to use them when placing with no pre-drawn frame. Not sure if it's faster to draw a shape, then place, or place and then click the object style. I suspect the latter.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

OK, that's somewhat helpful, but still doesn't allow you to use them when placing with no pre-drawn frame. Not sure if it's faster to draw a shape, then place, or place and then click the object style. I suspect the latter.

By @Peter Spier

Draw then Ctrl+D?

Unless you assign a keyboard shortcut to the Object Style? Then - Ctrl+D, place+draw, shortcut_for_ObjStyle

[Peter Spier]

As I said, not sure if one or the other is faster. Pain in the neck either way and I wish Adobe would fix it.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@David_Predom 

You can't edit [None] but you can edit [Basic...] ones - close all documents and select Window / Styles / Object Styles.

But as I've posted already - don't use "frame" tool.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...] and that's something problematic when using scripts to place adverts on a layou[...]

By @David_Predom

But script can do all the steps as required?

And even react accordingly - if some of the "Crop To" options are not available:

[David_Predom]

The thing is that we use the "none" style in the script to get rid of any settings the users could have made in their InDesign, like a 1pt yellow line etc...
And then we are giving the right Object Style afterwards, who is just a so called "Advert" style putting a white background color.
Getting it on "None" is applying the centering of the PDF / Image in the frame and remains after that...
Placement inside the frame is also based on the PDF boxes and other metadatas (like bleed "true" or "false"), and is not always the same.

[Peter Spier]

Sounds like you should be modifyinig your "advert" object style to account for positioning, filling, scale and crop options.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@David_Predom

Again - script can do all of this - user should just select file to be imported.

[David_Predom]

Ok, thanks.
I will further look into the script and try to find a solution for this.
Thanks anyway for the help 😉