Different Paragraph Style in Threaded Text Frame?

[mlondon88]

Hi...  Using InDesign 2018 on a Mac

I've got standard body text defined by a Paragraph Style (Body), and another style when the text needs to be in white over a black background (Body-WhiteOverBlack). Both styles work fine when applied normally.

However I want to apply the (Body-BlackOverWhite) style dynamically to threaded text boxes which are on a black background, so that whatever text showing up there automatically has that Paragraph Style applied.

I created an Object Style (ThreadedTextBox-WhiteOverBlack) and defined the Paragraph Style as (Body-BlackOverWhite), however it does NOT automatically updated. I tried Apply Style, Clear Attributes, but that did not work.

I am able to select the text manually and apply the (Body-BlackOverWhite) paragraph style, but would like for it to update automatically as the text will flow back and forth as a refine my layout. To be clear, this would mean that the part of the paragraph on one page may be black-over-paper, and the other half of the paragraph would be white-over-black-background.

I thought to try creating a Character Style rather than a Paragraph Style, but dont see any way to apply a Character Style to a Object Text Frame Style.

Suggestions? Am I missing something obvious? (would hardly be the first time 🙂 .  

Thank you....

[Barb Binder]

Are you asking how to assign paragraph tags through object styles? You can set that up in Object Styles > Paragraph Styles but it does not work with threaded text frames. It only works with single, unthreaded text frames.

Now, if you have threaded text frames, and you want to select the entire story and dynamically assign those two tags to every other paragraph (white on black then black on white and repeat until done), you can set up Next Styles for each. Set the white text up so that the next style is the black text, and the black text so that the next style in the white text—and after you select all, right click over the one you want first in the Paragraph Styles panel and choose Apply XXX Then Next Style. InDesign will alternate the two styles until the end of the story. You need an repeating pattern for this to work, i.e., every other one is black or white.

[mlondon88]

Are you asking how to assign paragraph tags through object styles? You can set that up in Object Styles > Paragraph Styles but it does not work with threaded text frames. It only works with single, unthreaded text frames.

So what I'm trying to do may not be possible?      

(I am NOT trying to alternate White-Black-White-Black..)

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

My apologies. I've been teaching all day and am tired, so may have misunderstood. But if the ultimate goal is to assign paragraph tags through object styles, then no it does not work with threaded text frames. It only works with single, unthreaded text frames.

From Use object styles to format objects in an InDesign document

The Paragraph Styles category ... is applicable only if the object is an unthreaded text frame.

[mlondon88]

Thank you Barb and winterm!

[Barb Binder]

We are always happy to help.

[winterm]

Paragraph styles won't help you for sure. I don't want to say that's not possible at all... Here's a trick that works for threaded frames, too. BUT: 400% ink coverage is probably one of the worst ideas you could ask your printer.

So, just for fun:

[mlondon88]

Nice trick, but this is for a offset printed photobook. 400% will not work!

So perhaps there is no way to achieve this?

[winterm]

mlondon88  wrote

400% will not work!

Sure, just like it was said, that's not for print.

And no, there's no way for text 'to detect' dynamically, what kind of background is underneath.

Make two styles, assign them manually.