Difficulty Moving Objects in InDesign Due to Bounding Box and Relinking Issues

[Chaplain Dale]

In earlier versions of InDesign you could select and object and move it when the red bounding box appeared and you could see the little "move" icon.  Now, I have a difficult time moving anything around on my page.  The program wants me to relink to the image.  So, I hid that function but I'm still having trouble.  Sometimes, when you select an item to move, the blue bounding box appears.  I rarely use that box!  I just need to know what I need to do to move items easily again.  I spent about 5 minutes just trying to move a few images on the page and that's pretty frustrating! 

Thanks,

Chappy

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[Steve Werner]

Start by telling us what version of InDesign you are using, and what operating sytem version.

Make and upload a screen capture of what you're referring to in your text.

[Chaplain Dale]

I'm using InDesign CC 19.5 x 64. My operating system is Windows 11 w/64GB of RAM and a 12th Gen. Processor and SSD HD.

Below is the red bounding box. Except the little move icon isn't there. When I do a screen shot it disappears.

[cid:172d570f-14c6-4644-b1e9-f417a37718d6]

Yours in LOTCS,

Dale A. Iannello
Supreme Newshound (Editor)
Cootie Courier
Military Order of the Cootie
"Specie Pediculi"

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[Chaplain Dale]

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Chaplain Dale

Blue chain symbol in the top left corner means that this object is linked to some other object.

If you open Links Panel - you should be able to break the link - if that's what you want to do. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/indesign/using/linked-content.html

[Chaplain Dale]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for all of your help Brother!  Your illustrations and explanations were spot on!  So, I kept on analyzing the problem and found out that it was my "select" button on my mouse!  I have a Razer Naga, left-handed edition that finally gave up the ghost after 10 years of use.  Hardly anything lasts that long these days, eh?  Like they say, "Nothing lasts forever." So, now I have to purchase another Razer.  Thanks again for your help!  Have a blessed day, eh?

All the best,

Chappy

[Steve Werner]

What can be confusing with images in InDesign is that when you look at a graphic in a frame, there are two outlines—the graphic frame that contains the picture, and the graphic itself.

The Red color graphic frame takes its color from the layer you're on in the Layers panel.

The blue link icon is, as Robert points out, an indication that the graphic is NOT embedded, but is LINKED, usually to a placed graphic. The graphic could be stored on your computer, or on an external server. Also, as Robert says, you can see more about the link in the Links panel. If you open the Links panel, you get information about the graphic and where it is linked:

[Steve Werner]

Here's what the Links panel looks like:

 My illustration shows a linked TIFF image stored on my hard drive.

Usually you should see in the middle of the graphic an object officially called the "Content Grabber" which I usually describe as an "donut hole". You can see it my illustration.

You may have turned it off. If you choose View > Extras > Show Content Grabber it will appear like I showed in the first picture above..

If you click in that area, you select the graphic itself (not the frame) and If you click and drag the picture gets moved within the graphic frame (iusing the white arrow Direct Selection tool does the same).

So if the frame doesn't move, it may be because you dragged in the wrong place.