Fixed width text in Styles

[Carlo Hagemann]

Hi InDesigners,

Maybe it is very simple, and am I searching with the wrong terms, but I want a lay out in my text as if it was a Whatsapp conversation. It means that I want to have my texts with a width of around 50 characters, and then with a alignment that is alternating between right (my text) and left (the other's text). 

In this screenshot you might see what I mean. I want it like the text balloons that start with 'Lorem Ipsum' (the first two balloons - in which I used hard returns), but so far I have the last three balloons - without the hard returns. 

What can I do to receive the result I want in a style? Maybe someon can refer me to the instructions. 

(I work with the latest InDesign version). 

Thanks in advance!

 

[jmlevy · Accepted solution]

Use indents: a right indent for the left aligned text and a left indent for the right aligned text. Try different settings to find what fits best, but I doubt that you will be able to find the value that will allow you to limit the line length to EXACTLY 50 characters, unless you use a monospaced font in which all letters will have the same width.

[Carlo Hagemann]

Hi JM,

Thanks a lot... Indent is the answer indeed. Thanks for helping me one step further in my InDesign development. It's a bit of thinking the other way around (right indent in left text). 

Best,

Carlo

[Peter Spier]

To expand on that a bit, create two paragraph styles, one left aligned and the other right aligned, with appropriate insets, and make them each the next style for the other so that when you hit a paragraph return they will automatically switch back and forth.

[Carlo Hagemann]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for you response too. I have to check if the conversation is often other-me-other-me. But it is really a good hint. 

Best,

Carlo

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Advice with the indent will work only as long as your main thread have the same width of the TextFrames... If you have different widths - and those "conversations" can flow between them - it won't work as expected. 

[Barb Binder]

This is a fun variation on our everyday layouts. I attached a sample of how I might approach this.

~Barb

[Carlo Hagemann]

Hi Barb,

I definitely have to polish up the lay out, so thanks for you examples. It looks great!

Best,

Carlo