Header with rule through

[Spenno]

Hey all. I am trying to add a header to the top of my master page for a magazine I have begun working on. It's centred on each page but with a horizontal line running through the middle either side of the text. The background colour needs to come through as it's not always white. Currently these are two lines that are being nudged each time to suit the text. Any ideas how I can use a para style so that the lines change width automatically as the text changes? The outer edges still need to run to the edges of the frame. Picture hopefully attatched (the text reading 'company profile'). Many thanks for any suggestions! 

[nigelfrench · Accepted solution]

Try this…

Make the alignment of the Company Profile paragraph Justify All Lines.

Insert a flush space followed by an en space (or em if you want more space) before the text, followed by en space, flush space after the text.

Make a Character Style and change the Underline Options. Use your preferred weight and offset of rule. Apply the Character Style to the Flush spaces.

[Spenno]

Thank you so much for this - it's perfect 🙂

[Barb Binder]

I like that, Nigel. Another approach—that takes longer to set up but becomes a 1-click solution—is to use a custom underline and a paragraph rule and save it as a paragraph style:

Here's how:

1. Add the leading and trailing en or em spaces
2. Set the alignment to center
3. Underline the spaces and the text
   
4. Alt/Opt click the underline button and make it thicker, white and adjust the offset. I'm choosing yellow instead of White so that you can see it.
   
5. Next add a ruling line above and adjust the offset.
   
6. Save the result as a style and you are good to go. 

~Barb

[nigelfrench]

Hi Barb,

That approach won't work if you want to put the header against a background other than white, which Spenno mentioned was a requirement.

[Spenno]

Thank you Barbara for taking the time to show me this approach. Much appreciated.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Good point, Nigel. Truthfully, I missed that critieria (it's Friday) but wouldn't changing the frame blending mode to Multiply take care of that? (Without impacting the anchored frames?)

~Barb

[nigelfrench]

Yes, that would work.

[Laubender]

Hi Barb,

yes it would work. At first glance…

But watch your color values when using the multiply effect. Check the Separation View and turn off ink Black.

Can you still see some body text? Can you still see the rule? If yes, something's odd or is not working as expected:

Separation View. All inks are showing:

Separation View. Ink Black is turned off.

That reveals that body text and the rule below becomes a different color if you compare it to the headline:

So I'd prefer Nigel's solution.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )