How do I set column rules to the left side of text columns instead of in between?

[Chris P. Bacon]

The colum text is left aligned in most professional magazines, and I noticed that they put the column rules to the left side of the columns, not in between.

[Randy Hagan]

InDesign's automatic column rules function puts lines between columns of text.

To get the effect you're looking for, you're going to have to add it yourself — either by using ruler guides to set the spot and drawing them in as you want to apply them case by case, or by providing for them globally by using the same process to draw them into parent pages.

Hope this helps,

Randy

[maxwithdax · Accepted solution]

This is possible with paragraph borders. You can just use the Left Border and get the effect you are looking for.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

True, that's another solution. It would (could) get messy if there are multiple styles in play, though, and borders are dependent on paragraph height. If the layout is for rules top to bottom, this alternative would quickly get too complicated.

But for simple rule-left of text height... it's easy enough.

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[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Unless I'm misreading both the question and Randy's answer, you can adjust the position of the column rules to either side of the gutter using the Horizontal Position field:

If the OP means putting a column rule on the outside left (left page margin), that can only be done manually, on each page or a parent page. But you don't have to have rules centered in the gutters if you want them offset.

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[Chris P. Bacon]

Ok, I will try that.

This is what I meant:

[Randy Hagan]

I did misinterpret your question. I thought you were looking for a rule to the left side of the columns, like many magazines use to define, say, sidebar materials to main text.

James has got the correct answer for your use case.

Randy

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You can replicate any layout in InDesign, including this one, but it's not going to be with much use of built-in and automated features. You can do the two inner column rules with the offset mentioned above, but everything else is going to be much more manual and hand-layout.

Magazines use tools like InDesign, but with a tremendous amount of experience, template setup and customized features (both scripts and plug-ins) to achieve a consistent, complex layout over thousands of pages a year. You can emulate these looks down to the last stroke, but it will be with largely manual layout skills and techniques. You are not, in general, missing or overlooking features that do these things 'automagically,' in ID or any other commercial app.

Mastering the component tools and features is pretty much the only route to professional magazine layout for individuals. The tools and scripts they use are not generally available, for purchase or otherwise.

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