How to combine two shapes so that a stroke outlines both of them as one item

[DigitalChickster]

Hi all! I'm trying to combine two shapes in InDesign. I know how to do this in Illustrator, but it's something I will need to change often, so it would easiest if I could do it in InDesign. I created the two shapes and went to the pathfinder... I choose the first icon ("Combine selected objects into one shape"). This seems to combine them just fine. But when I go to add a stroke to the new shape... it's outlining each original shape... not the new, combined shape. I saw online I should expand the appearance of the new shape... but I don't see that option? 

[jmlevy]

Hello, are you sure that you select the new shape with the black arrow? Just tested a few minutes ago and it works as expected when you select the combined shape with te selection tool (the black arrow) but it adds a stroke around the originigal shapes if you select it with the direct selection tool (the white arrow).

No, what I wrote is wrong. I always get a stroke around the new combined shape.

[DigitalChickster · Accepted solution]

Ah... I figured out what I was doing wrong. If I zoom in, I see that the two shapes weren't actually touching... but it looked like they were at 100%. So when I overlapped them, then combined them... then stroked them... it works. 

[boots_n_patches]

thanks  for  taking  the  time  to  share  with  us  your  resolution,  juile … and  elaborating  as  well  as  you  did!  you  just  may  have  helped  someone  else  in  the  process.