How to copy an object while maintaining its X, Y, W, and H values?

Report · Nov 14, 2021

I have been using inDesign for several years, and something has been bothering me since the beginning. I am finally taking the time to ask about it here. Perhaps I am simply doing something foolish.

Say I have a text field on page 1 which is located at X: 0, Y: 20, W: 100, H: 50.

I select this field, click on Edit-Copy, and go to page 2, and click on Edit-Paste. It copies the text field just fine. While its W and H values are copied correctly, it automatically changes the X and Y values to essentially place the object into the exact middle of the page.

This happens no matter what type of object I try to copy. So I have to constantly change the X and Y values back to what they should be.

Is there no way to copy an object from one page to another while maintaining exactly the correct X, Y, W and H values? I have to believe that this very simple process must be possible, but for the life of me, I have never found a way to do it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Report · Nov 14, 2021

Any pasted object is placed on the center of you screen. You can do following:

Copy and Edit > Place in the same position (it is a different command, I am not sure about the correct wording in EnglisH9
Create an Object style which defines size and position and apply it to any new object you want to have on that place.
Export one or more selected Objects as an InDesign Snippet and File > Place it in any document.
Create an InDesign Library INDL, add any object and later place it not via drag & drop, but via place command of that panel.
Create an InDesign CC Library, add there in a section that object. When you place it in a new document, hold the Alt/Option key, so it will be placed on the very same place.

Same place might mean something different on a left or rigt page, or on a non-facing and facing document, depending on spine and ruler settings.

Report · Nov 15, 2021

Edit > paste in place (Cmd, Alt, Shift V [Mac], Ctrl, Alt, Shift V [Windows])

Report · Nov 15, 2021

"Is there no way to copy an object from one page to another while maintaining exactly the correct X, Y, W and H values?"

Yes, if the target page is on a different spread and at the same position as the source page.

Edit > Paste In Place

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )