How to fix misaligned columns in a text document in InDesign?

[EJ0101]

i have 3 seperate collums of text and i tried to delete one line from the colluum on the left it leaves a space where that text was, when i press backspace to try to remove that space the text from the collumn in the middle comes, essentially it is one line straight accross instead of up and down in 3 collums as i wanted it to. 

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[Steve Werner]

Make a screen capture which shows the tabular material in Normal Mode, turn on Type > Hidden Characters so we have a better idea of how you have structured the table(s).

[EJ0101]

Attached

[Steve Werner]

There's something unusual in the way those tables are set up. At first it looks like three separate tables. But with hidden characters turned on I see some what looks like tab characters in the spaces between the three tables. I think I'd have to look at the INDD file to figure out how that was done. Can you post it?

[EJ0101]

It should of been attached to the original post, is it not there? If not I can resend. 

[Steve Werner]

You attached screen shots, not the INDD file itself.

[Steve Werner]

You may need to post the INDD file on a cloud service and post a link to the INDD file. The forum doesn't support linking INDD files.

[EJ0101]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1wdjrbzk90s06b/D-backs%202023%20Roster%203-Column%202023-03-19.indd?dl=0

[Steve Werner · Accepted solution]

Now I understand. You have set up the three separate "columns" using tabular text. But the rows extend from left to right across parts of ALL THREE of the "columns".

In other words the "columns" aren't really columns.

See this screen capture:

When you're using tabular text you should have set each "column" separately from the other "columns". The rows should extend across ALL of the "columns". That makes extremely hard to edit accurately.

It would be even better if it were set up as a table (or three tables) but you may not use how to use tables.

[Steve Werner]

To be clearer: If you're using tabular text, the "column" with the header "BY POSITION" should be separate from the "columns" headed "NUMERICAL" and "ALPHABETICAL". You shouldn't be able to tab between the three "columns". They should be separated.

[EJ0101]

Thank you for the feedback, I am new to Indesign. Is it possible to edit the document so it flows properly or does it need to be remade?

[Steve Werner]

I'm afraid it needs to be remade. But if you don't remake it, you'll probably have continual problems editing it. I can't recommend keeping the structure the way it is now. 

[EJ0101]

Is there a setting that can be changed to fix the issue without having to remake the whole document?

[EJ0101]

Is there a setting that can be changed to fix the issue without having to remake the whole document?

[Peter Spier]

Unfortunately, no.

[Steve Werner]

Sadly, it works like construction. If you don't fix it now, you'll continually be running into problems until you do fix it. (Like a bad plumbing job.)

[Willi Adelberger]

It need to be recreated. I would do it via an intemediate PDF. There you can copy columwise by holding Shift-Option-Command (on the Mac*) columnwise and paste it into a new INDD. There you can design it via paragraph styles correctly.

* I do nit kniw the shortcut on Win, I suppose Shift-Option-Ctrl. Can someone verify it?

[EJ0101]

What do you mean by intermediate pdf? When I go adobe to edit the pdf each line becomes it's own item so I can't copy more than one at a time 

[Willi Adelberger]

Create a PDF and copy from there to get the text in an open form in a new INDD.

[Willi Adelberger]

Did you read, how to copy?, never via edit PDF.