InDesign help: Column padding issue

[StuArtsy]

Hello!

I'm hoping someone might be able to offer a suggestion for an issue vexing me:

I have a two column paragraph with a descrepancy in how copy hits the left-hand margin on the second column (see screenshot, I've adjusted copy to X's for the sake of the post).

When I try to adjust the circled margin to be flush with the lefthand border margin like the line below it, there doesn't seem to be any room to adjust. I just have two different lefthand margins and I am not sure how to fix it. All lines are left-justified. I'm not sure how it got this way, I don't work with tables much!

Is there perhaps a paragraph style option I have overlooked?

Thanks for any input!

[Willi Adelberger]

Show the paragraph settings.

Do you work with paragraph styles?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'm seeing the same text inset in both columns (about 3-4 points), with a text frame inset on the far left.

Check the text frame (perhaps on the Parent page) by selecting it and hitting Ctrl-B. The inset spacing should be zero all around unless you intended some inset; 6 points or so on the left edge would give exactly the effect we're seeing.

That, or the Table is shifted over those few points by the style setting of the preceding paragraph it's anchored to. Table positioning etc. is controlled by that anchor paragraph, by default.

[Mike Witherell]

With the Type tool inserted in that table cell, the Table panel will show you the cell padding amounts which is an internal standoff distance. I also recommend cell styles.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Just to clarify, there are three left spacing elements at play here: that cell spacing, the cell-text indent (which could include any first-line indent), and any indent applied to the table by its anchor paragraph.

Tables are lotsa fun in this layer-on-layer stuff. 🙂

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Hi @StuArtsy , from your capture it looks like your text is in a table and not a 2 column text frame?

Tables are inserted into a text frame, and the insets of the table cells would be controlled from Table > Cell options, or by applying Cell Styles. Here I have a table that is similar to what you are showing, and the padding or inset of the selected text can be changed via the table panel:

[StuArtsy · Accepted solution]

Hello everyone,

Thank you for the many insightful responses!

It was indeed a matter of my overlooking the cell inset in the Table menu. I appreciate it very much!

Cheers!