indexing proper names

[naš_časd97534772]

Ia m working on a book, which requests a proper names index. I have done it before, it works perfectly in older version of InDesign (5.0).

Now I am using a new version of InDesign and the command simply does not work (shift+ctrl+alt+]).

How can it be fixed?

Yours, Janja

[Joel Cherney]

Hi Janja, can you provide more details? I'm using InDesign 20.5 on Windows and find that the keyboard shortcut works just fine for me in a brand-new file:

Does the shortcut fail to work in a brand-new file, or is it only one file? If you're working on one of your old files from version 5 (CS2 I believe) did you try exporting to IDML and reopening? Are you working on Windows platform, or on MacOS where the shortcut is different? (Shift+Command+Option+]) Did you check the shortcut in Edit -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> Product area: Panel Menus -> Index: Add new topic entry (reversed)?

[naš_časd97534772]

Hi Joel,

working on InDesign 20.5, Windows platform. 

It is the same - exporting to indl and opening or making on the brand new file. 

The shortcut is working for align or not text to baseline grid.

Checked shorcuts, thanks. I disabeled shortcut (shift+ctrl+alt+G) for aligning. 

Still does not work ... 

[Peter Kahrel · Accepted solution]

Go to the Keyboard Shortcut editor (Edit > Keyboard shortcuts), then click Show set. That opens a text version of the shortcuts in your OS's default text editor. Search for Index: Add new index entry and check which shortcut is defined. 

[naš_časd97534772]

I need this one ... Copied from show set:

Index: Add new index entry (reversed) --- Text: Shift+Ctrl+Alt+]

[Peter Kahrel]

1. Well, ok, anyway it shows that the key is defined ok. But if you look for Shift+Ctrl+Alt+] (just that, without the Text: label), do you find it elsewhere in the file? 

[naš_časd97534772]

Yes, I found it.

Select: First Object Above --- Default: Shift+Ctrl+Alt+]

What is next?

[Peter Kahrel]

You can remove it, or change its scope from Default to object (if it's there, can't check it right now).

[naš_časd97534772]

So, can I change it:

Select: First Object Above --- [none defined] - this is useless.

or how?

[Peter Kahrel]

So when you remove the shortcut at First Object Above, it still doesn't work at Add new index entry (reversed)?

That's strange.

[naš_časd97534772 · Accepted solution]

I have figured it out (partialy). Changing entrie in in Show set was not useless, saving txt file  for a new  set was not succesfull (or I did not know how propery save it, of course at another set name and use it). At the end of all trials,  I create a new set in menu Keyboard comand and just change the shortcut for the desired index. It works for the old file, the same idml file, old other files, but not for the new file.

Makes me crazy. I need that solution too.

[Peter Kahrel]

> Changing entrie in in Show set was not useless, saving txt file  for a new  set was not succesfull

The txt file is for reference only. Changes you make in it don't have any effect on the behaviour of your shortcuts.

Shortcuts are changed in the Keyboard Shortcut editor itself. Select Panel menus in the Product area dropdown, then scroll down to the entry you want to change.