Making vertical text in Indesign

[RACHELC]

Hi,

I am trying to get vertical text (ie letters underneath each other) in my new CC version of InDesign. All the help pages say to use the vertical type tool, but I can't find this - I only have the Type Tool and Type on a path tool showing. I can't find the option in Object file menu to change to a frame grid either....

Help would be greatly appreciated!! I only use InDesign about once a year for a project so do find I'm having to re-learn it - but usually can get by with help..not this time

Cheers

Rachel

[rajsre · Accepted solution]

Vertical text frame tool is not available in English version. It is present in the Japanese version.

If you want to do vertical text for short text elements like titles or similar designing, you can make use of text on path:

1. Draw a vertical line (if there is a stroke and you don't want to see it, you can later turn off this stroke from stroke panel)

2. Insert Text on Path tool on the line, type your text

3 Go to Type > Text on path options..., select Effect > Stair step, OK

Now do other spacing adjustments like "kerning" for proper spacing or other alignment properties.

(You can even convert this to a graphic element if no more text edit is required: select Type > Create Outlines)

[RACHELC]

Thanks for both suggestions - have had a go with using the path - I kind of got it to work but need to do some tweaks I think - but I will try the Japanese option also!

[Willi Adelberger · Accepted solution]

When you are a Cloud Subscriber you can additionally install the Japanese version of InDesign, it will add some tools to your version of InDesign, even if it si not the Japanese version.

[G P Shannon]

Just had to do this today, in English version of CC2014. Thanks a lot for the Type on a Path tip!

But there's more to it than that, as I learned from my Japanese colleagues. Simply stair-stepping type on a path is not enough, because some characters are special. These apply to Hiragana as well as Katakana.

1. The Katakana "—" character must rotate to " | ", which must be done manually by selecting the appropriate glyph in the Glyphs panel.

2. As well, Katakana like "ュ" and " ィ " that get small to show pronunciation in certain combinations, are supposed to be aligned to the right, which doesn't happen either and those glyphs have to be swapped out too.

Also remember that when set vertically, the columns read top-to-bottom and right-to-left, something that is not available in the English version and there's no workaround other than using the J-version.

[Daniel a Köenig · Accepted solution]

Hi, Rachel,

There is no "vertical type tool," so you can rest assured you haven't gone crazy.

There ARE at least 3 different ways to do what you want to do, and here is an article that will explain most of them: https://indesignsecrets.com/setting-vertical-text-in-indesign.php

In case the link doesn't work, just go to indesignsecrets.com and do a search for "vertical text."

The "Type on a path" tool is probably the easiest way after you've done it a time or two. Just be sure to read the comments in addition to the article for some helpful tips, and other ways to monkey around with this problem.

Hope this helps!

Ken

[ra.2077]

Hi Rachel

One solution is to create a vertical text frame using a Chinese or Japanese version. Keep the file and copy the text frame when you need it.

Hope this helps!

Ray

[rtijn]

It's ten years later and Photoshop still does this better than Indesign (you know, the program designed for type)..

[rtijn]

Oh it gets worse.. I just found out that you can't even scale a text that was made this way! Can we fix this please?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You can easily do vertical text in a narrow text frame, or a text frame set to narrow columns. And scale/modify/fancy-up the text any way ID is normally capable of.

You could probably list a dozen fancy layout or process effects InDesign doesn't do, but have trouble listing that many users who really want that feature added... not when it's possible to achieve it with a little, you know, non-automated, non-AI talent.

[rtijn]

You could probably list a dozen fancy layout or process effects InDesign doesn't do, but have trouble listing that many users who really want that feature added... not when it's possible to achieve it with a little, you know, non-automated, non-AI talent.

Yeah I probably could! But I didn't. You could probably also list a dozen work-arounds, down to printing stuff out, cut the letters out and align it that way, scan it back in and presto! Then don't forget to imply that anyone who doesn't is just lazy, untalented and/or needs to rely on AI to make anything good.

As an alternative option to inapropriate respones like this, I would like to suggest avoiding the hypotheticals and hostility and maybe try empathy and respect in stead. You could also asume that I do know what I am talking about. It might reflect a little better on your "Community Expert" badge too. We're paying a lot for this software, it really is not unreasonable to ask a question like this. You don't even have to agree with me, but just take it seriously.

I asked for a basic solution in Indesign, which is already available in an elegant way in less-text-focused Adobe software. So apparently there is demand for it, and there is already a solution for it. Implementing things to make the users life easier should not be too much to ask. Or maybe it could even be considered good software development to listen to users. It's a function that I think would require very little time to implement. Especially compared to the other updates that have been made over the past decade. Plenty of which arguably also don't have a long list of users who want to have it. It would be a large quality of life improvement for anyone needing it.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You didn't "ask" for anything. You pulled up a near zombie thread to complain that it hasn't been fixed to your satisfaction.

I gave you the elements of a solution that should be plenty of guidance for a long-term user; if not, you were free to "ask" for more details of how to implement it.

And I'll stand by my first comment: not every possibility of layout deserves a hard-coded, one-click feature solution, not if it can be achieved by skilled use of existing ones. Not unless (1) some fairly great number of user request it through the features request forum (that is, not by simply complaining to other users in a user-to-user forum), and the development team decides the cumulative request is worth the coding and testing hours to create.

Sorry if you disliked my answer as non-sympathetic... but I and others do tend to go to great lengths to answer actual questions and help find solutions to off-the-main-sequence needs. Being polite and sympathetic and casting around for fixes for one-sentence complaints... not so much.

That said, vertical text has almost no use in Western languages or layout except as a fancy heading or maybe a short cutline. It's hardly what I'd call an essential, basic need deserving a dedicated function. The feature request forum is filled with ones that are far more useful overall, to dozens if not hundreds of users who have voted for them, and still aren't implemented. Please do point them, and me, to any page layout program that has vertical text implemented as the feature you imagine. (And no, Photoshop doesn't count as a layout app.)

[rtijn]

If I made a new topic, I would be referred to this one. I am sure you would agree to that. So don't blame me for posting in this old thread. Besides, it also proves my point that it's been ten years since this was flagged.

But you are definitely right that I didn't ask for a solution. Sorry about that. I came to identify that this issue has still not been addressed. In stead, you provided me with a work-around and a scolding, neither of which I asked for. You can stand by misunderstanding what I came here for all you want. That's up to you. Just as it is your choice to have a pointless debate in a "zombie thread".

I could have applied the solution that was already given here if I didn't already know how to. I didn't need you for that, nor for your condenscending remarks. I don't understand what the purpose of it is and I doubt that anyone here benefits from this bully talk.

"point them, and me, to any page layout program that has vertical text implemented"

This is the level of ambition you have? We should only implement stuff if another program has it? And then why do you get to decide if that program is credible enough? Why shouldn't PS count? Does Illustrator count? Or After Effects? Tell me, if even these programs have it, what's a good reason for ID not to? I am sure all of these programs also have a long list of feature requests that are more upvoted than that. Don't give me these nonsense reasons..