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Sari5C4E
Participating Frequently
October 21, 2024
Question

Multi-Level Bulleted List Spacing in InDesign

  • October 21, 2024
  • 4 replies
  • 3330 views

Hi Adobe community,

 

I am trying to create a 3-level, multi-level bulleted list for a template I am creating. I have experience creating a multi-level numbered list, but realize the same technique cannot be used for multi-level bulleted lists because you cannot create a custom list name and set the levels. To that end, I've resorted to creating individual styles for each bullet level, but I am getting tripped up on the before/after spacing.

 

Ideally, I would like each bullet level to have 0 space between bullets but 12 pt spacing at the very end before the next non-bullet style. However, if I the bullet 1 style to 0 pt spacing between paragraphs of same style but 12 pt otherwise, if I need to advance to bullet 2, it will place a space between the bullet 1 and bullet 2 lists.

 

I realize I may need to just create multiple styles with different spacing options so users can achieve what they need to depending on their needs. But before I do that, does anyone have any creative solutions that will make this easier for users?

 

 

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4 replies

Dave Creamer of IDEAS
Community Expert
Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 15, 2024

If the design allows, I usually using only space before for my body text. This allows me to remove it from lists so the space "collapses up". Also, the paragraph following the list would still have the space intact. 

 

 

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
FRIdNGE
FRIdNGE
October 22, 2024

Just For Fun:  3 "pure" para styles! …

 

 

(^/)  The Jedi

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 22, 2024

You have indeed found a limitation of InDesign. You will have to make 2 versions of each bulleted style, even as you have already said. But now I wonder if some GREP genius could make a passive GREP style work-around?

Mike Witherell
    S
    Sari5C4EAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 22, 2024

    Yeah...that's unfortunately what I figured I'd have to do! I thought I'd first check if any fellow users have workarounds that I don't know of, but it seems like that is the only solution for now.

    Y
    yellowbird210
    Participant
    November 15, 2024

    If you find a grep that will do this, please share! I've been looking for something like this too and decided the best (only) option is what @Mike Witherell, @James Gifford—NitroPress and @Robert at ID-Tasker  mentioned. I just hate having so many style variations...   
    Is there a way for us to vote/recommend this issue/feature for the developers to incorperate? It doesn't feel like InDesign gets as much love as the other programs.   

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    October 21, 2024

    All multi-level lists in InDesign are created using one Paragraph Style per level. making them child/based-on levels is good practice for overall management.

     

    You can also assign any set of these styles to a new List Name in the Bullet/Numbering menu, so you can have any number of defined list sets. Never mind — I don't think I ever noticed you can't do this for bulleted lists, which explains your question. You can still use multiple styles to achieve control over each level, they just won't be associated at a 'numbering' level.

     

    ID also has a very useful feature that allows separate spacing control between list elements — you can set all of them to have, say, 12 points of spacing above and below, but ignore that spacing or set another value in between them. I often create three list styles (First, List, Last) for some associated reasons, but this secondary spacing control replaces that method for most (print) uses.

     

    Oddly, Adobe doesn't seem to have any help on multi-level lists, but here's a good third-aprty tutorial:

     

    Feel free to ask further questions, as well. Lists in ID are very, very flexible and powerful but don't work the way they do in, say, Word... which is a GOOD thing.

    S
    Sari5C4EAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 22, 2024

    Hi James,

     

    Can you share how to set spacing to 0 pt for all list styles? I understand that when creating paragraph styles, you can set spacing  between paragraph using the same style. My issue is that if I do that, if I have a multi-level list, there will be spacing between level 1 and level 2, when I also want that to be 0 pt. I know I can create additional styles (e.g., level 1 with 12 pt spacing after; level 1 with 0 pt spacing after) to use if it's a single level list versus multi-level list, but I'm hoping to avoid doing so if there's a feature I don't know about.

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    October 22, 2024

    Hi James,

     

    Thanks for the response. I think we may be crossing wires a bit...I understand how to set that at the single style level, but I was wondering if there was a way to set some type of a rule that if you use the bullet list 1 style and bullet list 2 style, the spacing between list 1 and list 2 is zero. But if list 2 style is not used, the list 1 style spacing is 12 pt to the next style. I know Word functions this way; this may just be a limitation of InDD, and I'll need to set up a bunch of different styles with different rules.


    @Sari5C4E

     

    Unfortunately, you either have to create all possible combinations of styles - 1st_bullet_after_body, 1st_bullet_after_header, 1st_bullet_after_table, etc. - or do local override. 

     

    But it's easily scriptable. 

     

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