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lochabay
Participant
October 19, 2023
Question

Problem: W toggle key not showing items outside artboard-can't select/Hand tool won't move page

  • October 19, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 189 views

Sorry, I've searched everywhere but can't find an answer to my problem (I've uninstalled ID/restarted Mac/reverted versions). It happens with any/all documents. This just started this am.

 

When I open a document in InDesign, the W toggle view key, it's not showing elements outside the artboard. When I try to select elements, you can see the bounding box stops at the border of the bleed on the page. If an element is completely off the artboard, I can't select it.

 

Also, I can access the hand tool using the spacebar, but I can't move anything. The pages are stuck centered.

 

Thanks for any help you might have! I'm not sure what I did 🙂

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    1 reply

    Steve Werner
    Community Expert
    Steve WernerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 19, 2023

    I think you're misunderstanding what the W key is supposed to do.

     

    The W key toggles between Normal view (shows the entire pasteboard area—includes areas outside the print area of the spread with guides/grids/etc. turned on) and Preview view.

     

    Preview means what the printed or exported page looks like. Preview cannot show things outside the print/export area.

    L
    lochabayAuthor
    Participant
    October 19, 2023

    So, in either view, I cannot see anything off the artboard. I can't select anything past the bleed line. And I can't use the hand tool to move the document.

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    October 19, 2023

    Okay, well, selection of off-page items and the Hand tool should work in all screen modes. (Maybe not 'Presentation.')

     

    It may be that your preferences are corrupted; it happens most often when there is an automatic update of the software. Try deleting your prefs to see if that cures the problems.

     

    I'm not a Mac user, but you can find the instructions for deleting prefernces with a quick search. This is different from uninstalling/reinstalling, BTW, as corrupted prefs can be maintained across such a cycle.

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