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phyllisj9
Inspiring
March 18, 2009
Answered

"Reset Bounding Box" on rotated items?

  • March 18, 2009
  • 9 replies
  • 66083 views
Hi,

Is there an InDesign equivalent to "reset bounding box" (an Illustrator option) on rotated items? I'm working on a layout with a bunch of angled text boxes. It'd be helpful if I could change their bounding boxes to straight again, though I couldn't find an option for that. Thought I'd ask in case I've overlooked it.

Thanks, Phyllis
    Correct answer Lhemz0527

    Do the rotation while you are in Direct Selection Mode:

    1. Select the object with Selection Tool
    2. Click the Direct Selection Tool
    3. Type in the angle in the Transform panel. Enter
    4. Go back to Selection Tool

    If the objects are already rotated:

    1. Select the object with Selection Tool
    2. Copy the angle of rotation from the Transform panel
    3. Set the angle to zero. Enter
    4. Click the Direct Selection Tool
    5. Paste in the angle in the Transform panel. Enter
    6. Go back to Selection Tool

    You don't have to use pathfinder, compound path or convert frame type.

    9 replies

    Scott Falkner
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 2, 2024

    Draw a text frame on top of the existing frame and paste the text from the rotated frame into the new text frame. Make sure the attributes for the new frame match the existing frame (offsets, columns, first baseline offset, stroke, fill, etc.). Select both frames and go to Object Pathfinder > Add.

    Mike Witherell
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 14, 2024

    Interesting. When did Pathfinder add on to the Object menu in InDesign?

    Mike Witherell
    Participant
    May 2, 2024

    Right-click object -> Transform -> Reset Transformations

    Mike Witherell
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 14, 2024

    That answer is neither InDesign nor Illustrator!

    Mike Witherell
    Participant
    July 28, 2022

    How do you reset a bounding box?

    Participant
    July 28, 2022

    The reason why Reset Bounding Box is grayed out in Illustrator is because the feature does not work on certain shapes and lines. To fix this, click on the shape and navigate to Object > Shape > Expand Shape in the menu. You should now be able to reset the bounding box

    Lhemz0527Correct answer
    Participating Frequently
    October 11, 2017

    Do the rotation while you are in Direct Selection Mode:

    1. Select the object with Selection Tool
    2. Click the Direct Selection Tool
    3. Type in the angle in the Transform panel. Enter
    4. Go back to Selection Tool

    If the objects are already rotated:

    1. Select the object with Selection Tool
    2. Copy the angle of rotation from the Transform panel
    3. Set the angle to zero. Enter
    4. Click the Direct Selection Tool
    5. Paste in the angle in the Transform panel. Enter
    6. Go back to Selection Tool

    You don't have to use pathfinder, compound path or convert frame type.

    Participant
    June 7, 2018

    Brilliant! That worked perfectly.

    Participant
    November 30, 2012

    Object > Transform > Reset Bounding Box. Boom!

    Peter Spier
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    November 30, 2012

    You do know that command is not availble in InDesign, right? That was the whole point of this thread.

    Participant
    November 30, 2012

    Doh! You caught me Peter. That's what I get for trying do too much at once!

    For InDesign, reset the bounding box in Illustrator, copy it, paste it into InDesign.

    phyllisj9
    phyllisj9Author
    Inspiring
    March 19, 2009
    Hey thanks,

    I'm working with text rather than graphics so unfortunately I can't rotate just the content (as far as I can tell -- not even if I convert to outlines). I tried the Pathfinder suggestion although that just turns everything into a single box (eliminates any content of the original) but did give me the idea that just grouping an empty frame with the angled one would work better. So thanks! I'd agree that it's helpful to keep a record of the rotation angle, but sometimes when there are a bunch of these, it's hard to work with angled bounding boxes. But I'll try the grouping technique -- I never thought of that!

    Thanks, Phyllis
    Participant
    May 17, 2012

    You would have to convert the text to paths for the pathfinder to work. You may have to use a different option than Add. Possibly Intersect and refill the shapes. It worked for me.

    Participant
    March 19, 2009
    Draw a small box (no fill, no stroke).
    Place on top of the rotated object.
    Select both.
    Chose Pathfinder and press Add icon.

    Cris.
    Participant
    March 7, 2023

    LEGEND

     

    Peter Spier
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 19, 2009
    In my opinion, that's a good thing. Any rotation angle is recorded and can be used later by the smart guides feature.

    Have you considered rotating graphic content inside the frame instead of rotating the frame? I doubt that's any better, but it would keep the bounding box oriented.

    Peter
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    March 18, 2009
    If there is, I've never found it. ID preserves the absolute (total) rotation of the original object unto the end of document life. :)