space before in paragraph style along with a border above

[hendy_5450]

Is there a way to get a space (indicated with red arrow) above the first text border on top

when adding space before, nothing happens

[tonks_the_auror]

Do you mean you want to add space between the top border and the text?

If so, then you need to use Paragraph > Paragraph Borders and Shading  > Border

There you can set the stroke and the offset

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

This..

Space above means space above the entire paragraph "block" or style, including borders etc.

To distance a border or rule from the text, you need to set the Offset for each (and each side of).

[hendy_5450]

I tried that.
It makes the border higher,
i'm not looking to do that.

I want the first bullet LOWER

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'm unclear on exactly what you do want, then. Do you want space OVER the top rule/border, or BETWEEN the border and the first line of text? You can do either, or both.. (Or neither, obviously.)

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Just in case... setting the border thickness and setting the border offset are two different things. You can have a 0.25pt border 120 points over the text, or a 40pt border 20 points up, or any such reasonable combination.

[hendy_5450]

that would only make a thick border.
i'm not looking to do that.

[Willi Adelberger]

Don't use any color for the top border. The thickness will not matter. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You have to push the text DOWN to make room for your elevated border. Then you push the border UP to where you want it. (There is no single setting that does this.)

So your top bullet has to have, say, 1 inch of space above it. Then you have about an inch to push the border up, using the Rule or Border Offset setting. Note that this will become another problem when your bullet/border falls at the top of a page; you have to configure the border — using Paragraph Rule, not Border — to respect the top text frame margin.

These are all fairly basic elements of understanding in formatting text in InDesign. You are plowing a hard road by trying to implement complex combinations of formatting without an adequate understanding of how each setting and feature works. As in this case, it takes several rounds to even ask a question that has a sensible answer. I repeat the not infrequent suggestion that you spend some time on tutorials to learn all the basics before you dive any further into trying to combine them into complex layouts. You'll waste less time, get results you want, and at the least be able to ask more focused questions using clear terminology so that any answers will address what you're trying to do, not random guesses at your goals.

[Barb Binder]

Hi Hendy:

Add spacing below the paragraph above (... as a full meal.), then follow @tonks_the_auror's advice.

If you adjust both, you will end up with the result you are looking for. 

~Barb

[hendy_5450]

Note I already tried this.

with 1 inch before, nothing changes

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You need one inch (or whatever) before the FIRST paragraph inside the border, not all of them. That creates the space above, between it and the prior paragraph, for the border to be expanded.

THEN you extend the border spacing using the Offset value.

This will not work at a page top unless you take other steps; the border will push up into the top margin.

[hendy_5450]

it IS in the first paragraph.
what I'm showing you is the style that I specifically created for the
FIRST DIRECTION

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I don't have any clearer explanations left to share. You don't seem to grasp that there are two completely separate settings involved. What I and others have described here, repeatedly, works perfectly and with just a few settings... if you follow the instructions.