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Splitting columns is causing the text to be out of order!

Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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I split my text into two columns but the text is now out of order -see how the left column content should be on the right-. What do I do? 

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correct answers 2 Correct answers

Community Expert , Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

Let's take a look at the InDesign version you are using:

  1. Open the CC Desktop app.
  2. Click your avatar in the top right corner > Preferences > Apps.
  3. What version is checked? I can see from your screen shots that you have an English-language version installed. Which one is it?

 

~Barb 

 

cc.png

 

 

 

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Community Expert , Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

Hi honey620,

there could be an explanation for this behavior:

The story direction of the text frame is set to Right-to-Left. That would be typical for a text frame of a document with RTL text like you would need it with Hebrew or Arabic. You could tell if this is the cause if you select the frame and check the in- and out-ports of the frame:

 

Story direction left-to-right, the in-port is at the upper left, the out-port is at the lower-right:

LTR-InPort-UpperLeft.PNG

 

Story direction right-to-left, the in-port is at t

...

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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Information that would help us help you: Please tell us what operating system (exactly) you're running. Please tell us (exactly) what InDesign version you're using. 

 

Show us what the text looked like BEFORE you "split text into two column" (turn on Hidden Characters when you make a screen shot). Exactly what command did you use to split into columns?

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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When you reply, please use the image icon to embed your images in the post, so other users don't have to download them to view them.

Screen Shot 2020-11-17 at 4.45.12 PM.png

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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Hi @honey620:

 

When you split one column into two columns, the text runs down the first column, and then down the second column. split.gif

 

If the columns are reversed, are you using a Middle Eastern version of InDesign, or did the text come from an ME version of InDesign?

 

~Barb 

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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I'm not sure, how do I check for that?

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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I copied the text from a Google Docs file, not another ID file.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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I'm using a PC Windows 10, I have the most updated version of InDesign CC. after.JPGbefore.JPG

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2020 Nov 18, 2020

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Hi @honey620 :

 

Actually, I can see that either the text is designated Middle Eastern or you have a Middle Eastern version installed by looking more closely at the screenshot that you posted of the paragraph panel. Directly under the left alignment button I see the left to right and right to left icons. Those don't normally appear in the English versions of the software.

 

Start by unsplitting, then change your paragraph composer from the World Ready Paragraph Composer to the Adobe Paragraph Composer. It's in the fly out menu from that same paragraph panel, top right corner. Resplit. Does that make a difference?

 

~Barb 

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

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Unfortunatly that did not work.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 26, 2020 Nov 26, 2020

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If you have currently a Middle Eastern version of InDesign ie. English يدعم العربية, you may fix the issue by simply opening "Story" panel which can be found under Window > Type and Tables > Story.

Select the text frame in question and switch story direction as shown here…

story-direction.jpg

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Community Expert ,
Nov 26, 2020 Nov 26, 2020

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@Zaid Al Hilali:

 

I was hoping you would see this! (And I had no idea those icons were in the Story panel in the ME version.)

 

~Barb 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 26, 2020 Nov 26, 2020

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You nearly figured it out yourself up here Barb 😉

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Community Expert ,
Nov 27, 2020 Nov 27, 2020

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Nearly! 😂 But still needed you!

 

~Barb

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New Here ,
Feb 01, 2024 Feb 01, 2024

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thanks a lot!

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Community Expert ,
Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

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Let's take a look at the InDesign version you are using:

  1. Open the CC Desktop app.
  2. Click your avatar in the top right corner > Preferences > Apps.
  3. What version is checked? I can see from your screen shots that you have an English-language version installed. Which one is it?

 

~Barb 

 

cc.png

 

 

 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

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Hi honey620,

there could be an explanation for this behavior:

The story direction of the text frame is set to Right-to-Left. That would be typical for a text frame of a document with RTL text like you would need it with Hebrew or Arabic. You could tell if this is the cause if you select the frame and check the in- and out-ports of the frame:

 

Story direction left-to-right, the in-port is at the upper left, the out-port is at the lower-right:

LTR-InPort-UpperLeft.PNG

 

Story direction right-to-left, the in-port is at the upper right, the out-port is at the lower-left:

RTL-InPort-UpperRight.PNG

 

So in effect, if you do Span Columns to All you get the following results.

With story direction left-to-right:

SpanColumnsAll-LTR-StoryDirection.PNG

 

 

With story direction right-to-left:

SpanColumnsAll-RTL-StoryDirection.PNG

 

To change the story direction of the parent story of a selected text frame to LTR, use this script code written in ExtendScript (JavaScript) :

 

app.selection[0].texts[0].parentStory.storyPreferences.storyDirection = 
StoryDirectionOptions.LEFT_TO_RIGHT_DIRECTION;

 

How to save script code to a script file and to install that script file, see:

https://www.indiscripts.com/pages/help#hd0sb2

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Hi @Laubender 

When I Tried to the Opposite Side for Arabic (RTL) for all Document it doesnt execute?(no errors) did i make something wrong? 

var myStories = app.activeDocument.stories.everyItem().storyPreferences.storyDirection;
myStories = StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;

 

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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Community Expert ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Hi M.Hasanain ,

just an idea because I assume you are using the MENA version of InDesign:

app.documents[0].stories.everyItem().storyPreferences.storyDirection = 
StoryDirectionOptions.UNKNOWN_DIRECTION;

I hope that this will revert the story direction to the default one.

( Not tested, because I do not have the MENA version installed. )

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Hi @Laubender 

Yes Im Using MENA Version that Support Arabic and Hebrew, But Strange no Code Works at All of the Following! also No Errors!, anyway thanks a lot you give it a try.

app.documents[0].stories.everyItem().storyPreferences.storyDirection = StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;
app.documents[0].stories.everyItem().storyPreferences.storyDirection = StoryDirectionOptions.UNKNOWN_DIRECTION;
app.activeDocument.stories.everyItem().storyPreferences.storyDirection = StoryDirectionOptions.UNKNOWN_DIRECTION;

 

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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Community Expert ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Did you try by selecting a single text frame and run this code:

// Text frame selected.
app.selection[0].texts[0].parentStory.storyPreferences.storyDirection = 
StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Yes , Thats Works!, Thanks , also i tried the following and it works!

 

 

var myNewDoc = app.documents.add();

var myTextFrame = myNewDoc.textFrames.add({
	geometricBounds: myNewDoc.pages[0].bounds
});

with(myTextFrame){
//Set the bounds of the text frame.
geometricBounds = [70, 100, 300, 200];
//Fill the text frame with placeholder text in 1 column.
textFramePreferences.textColumnCount = 1;
contents = "حسانين";
parentStory.justification = Justification.RIGHT_JUSTIFIED;
paragraphs.item(0).paragraphDirection = ParagraphDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION
//Now set the story direction left to right
parentStory.storyPreferences.storyDirection = StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;
}

 

 

I added new document then arabic text frame and set some attributes in arabic (Right to left) 

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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@Laubender 

You Mean we Need to Make a loop to every text frame in the Document? or something else  you are thinking about!

 

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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Community Expert ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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"You Mean we Need to Make a loop to every text frame in the Document? or something else you are thinking about!"

 

Hm. No.

This should work:

var storiesArray = app.documents[0].stories.everyItem().getElements();

for( var n=0; n<storiesArray.length; n++ )
{
	storiesArray[n].storyPreferences.storyDirection = 
	StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;
};

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Your Genius @Laubender , Thanks a lot 

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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Enthusiast ,
Dec 09, 2021 Dec 09, 2021

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Hi @Laubender 

in this example i want to target only all Tables (to changes their stories direction) in the Document, so it done with the nested loops like that (script is working):

//Change Only Tables Direction Story in All DOC to RTL

var myDoc = app.documents[0];

app.doScript(ChangeTablesStoryDirectionRTL, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, "Change Tables Story Direction");

function ChangeTablesStoryDirectionRTL(){
	for ( s = myDoc.stories.length-1; s >= 0; s-- ){
		for ( t = myDoc.stories[s].tables.length-1; t >= 0; t-- ){
		    myTable = myDoc.stories[s].tables[t];
            myDoc.stories[s].storyPreferences.storyDirection = StoryDirectionOptions.RIGHT_TO_LEFT_DIRECTION;
		}
	}
}

but now i need to make the opposite (to exclude tables and keep only TextFrames to change stories) but i failed to reverse the operation!, i stuck!

Best
Mohammad Hasanin

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