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Hello,
I do hope someone can help. I have several pages that have the exact same layout, but when I go from page to page the text in tables and text frames is "jumping" and is not positioned in exactly the same place from one page to the next. How can I make sure that text appears in exactly the same place from page to page?
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I think we need to know more before this question can be answered. Screenshots, please, of before and after.
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Thanks for your prompt response Jane.
I am attaching a PDF with 2 identical layouts. There is a table and a text box on the master..
The table has 2 columns and 2 rows.
The text box is positioned right under the table.
When I move from one page to the next the text in the table and the frame both jump
I do not have either the text box or the table "anchored" ... how would I do that?
Both the text box and the table are on the master.
Just learning this program, so any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
.
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Your example preview very tiny. Hard to see what is going on. Are you using paragraph styles? Do all the boxes have the same alignment settings? (Align to top, etc.)
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Hi Dave ...
My settings are exactly the same in both pages.
In fact I dragged page 1 down to the "create new page" icon in the Pages panel to create page 2.
I need to find a way to anchor the table and the text in the table so that when I create 20 identical pages (with different text) that the text doesn't jump.
I would post a PDF, but the forum doesn't seem to allow that.
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I'm having a hard time what it is you mean by jumping. Can you you post larger screen shots?
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When I say "jumping" I mean when you go from PDF to PDF to PDF, the text is not in the identical position on each page. It seems to jump into different positions. Text should maintain the same position in the text frame or table.
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I mean when you go from PDF to PDF to PDF, the text is not in the identical position on each page. It seems to jump into different positions.
"when you go from PDF to PDF"?
I thought you meant page to page inside of InDesign. Does this happen when you convert from InDesign to PDF? I'm confused.
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Pamela,
Can you put the InDesign file into Dropbox? I also don't see what's happening with the small PDF screenshots.
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Sure .... can you send me a link?
Thanks
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Sure .... can you send me a link?
To use Dropbox you need to set up a free account with them and then you provide the link. If you use a different file sharing service, that works as well.
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Jane,
Here is a link to the file in DropBox. Hope I did it right, if not please let me know.
When I say PDF to PDF I mean that we provide PDF's to the client and when one scrolls through the doc, the text seems to move around and not stay where it is supposed to.
However, the InDesign Doc jumps as well.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
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Other than the fact that there are different amounts of text taking up different amounts of space, I don't see any "jumping". The text is in the same place on both pages. Are you viewing "fit to page" then jumping in whole page increments - in either the indesign file, or the PDF?
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Hi Dave,
My designer is very very picky and she says the text is jumping.
We look at that section expanded when going from PDF to PDF or in the InDesign Doc and there is definite movement in the positioning of the text in the table and text box.
Anyway, I need to get this right, and I am trying to find a way to lock the baseline positioning of the text and to lock the table positioning while still allowing text to be edited.
Hope that explains things a bit more.
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In the PDF, go to fit to page view. Use the "page down" function on keyboard. Position moves slightly as it is not moving to next page in a clean increment. Instead, use the right arrow key. Type position is identical.
You are trying to solve a viewing issue with a layout solution. You will never achieve what you want, as there is nothing wrong with your document, only how you are viewing it.
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Select the main body frame. Both are positioned in the same place and are the same size. Have you held the printed pages up to each other against the light? Select each of the other elements as well. I suspect you will find no difference. If you do, report where. Do you see a difference in Acrobat? In InDesign?
I'm still looking. In the meantime, I found almost a dozen text frames with page numbers on the pages and four on the A-Base Master. I have them selected so you can see they are on different layers. Delete all local ones from the pages and keep only one from the master. Check your B Master as well.
I checked to see if one page had been sized. It is a single-sided document. They are both 8.5 x 11.5 inches, which is an odd size. Standard is 8.5" x 11", but I presume this is what you want. However, check to confirm that the PDF picked up the page size. In the PDF, look in File > Properties. (I don't work in inches; don't worry that mine says picas.)
Are you printing on 8.5" x 11.5" paper? What happens if you shorten the document (make a copy!) to 8.5 x 11. Does it still have the same trouble?
And is there a reason page 2 is not allowed to shuffle? Select the spread and check the function so the brackets go away.
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Jane,
Thank you so very much for all your suggestions.
I wonder though, do you know if there is a way to create an anchored text box with a placeholder for formatted text which would always appear in the same position? I have been searching Lynda.com and while there is an enormous amount of material on using graphic frames along with text-wrap options, I am looking for a clickable placeholder that I can put on the master.
As I said, I am a relative newbie at all this, and InDesign is so huge and functions so differently to Word that it is challenging to adjust my approach to solving various issues. I do appreciate your help.
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Anchoring a text frame won't keep it in one place. It will anchor to its place so that it floats with the text when you have edits.
See page 265 of the Help pdf
https://helpx.adobe.com/pdf/indesign_reference.pdf
Watch this title by David Blatner on lynda.com
You can draw a text frame on the Master. And you can put content in it with File > Place or by releasing it with Cmd + Shift + Click and then type into it. Either way, the lines are no longer dotted, and the frame is no longer on the Master. These frames are now called Overrides. Your document has frames with Overrides. If you Remove All Local Overrides, you then get the items from the Master and lose the Overrides. Save, then try it, and then hit Undo. If your frame for body copy is on the master and you remove overrides, your text will disappear.
If you detach the frames, they are no longer overrides.
Your body copy frames are exactly the same size and exactly in the same place — by the numbers! I don't see how they can be shifting (and neither does @dave_c_courtemanche).
What happens when you print and hold them up to the light?
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Thanks Jane ...
I will certainly try this and see if it works.
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First: use consistent leading and that it is applied as a style, not as an override. I suggest 13 pt.
Paragraph 1 (Body Column) has auto leading:
Paragraph 2 (Body Column with overrides) has 13.3
Paragraph 3 (2 Col Forced) has 14
Second: View your Baseline Grid
Third: Set your baseline grid in Preferences
It is already set for this document. By someone before you?
Fourth: Edit the paragraph style to use the baseline grid
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Yielding:
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Jane,
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I've been dealing with a family emergency, so am just getting back to my computer. I will have a look at everything today and will let you know how things are going.
Again, thanks.
Pamela
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Hi Pamela,
I can see lines jumping.
But this happens inside of one text frame.
Take page 2 and draw guides at the baseline of the first 7 lines in both columns.
There you'll see a difference if you zoom a bit in:
And here is a readout of the 7 baseline values for the left and the right column.
They are indeed different. I did this with an ExtendScript script snippet.
Left column baseline values:
2.8112263997396
2.99455973307293
3.17789306640626
3.3612263997396
3.54455973307293
3.72789306640626
3.9112263997396
Right column baseline values:
2.8112263997396
2.99594862196182
3.18067084418404
3.36539306640626
3.55011528862849
3.73483751085071
3.91955973307293
Regards,
Uwe
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Thanks Uwe ... that is helpful, but I guess the question still remains - how do I fix this? I need total consistency throughout.
Thanks again.
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Pamela99 wrote
Thanks Uwe ... that is helpful, but I guess the question still remains - how do I fix this? I need total consistency throughout.
Hm…
You are using different values for leading.
Sometimes it's auto (13.2) as defined with the applied paragraph style, sometimes it's 13.3 points.
Here a view on page 2 with Style Override Highlighter turned on and some comments:
Regards,
Uwe