Trouble Generating Static Captions for Images in InDesign

[m5heath]

I want to generate static captions for images in a document. I want to do it this way because there many images. I have watched various tutorials online and I think I've done it correctly. First I opened an image in Bridge, opened the metadata tab and in the field called 'Description' I entered the text of a caption. Then I placed the image in InDesign and set the text wrap. Then I went into Links panel->right-click image->Captions->Caption setup and in the dialogue set the Metadata dropdown to 'Description'. I entered a para style, set the alignment to 'Below Image' and the Offset to 6mm. I checked 'Group Caption with Image'. Then I went back to the links panel image, right-clicked and chose 'Generate Static Captions'. The bounding box then duly extended to accommodate a caption but the caption did not appear. Of course I have checked and re-checked everything but I cannot spot the error.

Can anyone shed any light?

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Can you post a screenshot of what you have? 

Normal, not Preview Mode, all edges visible, Show Hidden Characters. 

[m5heath]

Here is a screenshot. Show hidden characters is on, Normal mode, don't understand 'all edges visible' but I have not consciously turned off anthing like that.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@m5heath

View > Extras > Show/Hide Frame Edges. 

You don't have Show Hidden Characters ON - there are no dots between words and "pilcrows" at the end of paragraphs. 

If @Scott Falkner is right - there should be red [+] in the bottom right corner of the TextFrame - but there isn't? So - if TextFrame is there - it looks like it's empty?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Not directly helpful, so you are free to ignore, but — I have always found InDesign's caption feature to be limited, overly convoluted and fussy at best. The notion of tying it to photo metadata is wonderful and brilliant... if you work in a wholly managed environment such as a magazine, image library, catalog house, etc. where extensive metadata management is a regular part of the workflow. But it makes adding and using captions far too convoluted for, well, pretty much everyone else.

I suggest that even if you work out whatever glitch is causing your immediate problems, others lurk down the path. (For one thing, captions don't export well or sometimes at all to reflowable e-book format.) You might want to simply use Object and Paragraph Styles for your image and caption elements, and simply type the caption data directly into the text frame for each instead of trying to store and retrieve it from the metadata.

[m5heath]

Thanks James. Point taken but there are no plans to make this into an ebook at present. I also know the author will want to tinker about with his photos - ie move them around - so grouping the caption with the image is important. But anyway I feel determined to make this feature work - why shouldn't it? 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...] But anyway I feel determined to make this feature work - why shouldn't it? 

By @m5heath

If it's broken internally - there is not much you can do. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I understand the goal  — in one way or another, it's a common one. But no path I know of that leads through ID's embedded-data workflow works well, outside of a fully managed image/print shop, and the results can be emulated using what I suggested —

• Create an Object Style for the image frame.
• Create an Object Style for the caption frame.
• Create a caption paragraph style, with or without auto-numbering (although that can be problematic in loose text frames).
• Build each image as a pair of styled, grouped frames and type the caption in at that time — allee samee as going through the metadata route, especially for a static caption.

You now have a single element, with styles-based control, that even a relatively unskilled user can move around to his Tetris-y content. Without all the limitations and quirks and narrow options of ID's wonky feature.

[Scott Falkner]

You said you added a text wrap to the image. This text wrap might be forcing the caption text out of the text frame. Select the frame and turn on Ignore Text Wrap in Text Frame Options. You can make this an object style.

[m5heath]

Here is a screenshot of the textwrap panel. For the image, Text Frame Options is greyed out so I can't Ignore Text Wrap. I have tried that with the containing text frame which worked but still didn't make the caption show. And by the way I did not inadvertently set the text colour to white! - another thought that occurred to me. Another oddity I have noticed is that in the Caption Setup dialogue, the size of the caption box does not respond to the Offset setting.

[jmlevy]

Then I placed the image in InDesign and set the text wrap.

as @Scott Falkner wrote: This text wrap might be forcing the caption text out of the text frame. 

For the image, Text Frame Options is greyed out so I can't Ignore Text Wrap

You must select the caption text frame, not the image frame.

[m5heath]

Aha! I had imported the image directly with Ctrl+D so it didn't have an explicit textframe (I had assumed it had come with its own frame built-in that was basically a textframe) so there wasn't a textframe to select, so Text Frame Options was greyed out. No previous advice appears to have mentioned that. After your second comment I first drew a frame with the Rectangle Frame Tool on the page, then imported the image into that and now I don't have 'Ignore Text Wrap' at all - I just click Generate Static Image and up it comes. It appears that drawing the rectangle text frame was the trick I was missing. Am I right?

[jmlevy]

Aha! I had imported the image directly with Ctrl+D so it didn't have an explicit textframe

No problem about this, you can import an image without having created an image frame: it will be created automatically when the image is imported, but since you have imported an image, what you get is not a text frame. So, the first step is OK.

In the second step, when you have created your static caption, a text frame has been created and this is this text frame you must select, and then you will be able to get the “ignore text wrap” option.

[m5heath]

Thanks Mr Levy. However I've been spending time endlessly experimenting and I have discovered that some images work and some do not. It seems to be based on size. For any image of width 1200px or below the caption shows. 1300px and above, it doesn't. I do not have to set 'ignore text wrap' which is just as well as I want the images to wrap. Why that should be I can't guess but it seems reliable. So as long as I keep the image size down it looks as if I am OK. Can you opine on why that is?

[jmlevy]

Same as @Dave Creamer of IDEAS it works for me regardless of pixel size

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I use separate text wrap settings for some image/caption pairs. As long as the bottom distance is zero, it's not an issue.

Can be better/best to apply the TW to the grouped objects, for more consistent application and modification.

[m5heath]

Thanks James - noted.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

It's working perfectly for me.

Are you selecting your photos in the links panel first?

What happens if you click "Create Static Captions" when you import?

[m5heath]

See my reply to jmlevy. It's working for me as long as the image size is below a threshhold

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Works for me regardless of pixel size. I just tested it on a 1400 px image. 

Be sure your caption text frames have "Ignore text wrap" selected as Jim suggested. The image might be causing the text to overflow.

[m5heath]

I think I'm getting there. I drag out a text frame (which has to be on the pasteboard outside the page otherwise it simply selects the text), then move the textframe into the text page - then Ctrl+B, set to 'Ignore Text Wrap', then Ctr+D to select an image, double-click loads the image into the frame. Then go to Links, right-click image and choose Caption Setup - choose 'Description' in Metadata dropdown, choose (for me) 'Below Image', Para style, Offset and 'Group Caption with Image' - then OK. Then Links->right-click image and choose Generate Static Caption and it appears (with chosen Offset). To change Offset, delete text, go back to setup, change Offset and then click Generate Static Caption again. 

To add space below, select the Caption box only, then use Text Wrap to control.

That is now working for me and hopefully I am doing it right - can you confirm?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I feel like there's too many steps in there, but maybe not —

• Drag a frame in the text area approximately where you want the image.
• Set it to IMAGE object style (you may end up with one or two variants of this), which should include text wrap settings.
• Drag a text frame below it, starting just outside the existing text area so you don't select text instead.
• Set it to CAPTION object style (same note as above).
• Resize both, snapping to column margins as necessary.
• Place graphic in image frame.
• Use Fitting to scale graphic, center it, fit frame, etc. as desired.
• Type caption in caption frame.
• Adjust both in size and to be precisely matched on the shared border.
• Group.
• Anchor to text as appropriate.

But... you only need to do most of that once. Create a 'perfect' master copy and park it on the artboard somewhere. Cut and paste it for each new image, load the content, adjust, and move on. It all depends on creating and tweaking those two (plus variants) object styles to keep things managed.

I still see no need to go through the Caption feature and enter/apply static caption text. Just type it where it goes.

[m5heath]

Thanks very much James. I have sought your advice on several occasions and you have always put me on track.

[jmlevy · Accepted solution]

I drag out a text frame (which has to be on the pasteboard outside the page otherwise it simply selects the text), then move the textframe into the text page - then Ctrl+B, set to 'Ignore Text Wrap', then Ctr+D to select an image, double-click loads the image into the frame.

I don't want to be rude, but it seems that you don't fully understand how frames work in InDesign. What's the point to:

1.  create a text frame
2. set it to ignore text wrap
3. then transform it to an image frame by importing a picture?

That is a lot of useless steps.

What you should do:

1. import an image (in an existing frame or not, does not matter)
2. select the image frame. To choose how the caption will be set up, right click > Caption Setup. Choose whatever you need in Metadata dropdown, and other settings (pargarph style and so on) then OK. You just need to do this once, it will be the default caption until you'll change it later.
3. right click the frame > captions > generate static caption

[m5heath]

You are absolutely right and that works. I had built myself an edifice on nonsense. I am so so grateful for your taking the time and trouble to set me on the right path. Many blessings!