Trying to line up a left column of numbers anchored to a right column of text blocks

[Deltourmom]

Here's an example of the page spread I am trying to line up the numbered section on the left column after I have anchored the number to the right column text reference. 

[Deltourmom]

Are you saying that I do not the numbers to be in individual/separate text boxes? Sorry, I am not sure I am following you. 

Can we try to continue this conversation tomorrow please and thank you so much for all your assistance!!!!

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Deltourmom 

Yes, we can continue tomorrow 🙂

Not sure what's your timezone, so I'll continue - maybe you'll wake up before me 😉

As you already have those TFs with numbers Anchored - then if you copy contents of your whole Story - they'll get transfered to the new Document as well.

You've shared only one spread - but if the rest is EXACTLY the same - then, in the new Doc, you should make margins "flush" with the current TFs of the Main Story - so you can easily reflow the text - without worrying that those already Anchored TFs will shift.

As you can see, those pink lines around your TF - Margins - are flush with the edges of the TF - so reflowing the text in the new Document would be piece of cake.

If they'll shift - then you'll have to do them - those Anchored TFs - again.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Deltourmom 

One more question - tool that you're using to add those TFs with numbers - can you set different ObjStyles to be applied - one ObjStyle for the 1st TF on the page and another ObjStyle to the rest of the TFs on the page?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Deltourmom

I'm available over the weekend as well.

[Peter Spier]

If all your text frames that hold the numbers are the same width and have the same offset position horizontally from the anchor point at the start of the verse, all you need to do is set the paragraphs to right align.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier

Unfortunately not, at least not to all Anchored TFs - first on the page have extra index after ":".

So either two ParaStyles or one "universal". 

[Peter Spier]

Peter Spier

Unfortunately not, at least not to all Anchored TFs - first on the page have extra index after ":".

So either two ParaStyles or one "universal". 

By Robert at ID-Tasker

Depends on how you want the first one to line up in relation to the others. If they ALL should right align on the last digit, then only one is needed.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier

Yes, if just to the right - then you're right 😉

[Deltourmom]

I still need advice and assistance, please. 

I have set up Object styles, Paragraph and Character styles. I have also anchored each of the numbers to the bullet symbol/cap letters to line up horizontally. They are not lining up to the baseline grid and the vertical alignment is not even from the page edges on either side. I am not sure how to fix this or if I have the settings incorrect. 

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

[Peter Spier]

First, the baseline grid problem. Your body text itself is not aligning to the grid uniformly in IMG_0893 while the numbers are. I think you'll want to adjust the grid spacing to match the bodly text leading, and you may need to adjust the space before/after settings as well to get the correct gap.

I realize I mislead you about the anchoring in the private message I sent. The problem here is that the frames are spaced equally from the margin on both sides, but because all the numbers are right aligned those on the left page are closer to the text than those on the right, and I don't actually know how to fix that using a single object style.

[Deltourmom]

Okay, I am wondering if I have set up the style sheets incorrectly in the Objects panels. Maybe the X and y numbers are off? I do have them set to align with the spine. I just don't know how to fix this and as I mentioned I've been trying to get it all to line up both horizontally and vertically.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Deltourmom

If you want to align your numbers to the baseline of the main text - you need to set vertical align in the TFs to bottom and turn off baseline align and select one of the bottom reference anchor points.

[Peter Spier]

Deltourmom

If you want to align your numbers to the baseline of the main text - you need to set vertical align in the TFs to bottom and turn off baseline align and select one of the bottom reference anchor points.

By Robert at ID-Tasker

I would disagree with that.  THe numbers can be set to align to grid, and as long as the vertical offset figure isn't throwing the fram so far off grid that the numbers can't fit and align, the choice of top or bottom reference and vertical alignment shouldn't matter.

[Deltourmom]

Thank you all for your input! 

Here are the settings I have thus far for the Object style for Anchored Objects and Size and Position in that as well. Could these be incorrectly set up? Can you please advise how best to get everything to line up? 

[Peter Spier]

@Deltourmom The only way I can see to make this work for equal horizontal spacing (and that won't really be equal on the right as you change then number of digits) is to have two object styles, one for the left and one for the right. You will need to change the proxy reference for calculating the offset from the margin from the center to one of the ones on the right edge and set a positive value horizontal offset for the left page and the same value, but negative for the right. This should result in the right edges of the frames on both pages being the same distance from the margin.

The downside to this is that you have to set the object style according to which side of the spread. Perhaps @Robert at ID-Tasker or one of the other scripters can think of a way to automate that.

[Deltourmom]

I will try that. 

Thank you!

[Peter Spier]

My apologies. I'm wrong again (very sleep deprived today).  Just did a test and the offset value for the right must also be positive. Be sure that bot object styles show the alignment point proxy as the right edge of the frame -- since this is set to relative to spine, on the left style it will show as two closest to the spine, and on the right two farthest away.

[Peter Spier]

@Deltourmom I have to apologize once more. I looked again this morning (and I still haven't had a lot of sleep, so I may not be seeing things correctly yet). Equal x-offsets for the right edges puts the right edges of the frames the same distance from the text, but it doesn't solve the problem, and I'm starting to think there is no solution.

Here's why: with right aligned numbers, as your numbers acquire more digits, they grow to the left. On the lefthand page this means the right edge will maintain the same distance from the text as the numbers get wider, but on the righthand page it's also the right edge of the number that is a fixed distance, and the left edge will move closer as the number of digits increases. This can be even more complicated if you use proportional figures instead of lining figures since in proportional figures sum numbers are much wider or narrower than others.

Soooo...

To maintain an even gutter between the numbers and the text I think you will need to right-align them on the left page and left-align on the right, and you'll want to position the right edge of the frame on the left and the left edge of the frame on the right at that gutter offset.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier

How about and extra object - I've mentioned earlier - that will shift contents of those Anchored TFs?

[Peter Spier]

I don't know that you could achieve the control required this way and are you certain it would only shift the text in the anchored frame, and not the text it's anchored in?

Do you have a proof of concept example?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

I don't know that you could achieve the control required this way and are you certain it would only shift the text in the anchored frame, and not the text it's anchored in?

Do you have a proof of concept example?

By Peter Spier

Sorry, I was sure that an object with the TextWrap WOULD affect texts in the Anchored objects - but it looks like it doesn't...

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...] Here's why: with right aligned numbers, as your numbers acquire more digits, they grow to the left. On the lefthand page this means the right edge will maintain the same distance from the text as the numbers get wider, but on the righthand page it's also the right edge of the number that is a fixed distance, and the left edge will move closer as the number of digits increases.[...]

By Peter Spier

If text in those Anchored TFs will be right aligned - on the left and right page - it will always look "bad":

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier 

I don't think scripting is needed - at all - but thanks for mentioning 😉

Extra object, close to the outside margin  - either on the left or right page - with extra TextWrap ON - should be able to push those Anchored TFs - or rather their contents - and add/remove this extra spacing to have numbers in the Anchored TFs positioned better?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Peter Spier

Yes, as long as everything is aligned to the baseline grid. 

I was rather suggesting a solution when main text isn't.