Two-column layout in Adobe Indesign

[oksananka]

Dear Community, I'd really appreciate your advice on how is better to typeset a two-column layout like the one attached in Adobe Indesign. To run text smoothly through the whole document and avoid extra working hours. 

Thanks so much. 

[Willi Adelberger]

Work with a 2 column table.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I can think of a few ways to do this in InDesign.

1. Set up a one column box and create a paragraph style with the following settings:

Left Indent: 1.5 inches (this is just a guestimate)

First Line Indent: - 1.5 inches (negative)

Left Align Tab: 1.5 inches (same as Left Indent)

The small column headings would be formatted with Character styles.

Method 2 is set up indents and tap same as the first, except the headings are in inline text frames. (I would use this method--if you would like to see a sample file, let me know.)

Method 3: Use a table, however table cells cannot split between pages. 

There is/was a plugin but I don't know if it will work with the latest versions of InDesign:

http://in-tools.com/products/plugins/side-heads/

FYI: Adobe FrameMaker, a long-documentation page layout program, can do sidehead areas automatically.

Edit: I added an ID file that I forgot about from 2007.

[SJRiegel]

Setting the side headlines as Anchored Objects could work. If the length of the text on the right changes, the text frame containing the headline will follow the paragraph up or down the page.

[Aidan_C]

You could always use text box links?
> Create a text box on the left

> create one on the right

> make sure you have a nice distance between the two

> drag down to desired size

> copy and paste these down the page
> using the link tool, link them in the order you would like your text to flow
> you can use the 'next paragraph' key to jump to the next box

looks like the below
_
^

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

If I understand you correctly, this method would be a PIA if the text reflows.

[Scott Falkner]

I used an anchored text frame for the text on the left. Normal text has a left margin. The anchored object options position the text frame where I want it so the baseline of the first line lines up with the body copy. Making the anchored text frame an object style makes it weasy to globally change all subheads.

I think this is a lot easier than working with tables. Tables are fine for tables, but terrible for body copy, especially for a long document.

[rob day]

Hi @oksananka , there’s also Intent to Here (Type>Insert Special Character>Other>Intent to Here), which would let you set the two "columns" in a one column text frame.

Here I’ve set a Right Justified Tab, followed by the "Column 1" text,  a Left Justified tab, an Intent to Here marker, and then the "Column 2" text :

EDIT: This only works when the left "column" is 1 line .

[Lukas Engqvist]

The tricky bit is because of the "side note" headings. 
You do have some suggestions, one being the anchored frame containing the heading the other being a table. The tricky bit is that the content most likely will change since you are intending to use this as a lesson planner. Are the titles/headings fixed or will they sometimes be other that those you show here? 

[oksananka]

Thanks a lot for your comments and great help. I made typesetting using headlines as Anchored Objects using Find/Change. It was the pretty easy way. I also tried this method https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/145597/indesign-best-practice-for-headings-in-sepa.... But it's more complicated. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Anyone else wish ID had FrameMaker's side heads? 🙂

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[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Yes--or that this plugin was updated:

http://in-tools.com/products/plugins/side-heads/

[FRIdNGE]

Eight years ago! ...

https://youtu.be/ZFc1JGDHn34

(^/)  The Jedi

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Unless I missed it, there is no info on the script or where to get it. 

[FRIdNGE]

Just because it's only a “paragraph style” use and not a script!  😉

(^/)

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Nice! (Just automatically assumed it was one of your scripts...)

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Without looking (no time at the moment)... are you using zero line spacing?

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