Changing the gutter size in a facing pages document

[matthewdee]

I have improper gutter settings in my .indb I need to know how to MODIFY the gutter for both left and right pages at once. If I do this in the margin settings it moves the gutter to the right which is correct on the the right spread but the wrong on the left.

??

MD

[Laubender]

Hi MD,

what are your desired gutter values and gutter positions for facing pages?

Regards,
Uwe

[matthewdee]

left side

0.25  all around except inside 0.625

same for the right

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Mathew:

Some people use "gutter" to describe the space between 2 columns, other use it to describe the space between two pages. InDesign uses the first definition in margins and columns so I'm going to guess that is what your question is about.

Assuming I guessed correctly, are you trying to define the gutter width or gutter position?

When Uwe asked the same question, you responded with column values. A screen shot would be very helpful to help us figure out what you are asking.

~Barb

[matthewdee]

So sorry I see now, i need to adjust the INSIDE margin on both facing pages, is there a way to do this in an existing document?

I'm sure there is. ??

[SJRiegel]

You can adjust Margins and Columns on your Master Pages (in the Layout Menu).

[Barb Binder]

Yes, Matthew, increasing the inside margin will increase the left margin on a right page and the right margin on the left page, at the same time. Be sure to enable the Adjust Layout checkbox so that the existing text frames will shift with the update.

~Barb

[Equatorio]

This isn't working for me.  Increasing the "inside"margin changes the left margin on both the left-hand page and the right-hand page. Here's how my spread looks after setting all margins to 24 pts except the "inside" margin is set at 36 pts.:

Is there some other setting I'm missing? 

[Equatorio]

With help from Adobe support, I discovered that the document was originally created without facing pages, then was changed to "facing pages".   To get the "inside margins" setting to apply, the "inside margins" had to be applied to new parent pages, and then those parent pages were applied to the facing pages in the document.  

[Equatorio]

To make it happen, I had to create a new "Parent" that was two facing pages, then apply the "inside margins" settings to that Parent.  Then apply the Parent to the actual pages in the document.

[Laubender]

Hi Equatorio,

no need to add a new parent pages spread to get one with two pages.

Just change the one you have, that with the single page.

Instead 1 assign 2 pages in the parent pages options.

See my screenshot below from my German InDesign 2022 on Windows 10.

Number of Pages ( "Seitenanzahl" ) can be changed.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Van5CD3]

Hi ma'am and sir! I'm confused why my margins and columns window does look the same with the screenshot above, my goal is to create a gutter of 0.2 but increasing number of column is not an option since my file does have a facing pages for printing a book soon.
I tried also to adjust my master page "inside" margin but it seems that all page margins are adjusted on the left only.
Tried also to do it on the adjust layout button but its still the same result.

[Van5CD3]

correction on previous reply, my margins and columns window does NOT look the same with the screenshot above.

[Laubender]

Hi Van5CD3,

some screenshots of all pages selected in the Pages panel of a particular spread together with the Margins and Columns dialog will help. Also one of your document setup regarding margins and if you are working in a facing-pages document or not. Also state the exact version of your InDesign and the operating system.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )