LOCK box shape dimensions in InDesign?

[Andross_Moonah]

Hi, I've done a search in the forum to see if this is addressed and I didn't find anything, I also Googled it and couldn't find much.

I'm working on a 1.5" binder outline, which requires me to make several box shapes of specific dimensions (in inches). I notice that as I'm zooming in and out on my work and making new box shapes to build the binder outline, boxes I previously made do not have the dimensions I specified — the measurements are slightly different.

I assume this is because of me zooming in and out of the document and maybe unknowingly doing something else. But it's time-consuming, tedious, and annoying to firstly notice the alignment of my boxes is off, then realize the boxes aren't set to the dimensions I specified, then resize them back to what they should be only to later go through the entire process all over again because the dimensions again have changed slightly.

So, in order to keep the box dimensions the same as when I first created the boxes, I was wondering if there's a locking feature that keeps the dimensions the same regardless of me zooming in or out or whatever else it is I did that makes the dimensions slightly offset to the specific dimensions I set when creating them?

Thank you.

[Bill Silbert · Accepted solution]

I tried duplicating your problem but did not have the problem you are describing.

A possible explanation:

Do the boxes you've drawn have a stroke applied to them? If you add the stroke after you've established the dimensions you will see a change of dimension in the Control or Transform panels from what you originally drew. You should also check all of your boxes to make sure that the stroke is not somehow changing when you draw subsequent boxes. To forestall a problem like that you can lock each box as you draw it using the "Lock" command under the Object menu. When you're done you can use the "Unlock all on Spread" command under the same Object Menu.

[Andross_Moonah]

Thank you,

The boxes no longer have a stroke, though I did previously apply a 5pt stroke before deciding against that.

Thanks for suggesting the Lock command.

[Bill Silbert]

Happy to help.