Digital Layout Notes from CIB Lessons
Lesson 1
Workspace = configuration of the work area to suit you work style.
Docked Tools panel = Glued in place
Locations on the Workspace:
Menu bar – across the top, with File as the first menu item
Application Bar- help options and workspace options found here, quick access to manage options for managing windows.
Control Bar – options change per chosen tool for adjustments
Panels- content for options in side bar, commonly used tools and features.
Tools Panel – left of screen in single or dbl row column for various tool options, dbl arrows
Document Window- actual page area in pane
Pasteboard – work area
Hidden tools – found under tool with triangle in lower right corner. Click and hold to display.
Tool Shortcuts – can be held down to use temp.
Bleed- extending objects past the page edge into the pasteboard- when an object must print to the edge of a page.
Magnification of Document Options:
-percentage in zoom level in Application bar
-View -> Zoom In or Out
- View -> Fit Page in Window = display targeted page in window
-View -> Fit Spread in Window = display targeted spread in window
-View -> Actual Size to 100% display
-Zoom tool -> click to magnify, Option + click to zoom out.
Zoom tool -> drag marquee around object/area to zoom in
-Cmd + Spacebar + while in Selection tool mode = Zoom Tool temporary
-Cmd + Opt + Spacebar + while in Selection tool mode = Zoom out tool temporary
Pages Panel
-provides page icons
-Dbl click icon or number to bring you to the page
- has “next page”, Previous page, Last Page, Next Spread and Previous Spread at bottom of panel
Layout -> Go To page
Or
Page box, type numeral, click ok
To go straight to those pages.
Hand Tool
Click page, hold mouse down, until you view a RECTANLGE, drag rectangle to location to view, release, press up or down arrows to inc or dec its size.
Dbl Click tool = fit page to window
Context menus
Display commands relevant to the active tool selection
Right click over object to see context menu options
Review Questions:
What are some ways you can change the magnification of a document?
Answer: you can choose commands from the View menu to zoom in or out of a document. Of fit the page or spread to your screen. You can use keyboard shortcuts to magnify or reduce the view, and use the Zoom level box in the Application Bar.
How do you select tools in InDesign?
Answer: You can either select a tool in the Tools panel or you can press the tools keyboard shortcut. Pressing “v” to select the Selection tool, press and hold the keyboard shortcut to temporailiy select the tool. Select hidden tools by positioning the point over a tool and holding down the mouse button then select one.
What are three ways to display a panel?
Answer: To make a panel appear, you can click its icon or tab or choose its name from the Window menu, for example Window -> Object and Layout -> Align. You can also access type-specific panels from the type menu.
How do you create a panel group?
Answer: Drag a panel off the dock to create a free floating panel. Drag the tab of any other panel into the tab bar of the new, free floating panel.
Lesson 2
By default facing pages start on the right.
Navigating thru a document using Pages Panel = clicking, dbl clicking, arrows for next page and such—–Layout->page down or page up etc
PreFlighting=
Process of ensuing a document is created properly for its intended output. Lets you monitor docs as you create them.
Preflight profile= what the preflight is looking for = its rules —-fonts, images, links, colors, overset text, etc
A RED PLUS SIGN = Overset text
SLUG = area outside blled that may contain information regarding the job
Bleed= area extending off page boundaries.
Preview Mode – displays artwork in standard window, hiding non-printing elements
Non-printing Elements- guides, grids, frame edges, hidden characters
Presentation Mode – interface is hidden completely, document fills entire screen.
Normal mode – displays layout aids.
Adding Text:
Can Type directly into text frame.
Can Import text into Text Frame.
Can create Text Frames to contain text.
Can Thread overset text into other frames:
When Placing text, choose “Show Import Options” and dbl click file name to load icon.
or
Select the Out Port on the lower right of the text frame to load icon and click next text frame.
Styles
Paragraph Styles – formatting attributes that apply to all the text in a paragraph. Select it and it applies.
Chraccter Styles – character attributes, formatting fonts, phrases or paragraphs.
Object Styles – apply formatting such as fill, stroke, colors, corner effects, transparency, drop shadows, feathering, text frame options and text wrap to selected objects.
Character Formatting Controls are indicated, when Text Tool is selected, by an “A” icon in the Control Panel.
Objects
Building Blocks of ID:
-text frames
-graphics frames
-rules
– tables, etc
Window-> TEXT WRAP, open text wrap panel, which allows you to set offset for any object and how to treat text around objects.
Review Questions:
How can you tell is an aspect of a layout will cause output problems?
Answer: the Preflight panel reports errors when something in the layout does not comply with the selected preflight profile. Errors are also reported I the lower left corner of the doc window.
What tool allows you to create text frames? Thread text frames?
Answer: You create text frames with the Type Tool and thread text frames with the Selection tool.
What symbol indicates that a text frame has more text than it can hold, overset text?
Answer: a red plus sign in the lower right corner of the text frame.
What tool allows you to move both frames and graphics within frames?
Answer: the Selection tool lets you drag a frame to move it or move a graphic around within the frame.
What panel provides options for modifying selected frames, graphics or text?
Answer: the Control Panel provides options for modifying the current selection” characters, paragraphs, frames, tables, and more.
Lesson 3
Document Presets- saved frequently used document settings such as number of pages, page size, columns, and margins.
File->Document Presets-> Define
Changing Default Units of Measurement
Edit-> Preferences-> Units and increments-> Inches, etc.
Master Pages- background template that you can apply to any pages in document, any additions or changes to this page effects all that are created using it as a template.
Master page icons are above section of panel
Document page icon is lower section of pages panel
Create Guides on Master pages: Layout -> Create Guides – choose rows, column, gutter size, to margins or page options.
Cmd+R = rulers, drag ruler guides to any y and x axis. Holding CMD while dragging ruler guide = extends guide across both pages of spread and pasteboard. Otherwise it only goes across the page.
Text Frame on Master Page
Page number marker on bottom left = Verso and right=Recto components of facing page master spread
Type Tool – drag to make footer area for number
Type > Insert Special Character> Markers> Current Page Number
Cntrol-Click(rt click) with insertion point in text frame – displays context menu-àInsert White Space > Em Space
Now Duplicate it -> Hold Option Key -> with Selection tool, select number box you made-> drag to right page of master spread so it mirrors. -> Type Tool -> click in —Paragraph Formatting controls in ctrl panel –Align Rt.
Type > Insert Special Character > Markers> Current Page Number
New Master made from Pages Panel Menu.
Text Frame Options found under “Object” or Rt Click contextual menu
Drag Master Pages over pages to create master page formats on them.
Adding Sections to change page numbering
-Page Panel, click on page
-Numbering & Sectioning Options… -> Start Selection and Automatic Page Numbering selected.
-Style…ii, iii, or I, 2, 3
Adding New pages
-Pages Panel menu -> Insert Pages -> At End of Doc….choose master.
Overriding Master Pages
Go to page you want to change-> Shift+Cmd + select object master page object
Rotating Spreads
Select Page – View ->Rotate Spread-> 90 degrees CW
Changing Page Sizes
Dbl click page icon of page you want to change size….Page Tool – > Shift + Click to select both pages of spread and front and back of pages.
Control Panel type in width and height, press return to apply.
Pages Panel -> Apply Master to Pages -> None -> ok
SNIPPETS- like graphics files but contain InDesign objects, including relative location to another page
Review Questions:
1.) What are the advantages of adding objects to master pages?
Answer : By adding objects such as guides, footers and placeholder frames to master pages, you can maintain a consistent layout on the pages to which the master is applied.
2.) How do you change the page numbering scheme?
Answer: In the Pages Panel, select page icon where you want new page numbering to begin. Then choose Numbering and Section Options from the menu and specify new page numbering scheme.
3.) How do you select a master page item on document page?
Answer: Hold down the Shift + Command, then click the object to select it. You can then edit it, delete it or manipulate the object.
Lesson 4
Layers- allows you to organize them for easy selection and editing.
Windows_> Layers
Graphics Frame ….
When pointer is within graphics frame the CONTENT GRABBER(transparent donut) appears.
Moves the graphic within the frame(hand)
Moves the frame along with graphic(pointer)
Can move objects from one layer to another by selecting it, then going to the layer panel and dragging the square to another layer.
Smart Guide
Four Options for Smart Guides
InDesign-> Preferences-> Guides and Pasteboards to set up
Alight Object to Center = causes object edges to snap to center of other objects on page or spread
Align Object to Edges = causes object edges to snap to edge of other objects on page of spread.
Smart Dimensions = Causes the width and height or rotation of an object to snap to the dimensions of other objects on a page or spread.
Smart Spacing = Quickly arranges objects so that space between them is equal
View -> Grids and Guides -> Smart Guides to turn them on or off.
ReShaping a Text Frame
Direct Select Tool -> Select anchor point -> Drag to move
Text Frame Options
Laying out several columns in newly created Text box
Text already placed…Type tool, place insertion point before word
Type->Insert Break Character -> Column Break
Placing Multiple Graphics in a grid of Frames
Place-> Shift Select each img
As you drag to create graphic box -> press up arrow once and Right arrow twice
Images
Click on image – hold Shift + Click on bottom or top anchor point= keeps proportions and shows cropped area =Dynamic Preview.
Or
Click on Img –Object -> Fitting -> Fill Frame Proportionally = increases scale of img to fill frame
Simultaneous frame and image sizing = Shift +Cmd
Space between Frames = GAP Tool, hold shift if only want this gutter effected and no others below it.
Shift +Cmd widens gap full size more
Adding Meta Data to captions
Links Panel -> Captions -> Text Before…Photo by”
Choose Author – metadata menu – text after…blank
Choose Below Image –alignment
Photo Credit —paragraph style
Offest – p2
Ok
Links Panel -> Captions-> Generate Static Captions.
Modifying Frame Shapes -> Add shape -> Select both -> Object -> Pathfinder-> Subtract , to subtract the top shape.
Creating/Converting Shapes
Polygon -> click anywhere -> width and height and sides, creates shape
Select object -> Object -> Convert Shape-> Ellipse and size to cover area you want of shape that is still behind/inside it.
To Create Rounded Corners
Select text frame, click yellow square -> four diamonds appear -> drag diamond, all change or Shift + drag only that one changes.
Rvalue – symbol with squares at each corner.(live radius)
Aligning multiple Objects
Window -> Object and Layout -> Align to open Aligh panel
Align to page -> Align to Horizontal Centers= aligned objects to the center of the page.
Align to Selection -> Align to Location Options -> Align to Horizontal Centers button= aligns objects to eachother in equal spacing in a row up and down.
Scaling Multiple Objects
Select both objects -> Shift+Cmd + Drag one handle to change both sizes.
Grouped Objects
Click Grouped Object
Select “Select Content” button – looks like hierarchy wire frame in Control Panel
Choose the object by moving the selection frame by using previous Object button(wireframe with arrow)
Review Questions
1.) When should you use the Selection Tool to select an object and when should you use the Direct Selection tool to select an object?
Answer: Use the Selection tool for general layout tasks, such as positioning, rotating, and resizing objects. Use direct Select for tasks involving editing paths or frames.
2.) How to you resize a graphics frame and its content simultaneously?
Answer: To resize a graphics frame and its contents simultaneously, select the frame with the selection tool, hold down Cmd and then drag a handle. Hold down the shift key while dragging to maintain the objects proportions.
3.) How do you rotate the graphic within the graphics frame without rotating the frame?
Answer: To rotate a graphic within a frame, use the Selection tool to select the graphic within the frame by clicking within the content grabber donut. Then click slightly outside and four corners handle and drag to rotate.
4.) Without ungrouping objects, how do you select an object within a group?
Answer: To select an object within a group, use the Selection tool to select the group, click the Select Content button, in the Control Panel to select one object in the group. Use the Direct Select Tool to select the object of use the Select Previous Object buttons.
