I have to work with multiple columns on a page layout and wonder if InDesign CS4 offers that flexibility without having to manually move text boxes when adding or deleting information. For example, I have a line centered on a one column format followed by a list of names that will flow into three columns. These columns should balance before beginning a new section with a one column centered header. The text following that will balance in a two column format and then back to the header on a one column format, etc. If I were to add or delete text I would want the columns to rebalance and flow from one to two to three column formats as needed. I don't know if InDesign is the appropriate software but any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks. Denise
Some ID users will remember "Balance Columns" built in Pagemaker. It is a feature I have not seen in InDesign and miss. Often overlooked is ID's option to have multiple columns within a single text frame. (Ctrl+B, Text Frame Options with a text frame selected). I expect this may not suffice your needs... Master Pages with the appropriate frames would be a time saver. Enable Layout Adjustment might come into play (Layout > Enable Layout Adjustment) The key idea I would note is the use of special characters. I have not upgraded to CS4 yet, but CS3 added many special break character features beyond CS2's set. Type > Insert Break Character > Column Break at the end of your header. Perhaps create a user keyboad shortcut set for the Column Break and Page Break characters...they would allow you to reflow, add pages, edit, etc and you're balanced layout would be maintained. I just checked the included scripts with CS3, I'm suprised there is not a balance columns. Google search of "balance columns script" returns positive results. A Paragraph or Character Style for your header, nested into your body Paragraph Style would again, allow ease of formats. Force the Column Break at the end of your header somehow. (GREP I'll bet) I've tested most of my comments with success, took me 10 minutes in CS3. YMMV
New to InDesign in CS4 suite. Caught a challenging religious booklet typesetting job and find 12 pages of small "In Memorial" ads, a dozen on double-trucked 8.5x5.5 pages. Won approval of basic form, color bleed across two pages, second color surrounds each white ad. Text sent by client is brought in from PPT(!) via rtf file. That works. So progressed to building text block on each add then copied that form to all necessary pages.
BUT when I attempted to draw a text block on the pages after they were grouped, no text block was accepted. Curious.
Any tips on this to an old codger in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Aloha.
I hope this is a simple question. I contracted with a print-on-demand publisher to reprint an old picture book of mine. Rather than pay the outlandish fee charged by their designer (the book was, after all, already designed), I had the preparatory work done by a very experienced publications person locally. The publisher required that the files be sent in an InDesign format compatible with PDF/X-1a:2001. My local person used InDesign CS4 to produce the files and sent them to the publisher. The publisher maintains they are not PDF/X-1a:2001 compatible and has refused to forward them to the printers (the real experts). My local person says they have to be compatible. They are now no longer speaking. I'm late fulfilling orders haand ve run up some significant (for me) expenses.
The question: Are files produced by InDesign CS4 always PDF/X-1a:2001 compatible? If not, how do I check?