How to use the InDesign Program



How to use the InDesign Program

-Editors guide to the basics-

Revised May 2011

Starting Your Page

How to Create a New Template:

1. Open up the In Design CS4 program.

2. Click on File in the upper left hand corner.

3. Highlight New then click on Document.

4. Change Page Size to Custom.

5. Change Width to 67p0 for single pages and 138p0 for the centerspread.

6. Change Height to 90p0 for all pages.

7. Change columns to 5 for the single pages and 12 for the centerspread.

8. Leave the Gutter setting at 1p0 and the margins at 3p0.

9. Click OK

The page will be created and the columns will be visible.

As a group of editors decide how you want the top of each page to look like (page name, date, page number, design, etc.).

Front Page editor will also have to create the “masthead” section.

Once the page is PERFECT save it and name it as the template and put it in the template folder on the NAS drive.

Using Your Template

• Once your template is created you can use it for every edition.

• Open your template. With the cursor go to File, then click on Save As. Change the Save In box to be where the InDesign pages for the month’s edition are being saved. Name it for the current edition.

• NEVER put anything on the master template. Only use the copy for the current edition.

*Note: It is a good idea to create a template for your page. This will allow you to use the same masthead every time without having to recreate it every time.

To Begin: Starting a New Page (not using a template)

• With the cursor go up to File

• Move the cursor down to New

(Another box should appear: Document, Book, or Library)

• Click on Document

(A box appears with document options)

-Under document preset choose a setting under the name Blank Newspaper Page. If there isn’t a preset of this setting, look under Page Conformities.

• Click OK

Creating a Text/Article Box

• In the tool bar on the left is a symbol T button. By clicking it a cursor will appear that resembles a dotted box and a small upside down triangle with a text cursor in the middle.

• Place the cursor where you want the box to be placed.

• Click and drag cursor, creating the box size you prefer. Let go of the mouse when size preference is reached

-Generally article boxes (unless for a heading) are no wider than a column

• To move the text box around click on the black arrow located on the left tool bar. –Click and drag to move around, when done moving let go of mouse.

Placing an Article in the Article Box

• If your article box is positioned to where you want it, go up to File and click.

• Click on Place.

• Locate the article file.

• Once you have the article file located and the item is selected either double click or click OK.

-OR-

• If the article is open in word, just copy and paste it.

To Continue Article in a Different Text Box

• If the text is dropped into the box already and some text is missing because the box is too small, a red box with a negative sign in the middle will appear at the bottom right side of the text box.

• Go to the left tool bar and select the Black Arrow.

• Click the red box and a symbol with dotted lines will appear next to the cursor. If you go over to a text box with the cursor, the symbol will become a chain.

• When the cursor is hovering over the text box where you wish to continue the text, click anywhere in that box and the text will link over.

-OR-

• Click the red box and when the symbol with dotted lines appears click and drag creating a new text box the size you want it (just like normal-as described above).

Spell Check the Articles and all Other Text

• Click “Edit” on the tool bar

• Find “Spelling”

• Go to “Check Spelling (from “spelling)

-OR-

• Click “Control” and “I”

Pictures

Creating a Photo Box

• In the tool bar on the left is a symbol of a square with an X through it. By clicking it, a cross with a dot in the middle appears.

• Place the cursor where you want the box to be placed.

• Click and drag cursor, creating the box size you prefer. Let go of the cursor when size preference is reached.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, photo boxes will have a border of 2 pt. size.

Placing a Picture in the Photo Box

• Once your photo box is positioned to preference, go up to File and click on Place.

• Locate your picture file.

• Select the file and double click or click OK.

-OR-

• Shortcut: ctrl + d then locate the picture file as above

Adjusting the Picture in the Box

• Select the white arrow key from the toolbar, located on the left side of the screen.

• Click on the picture box (this will highlight the picture)

• This will create an orange box around the picture.

• Adjust picture to preference by clicking and holding, then moving the mouse.

-By moving the picture around in the box (as described above) you can crop and format the picture for the box.

Fitting Pictures

There are several ways to fit a picture, but not all of them will fix the picture to preference, so watch out for stretching and other distortions.

~First Way~

• Highlight box with the picture (click on it with the black arrow)

• Go to Object at the top of the screen and click on it.

• Go to Fitting

-If you have the box size you want and the picture just needs to fit inside it, click on Fit Content to Frame.

-If you have the picture size you want and the box just needs to fit the picture, click on Fit Frame to Content.

-Fit Content Proportionally is typically the best option for not distorting the picture. Once you see the propionate size of the picture you can adjust the picture box size &/or crop the picture. (The Fit Content Proportionally makes the picture fit the box proportionally. Shocker!)

-OR-

• Select picture by clicking on it (with either the black arrow or the white arrow)

• Right click and a box of options will appear.

• Click on the option called Fitting then the options discussed above will appear; choose the appropriate one by clicking on it.

~Second Way~

• By selecting the picture with the white arrow you can enlarge or shrink the picture by pulling the small white boxes (surrounding the sides of the orange border) in whichever angle of preference. This makes the picture bigger or smaller, but will stretch the picture out of shape. *Make sure you hold down the shift key to help keep the picture propionate while doing this.

~Third Way~

• Select the picture (not the box) with the white arrow.

• Go to the top menu bar.

• Choose the third choice from the left (two boxes on top of each other with arrows.)

• Type in size preference (you can type in numbers to see approx. what you would want.)

• This magnifies the picture.

Making Text go around a Picture (Text Wrap)

-Once the article and picture are placed in its preferred area, follow these steps:

• Select the picture box (highlight it) with the black arrow

• Go to Window

• Go down to Types and Tables

• Select Text Wrap

• A text-wrap box should appear.

• Select the second option (Wrap around Bounding Box) or choose the third option (Wrap around Object Shape) depending on what fits your needs the best by experimenting with it. If you need to take up more space the third option is typically better. If you are trying to conserve space the second option works better.

• Once the wrap option is chosen, you can adjust the space between the picture and the text by:

• Select the picture box with the white arrow.

• You will be able to see a light thin blue line. Click and continue to hold this down while dragging the line. You can adjust the space between the photo and the text. For more space move the line away from the picture, and for less space move the line towards the picture.

• NOTE: When using the third option and putting a text box below, you must move the bottom thin blue line up (as described above) or the text will not be close to the picture.

Grouping Multiple Objects and Moving them without Losing their Alignment

• Place your pictures, graphics, or text boxes how you would like them relative to each other.

• Select the Black Arrow in the left-hand side toolbar.

• Click on one of the boxes and hold down the Shift key.

• While still holding the Shift key, click on the other boxes that you would like to keep together in placement.

• After you have selected your boxes, you can let go of the shift key, and you can move your items as one, as long as the black arrow is selected.

• You can also group your items together for a more permanent setting. To do this, select objects as described above, then right click (a box of options will appear) and click on the option called group. You can always ungroup them if you need to by selecting the object, right clicking, and choosing ungroup.

To Justify

• Highlight text in the article

• Move cursor to upper left corner of screen

• Just below the capital A is a paragraph symbol (¶), click it.

• There should be six paragraph options. Three of them are justified options.

Note: For most articles you are generally going to want the “Justify with last line aligned left” option. That key is the first button on the second line.

-OR-

• Move cursor to the option Type

• Scroll down to paragraph. This will bring up a box of many paragraph options. The paragraph center, left alignment, etc. are all in a row at the top.

Note: “Justify with last line aligned left” is the fourth button in the middle.

Creating Borders

• After creating a box (text or photo) go back to the tool bar on the left and select the Black Arrow button.

• With the cursor, go to the top of the screen, near the middle.

• In the options available is a box that is blank on the very far right. It is just above a box with a solid black line. By clicking on the blue arrow to the side, a list of sizes appears.

• Select the line thickness you want.

Note: The black box below the border size is the border styles.

To Create a Line

• With the black cursor click on the line tool located on the left (this will give you a new arrow).

• Click with the mouse to draw a line while holding down shift to make sure the line is drawn straight.

• Follow the instructions above to create line style & thickness.

Making Columns for Guide Lines

• Select Layout at the top toolbar

• Select Margins and Columns

• At the bottom of the box is a Columns option. Change the number of columns by moving the blue arrows up or down according to numbered preference.

Note: There are usually five columns for newspaper formatting.

• Click OK to save preferences

To Watermark

• Place picture in box needed

• Ready it to preferred position. (Make sure it’s proportionate, centered, etc.)

• Highlight it by clicking the picture box with the Black Arrow.

Note: With text it may be difficult to locate the box. Sometimes you can find it in the margins where the article isn’t placed.

• Select Window in the top toolbar.

• Select the Color option. A box should display at the right side of the screen.

Note: The color box may already be open somewhere off to the side. If it’s already there, but hidden, just click on the named tab and it will expand.

• In this box there are four options: stroke, color, transparency, and gradient.

• Select Transparency

Note: Make sure your picture is still selected.

• In the upper right corner is a box labeled Opacity (100%)

• Click on the blue arrow next to the 100%

• Adjust the triangle to the shade you desire for your picture by clicking and dragging the triangle. You have to let go of the mouse in order to see the change. You can see the effect on the picture/clipart as you adjust it. If you can’t, then it isn’t being changed.

To Stop Overlapping Text

Note: Text overlaps if it’s too high or too low within the box.

• Highlight the top layer of words or the entire article and go up to the top tool bar.

• On the far left, click the A that has an outlined shape (you may already have that option selected).

• Near the center of this bar, there’s a button with a big A and a little a with lines under each letter and a small black arrow under the little a.

• Click on the blue arrows, either the one pointing up or the one pointing down, according to your need.

To Adjust Character Spacing (Leading)

• Highlight the title that you want to change the space of the letters.

• On the far left, click the A that has an outlined shape (you may already have this option selected).

• Near the center of this bar, there’s a button with a grey box behind a capital letter AV under this there is a black arrow line. Click on the blue arrows, either the one pointing up to squish text closer together or the one pointing down to spread text out to give the allusion of space.

To Create A Drop Cap

• Select the first letter of the paragraph.

• On the far left, click the A that has an outlined shape (you may already have this option selected).

• Near the center of this bar, there is a vertical arrow next to an A with lines around it. Click on the blue arrow pointing up two times or type the number two in the box. Two is a good pt. size for a drop cap.

To Change Font Style

• Highlight desired text

• On the far left toolbar, click the A that has an outlined shape (you may already have this option selected).

• Go to the buttons on the top far left row. Here you can change the font style.

• Choose what font you want.

To Change Font Size

• Highlight desired text and follow steps above to get to the font option section of the toolbar.

• On the right side of the Font option is a capital T with a smaller grey T to its left.

• Either use the bigger blue arrow and select a certain font, or use the smaller arrows and adjust the size one at a time. You can also type in the size you want.

To Underline

• In the upper toolbar (under the outlined A option of the toolbar) is a button with an underlined T.

• Select it while desired text is highlighted.

To Italicize or Bold

• Highlight desired text

• Go to the upper left corner of the top tool bar.

• Underneath the font type is an option (By default it says Roman). By clicking the blue arrow options appear. If the font you have chosen allows, there should be Italicize or Bold in the list of options

To Grey Scale a Box

• Select Text/Photo box with the black arrow.

• Select the color tab that should be located on the right side of the screen.

Note: To find color tab, see Watermark instructions or press F7 on the keyboard and it will appear.

• In the color tab, there is a bar with varying shades.

• By moving the cursor over this bar, a dropper should appear.

• Click the dropper on the desired shade.

To do Reverse Text (to Outline Text In Black)

Note: This is when you have a black text box and you make the text inside the text box white.

• Highlight desired text.

• Go to the color tab.

• Select Stroke and choose whatever pt. size you desire.

Note: 2 pt is the most common

• Select the Color tab and change it to white by clicking with the dropper on the white end of the color spectrum. Make sure text is still selected.

Typing on a Path

• Create a path by drawing a shape (Possible shapes that can be drawn by using the tool bar to the left of the screen include: the rectangle frame tool, pencil tool, the line tool, or the ellipse tool).

• Press Shift + T

• Click with the cursor to where you want the text to begin.

• By typing, the text will follow the path.

• If you don’t want the shape to stay there, change the border size to 0 pt and it won’t actually print, however, it won’t completely disappear. It will remain on your page in a fine blue line if you push w you’ll see what will actually print.

To Zoom

• Hold down the Ctrl button while pressing the + or – buttons

• The + sign will zoom in and the – sign will zoom out.

Note: There are other ways, but they take more work.

To Print a Scaled Document

-This will make your page print on a 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper

• With the cursor go up to File on the main tool bar to the left of the screen, click on Print within the box that appears.

• Click on the Setup tab located in the left inner box

• Then click on the “Scale to Fit” button located under the Options section

• Then Click print

Note: It is always a good idea to print out your page and edit it before it goes to the printer.

Super Short Cuts:

• ctrl + c = copy

• ctrl + v = paste

• ctrl + p = print

• ctrl + s = save

• ctrl + o = open

• ctrl + d = place (use this to bring in a photo or text)

• ctrl + shift + alt + v = place text from one document exactly in the same place in another document.

• w = hides guidelines and blue lines so you can see what will actually print. Make sure you have the black or the white arrow selected. If you push w while you are typing in a text box, it will just type a w—not hide the guidelines and the blue lines.

• Alt + Shift + Ctrl + y = overprint preview

• Ctrl + ; = hide guides

• F7 =make the color option box appear

*Note + signs does not mean to push the plus sign, it’s just a visual aid to separate the keys you do push. Do not push equals either.

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