What Exactly Does That InDesign Tool Do?!

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THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOOLS, September 2015 — InDesign has a lot of tools to aid in creating your print and digital layouts. Many of them may seem odd and maybe not very useful at first. Let’s face it: They are like the melancholy Charlie-in-the-Box of InDesign. However, once you get to know them, you’ll see that they serve a purpose for those who are willing to unwrap their magic. I’m going to highlight three tools for you that many people are unaware of or unfamiliar with, but which play useful roles in many InDesign workflows.

Page Tool

The Page tool is used when you want to modify the size, orientation, or master item placement within a page. It is often used when working with Liquid Page Rules and when creating Alternate Layouts.
PageToolZoom

    • Select the Page tool from the Toolbox.
    • Drag the handles around to preview the changes.
    • Hold down Option/Alt to make the changes permanent.
    • From the Control Panel, access new and custom page sizes, as well as Liquid Page Rules.
The Page tool options in the Control panel.

The Page tool options in the Control panel.

  • Change the page orientation between portrait and landscape.
  • View how master page items will look on the new page size/orientation before committing, even move the master layout to fit the new page.

Gridify

Gridify is a hidden feature of InDesign. I say hidden because it doesn’t have a tool or even a menu item. To invoke Gridify, use the arrow keys while dragging out shapes or frames.

Placing multiple images using the Gridify feature.

Placing multiple images using the Gridify feature.

  • Create a grid of shapes or frames on-the-fly. Try it with the shape tools or when creating a text frame.
  • Use the Up or Down arrow keys to create or delete rows, respectively; Use the Left or Right arrow keys to delete or create columns.
  • It even works when importing multiple images; use the arrow keys while dragging out with a loaded image cursor.
  • Use the Command/Ctrl key along with the arrow keys to adjust spacing between rows or columns.
  • Add in the Shift key to constrain the shapes’ proportions (to squares or perfect circles).
  • When creating text frames, you’ll end up with threaded frames!

Gap Tool

Can use on the grid you made using the Gridify feature, or on any items on your InDesign page.
GapToolZoom

    • Select the Gap tool from the Toolbox
    • Identifies and lets you adjust the gaps between objects (images, shapes).
    • With AutoFit on, placed images continue to honor frame fitting settings as the gap is modified.
    • Using the Gap tool alone moves the position of the gap between objects, adjusting them as necessary.
Changing the position of the gap between the upper images.

Changing the position of the gap between the upper images.

  • Adding the Shift key moves gap and the items directly on either side of where the Gap tool is pointed.
  • Using the Option/Alt key moves items on either side of gap, leaving gap amount intact.
  • Using the Command/Ctrl key changes the amount of the gap.
  • With Smart Guides on, it’s easy to line up objects and size gaps visually.
  • Gap Guides will show you when the current gap matches another gap on the page.

As you work within InDesign, remember to show the misfit tools some love now and then. What are your favorite InDesign tools? And which are about as useful as the train caboose with square wheels?

Erica Gamet has been involved in the graphics industry for over 35 years. She is a speaker, writer, trainer, and content creator focusing on Adobe InDesign, Apple Keynote, and varied production topics. She is a regular presenter at CreativePro Week, regular contributor to CreativePro Magazine, and has spoken at Canada’s ebookcraft, Adobe MAX, and Making Design in Oslo, Norway. Find Erica online at the CreativePro YouTube channel, CreativeLive.com and through her own YouTube channel. When she isn’t at her computer she’s probably daydreaming about travel or living in a Nordic noir landscape.

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  • Marie says:

    Wow! I love the grid tool! Well, all of these tools actually but the grid tool is so handy for pictures. Thank you!

  • Ana says:

    I really loved the grid tool, but it did not work properly. I can only create columns. When I use the “down” arrow it doesn’t create rows. Could anybody help me, please?

    • Bret Perry says:

      Ana, DId you use the UP arrow while dragging with the rectangle tool or loaded cursor? That works for me, at first I thought it would be the down arrow but down arrow reduces number of rows UP increases them.

    • Johnathan Edghill says:

      Hi! Use the UP arrow to “ADD” and the DOWN arrow to subtract a row.
      Use the RIGHT arrow to add a column and a LEFT to subtract it.
      Great tips!

    • Erica Gamet says:

      Thanks for pointing out the confusion on using the arrows key with Gridify. I changed it in the article to (hopefully) make it more clear. Enjoy!

    • Ana says:

      Thank you folks for your help!

  • gwet ngalah says:

    It is very great what you are doing, just go ahead.

  • Wink says:

    I remember learning from you about the grid tool in an IDUG Denver meeting, and it’s a trick I have relished using ever since. The gap tool should be equally as handy when updating existing files. Thank you so much!

  • Tim says:

    All this time i thought i knew everything about Indesign. The gridify tip is a real timesaver, thanks!

    • Erica Gamet says:

      Welcome to the “Club for Secret Tools!” I discover things all the time about InDesign. Learned one just yesterday in my InDesign Secrets tip email. Always more to learn!

  • Erin says:

    that gridify tool is SPECTACULAR – you have saved me so much time!

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