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• • December 31, 2010 at 12:55 pm #58254
    bhm123

    Participant

    I am certainly not an Indesign pro, but I am learning my way around or at least getting there. I am creating a book (13×10) and am trying to see what is the best way for me to have the text start in the same place for every page? I thought that I could just use guides but now that I am a few pages in, it is a little off. The book has facing pages so the text should begin in the same location on every page. I would really appreciate any help or suggestions.

    Thank you,

    Brad

  • January 1, 2011 at 5:25 am #58256
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    I set up books a lot and the best way is to set up an InDesign template file (Save As filename.indt) of a few pages. With this file open, go to Preferences and set the baseline grid to start from whatever your top margin is and after that whatever the leading is of your body text.

    In the master pages of your template file to to View > grids > baseline grid. After that, in your Paragraph Styles > Indents and Spaces and pull down the Align to Grid to All Lines. That way all the text will sit on the baseline grid you set in Preferences, looking neat and consistent all through the book. And with a template file, you can just open it time and time again — and because it will open as an Untitled file, you will be asked to name it when you Save it.

    First time I've answered a question in an InDesignSecrets forum. Hope it helps. Fingers crossed.

    Thanks

    Ann

  • January 1, 2011 at 7:29 am #58257
    bhm123

    Participant

    Hello,

    First off I think you gave a great, complete answer for your first post in this forum. When you say “set up an InDesign template file (Save As filename.indt) of a few pages” you mean blank pages right? I already have document created with all of the pages but only 8 complete. So once I create a template of a few pages how do I then save it in the document that has all of the pages in the book? I am going to try that now and since I already have some pages maybe choose one and use as the template. I am not creating the typical book, it is a compilation of emails that has both text and images. It needs to be turned into a book. So with that said I am going to give it a shot and let you know how it goes.

    Thank you,

    Brad

  • January 1, 2011 at 8:18 am #58258
    bhm123

    Participant

    Can I just use guides?

  • January 2, 2011 at 10:56 am #58260
    Anonymous

    Inactive

    Hi Brad,

    Thanks for your answer. Yes, the template is made up of blank pages. Maybe a Master Page for all pages and a different Master Page for the first page of a new chapter if that's how you like it — same baseline grid but starting lower with the chapter title or something. And the template would also contain all the Paragraph and Character Styles that you use/need. So you save that as a template file. Then, when you want to write a new chapter, open the template file (which, when open, will be called Untitled.indd) and start typing — or importing text and images. Save the file.

    As for just using guides, do whatever suits you best. There are always a 100 different ways to do things and everyone has his/her own method. For me, it's the baseline grid.

    Usually I set up all the files before I make them into a book — but again, each to his own (or I think 'YMMV' is popular email jargon!). I find it easiest to name the files starting with numbers, i.e., '00 frontmatter.indd', '01 chapter 01.indd' etc. etc. When you've finished all the files, close them, and then from the File menu in InDesign choose New > Book. Call it whatever you call the book. Then drag all the book files (or hit the plus sign at the bottom and navigate to the files) into the Book dialogue box. Once the files are in the Book [box] you can drag them up and down to put them into a different order if necessary. The pages will number automatically, as specified in each file in the Numbering and Sections dialogue box). And voilà, you have your book.

    Happy writing.

    Ann

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