The Top Ten InDesign DCs (Double-Clicks)

David Blatner Mike Rankin

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[Editor’s note: After reading Ashley’s awesome Click Click for Victory and Double Click on Tools for Extra Options blog posts, I decided we had to “reprint” this article, which originally appeared on Mike Rankin’s old, mothballed Publicious blog several years ago, with even more extensive and funnier commentary. Although there is some overlap, there are some terrific additional tips here, too — especially his rundown of the Fit Frame to Content double-clicks. Some edits have been made in consideration of how InDesign has changed. For more great blog post by Mike, click on his name at the top of this article.]

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…I brewed a double-espresso, kicked the cats out of the room, and set out to systematically double-click (DC) on every conceivable target in an application in search of whatever I might find. InDesign was on my screen at the time, so my journey into click hell begins there. Ladies and gentlemen, do not attempt this at home. I am a trained professional.

Luckily I ran out of targets before the tendon in my thumb gave out. Mmmm, feel the burn.

Herewith I give you the fruits of my clicky labor.

10. With the Selection tool, DC on a text frame to switch to the Text tool. This isn’t news to anyone, but it rates a mention because of its sheer brilliance. This one trick is the essence of InDesign.

9. DC the Polygon Tool to show its Options. This is how you make a star or starburst. Face it, stars are fun. You know you love it. Go ahead make one right now, I’ll wait here.

8. Command-shift-option-DC a swatch or style to edit it without applying it. You alwayshave something selected. And unless you’re willing to invest all those fingers, you’re going to apply a swatch or style by mistake when you just want to edit it.

7. DC Hand tool = Fit Page In Window. Sure command-0 is faster, but tapping that pudgy little hand is like giving InDesign a high five. Sweet.

6. Option-DC frames with the Selection tool. Do it to a placed image = Edit Original, do it to a text frame and you get Text Frame Options. Super sweet.

5. DC a spot on the ruler to set a guide at that point. So easy it makes you feel like a chump for ever dragging out a guide. [Editor: Shift-DC to add guide at nearest tick mark.]

4. DC a placed image to toggle selecting the frame versus the content (the image). Edit Frame, Edit Content. Edit Frame, Edit Content. Hee hee, now I feel like Homer Simpson.

3. Double Double-clicking in the Pages panel. Your 1st DC jumps you to the page, your second DC second fits that page in the window. Your 3rd DC should enable InDesign to read your mind and select the exact object you want on the page. Maybe someday.

2. DC Overset/Underset text frame. This one has some ‘splaining to do. If you DC an overset text frame it will expand to show all the text (as long as there’s not too much text to fit on the page). But the twist is, you control the direction in which the frame will expand by which handle you click on. Basically, the frame expands towards the handle you DC on. This works with free-standing frames as well as the last frame in a linked series. Here’s some visual evidence.

Conversely, if you DC an “underset” text frame (my term) you shrink the frame so it fits the frame contents. As before, clicking different handles gives you different results. But this time, you may end up moving the text frame. Whoa, who asked to move the frame? Again, the visual evidence:

1. Link-o-rama. DC a link name = Show Link Info. Option-DC = Edit Link, and Command-DC = select all links for handy relinking, updating, etc. [Ed. note: I don’t think this last one works anymore.]

At the end of all this, the anti-double-clicker inside me is still not satisfied. So I leave you with a bonus: the #1 thing you should NOT double-click on. Namely, any text field in a panel with a corresponding icon.

It is way easier to single-click on the icon, which highlights all the text in the field so you can immediately type a new value. Or if you aspire to the David Blatner/Anne-Marie Concepcion 9th Degree InDesign Black Belt, hit Command-6 to highlight the first Control panel field, then tab through to the one you want. Or better yet, read this.

If you use InDesign all day, knowing when and where to double-click (and when NOT to) will definitely save you enough time to take an extra coffee break. If you’re buyin’ I take mine black.