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• • July 20, 2017 at 7:03 am #96222
    John Stewart

    Member

    Is there a way to individually color a text frame column? As in, having every other text column be a different color.

    Right now, I’m drawing colored rectangles and placing them behind the text columns. I also don’t want to use paragraph shading because the text will potentially move from one column to the next. Also using the same reason for not wanting to use a table because text will potentially need to flow into other columns.

  • July 20, 2017 at 7:37 am #96226
    Kai Rübsamen

    Member

    I don’t think so, if you do not want to use the para shading feature.

    A script could do your manually job, but realize that a script may be expensive and it is sometimes better, to do things by hand.

    Kai

  • July 20, 2017 at 7:50 am #96227
    John Stewart

    Member

    Ok, I have figured out an odd, but simple work around:

    I make sure my columned text frame is split into multiple frames, but making sure the frames are threaded. I then anchor each text frame to the table where the positioning is relative to the text frame (so I can move each frame exactly where I need them). Then I position each text frame inside the table cells. Now, when I select the table, it will move everything, and I can color each cell as I please and the text will still flow through all frames.

    It is a bit cumbersome at first, but once everything is in place, it becomes real simple. I also used a couple scripts to split the columns into frames and also to anchor each text frame to the table.

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:16 am #96228
    Michel Allio for FRIdNGE

    Participant

    Curious to see a screenshot! ;-)

    (^/)

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:23 am #96229
    John Stewart

    Member

    I’m not sure how to send a screenshot, but it is basically each text frame inside a table cell, and then I color fill the cells. They all move together with the table since they are anchored to it. It is essentially creating fake threaded table cells since InDesign doesn’t have that feature.

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:29 am #96230
    Michel Allio for FRIdNGE

    Participant

    How many columns have you! 2, 3 …?
    Have you the same gutter between them?
    Have you ever text on the columns?

    (^/)

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:41 am #96231
    John Stewart

    Member

    I had a 6-column text frame with equal gutter, filled with text, that I split and then anchored to the table. I had to use a script because the text thread kept breaking when I tried to anchor to the table. It worked the way I wanted it to.

  • July 20, 2017 at 8:53 am #96232
    Michel Allio for FRIdNGE

    Participant

    Width of the column (I suppose there’s a margin! How much?) and gutter?

    (^/)

  • July 20, 2017 at 9:21 am #96233
    Kai Rübsamen

    Member

    John, why is there a need of for a table? Why not simply color the frame?

  • July 20, 2017 at 9:37 am #96234
    Michel Allio for FRIdNGE

    Participant

    Kai,

    That’s what I think! Just a matter of Maths, Gradients and Object Styles! =D

    MultiColor Columns Text Frames

    (^/)

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