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• • July 17, 2024 at 7:26 am #14404921
    Linda Bergeron Szefer

    Participant

    It’s quite annoying how using odd shaped text boxes in InDesign limits how you can type some text into them. My solution: I create the text in its own autofit box, and then paste it into the odd shaped text box (which then becomes a graphic box). This gives me complete control over the text AND the shaped box separately, easily replicated and modified as needed.

  • July 17, 2024 at 7:51 am #14404922
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    I’m trying to imagine how this would help. Which features of adding/editing text to odd-shaped boxes are you missing? I mean, I know a bunch of capabilities aren’t there (like different inset amounts) but how does creating a rectangular text frame and pasting it as an anchored graphic (is that what you’re doing?) help? a link to a screen shot of before/after would help ;-)

  • July 17, 2024 at 8:23 am #14404923
    Linda Bergeron Szefer

    Participant

    Not sure how to include a link here. Let me know if this is not the right way…

    https://www.dropbox.com/t/8izXN7Aw5A3C2Wup

  • July 17, 2024 at 8:42 am #14404925
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    I like the general idea of having two separate frames. That’s interesting, and I can see how it definitely gives you maximum control over where the text sits. However, in my experience, using Vertical Justification (in Text Frame Options) and Horizontal alignment in non-rectangular text frames works far better in InDesign than it used to. Have you tried that?

    • July 17, 2024 at 9:32 am #14404938
      Linda Bergeron Szefer

      Participant

      I already tried the Vertical Justification and Horizontal alignment controls, and they might do a better job now but it doesn’t work with the examples I provided. Wish it did… By the way, Pasting into is also my goto trick for text in circles and ovals.

  • July 17, 2024 at 8:58 am #14404926
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    Okay I think I get it. Clever solution. For whatever reason, ID cannot easily replicate the placement of the type in those irregular text frames.

    So you’re taking the text, putting it into its own text frame, turning on Autofit, then cutting/pasting them into the parent text frame. Now you’re able to get the parent frame edges much closer to the text without the text always reformatting itself.

    Neat! Thanks for sharing.

  • July 17, 2024 at 9:16 am #14404927
    Mike Rankin

    Keymaster

    This sounds like a good topic for a little blog post. Thanks for sharing, Linda!

  • July 17, 2024 at 9:26 am #14404931
    Linda Bergeron Szefer

    Participant

    “ID cannot easily replicate the placement of the type in those irregular text frames” — not sure I understand… The pasted text has no control on its parent. You can add an inset to the autofit text and use the edges as a reference for your odd shaped box if it needs to be evenly tight with the text., but it has to be done manually.

    I find this solution easier to manipulate than having the text box on top of and grouped with the odd shaped box.

  • July 17, 2024 at 9:29 am #14404936
    Anne-Marie Concepcion

    Member

    By “easily replicate” I mean just using the odd-shaped text frames to hold the live text, and using vertical justification and text indents etc. to make them fit. Didn’t work. As you say, it’s easier working with anchored text frame inside the odd-shaped text frame.

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