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Dan Macy
Dan Macy
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Copying paragraph styles between documents

Apr 11, 2012 8:08 AM

I have a document that contains some text that I want to copy to another document. The original text is tagged with a paragraph style called Body. If the document that I'm copying into already has a paragraph style called Body defined, then when I copy the text into this document, it applies its Body paragraph style to the text I'm copying into it. Is there a way to copy the text and maintain the text styling from the original document (overriding the paragraph style in the receiving document)?

 

I am using InDesign CS5.

 

Thanks!

3261 Views   10 Replies   Latest reply: Dan Macy, Apr 11, 2012 9:33 AM
 
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  • Bob Levine
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    1. Bob Levine,
    Apr 11, 2012 8:17 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    Edit>Paste without formatting.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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  • Dan Macy
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    2. Dan Macy,
    Apr 11, 2012 8:37 AM   in reply to Bob Levine
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    Thank you for your reply, but that doesn't seem to be doing anything for me.

     

    In document 1, I have a paragraph that is tagged with style Body that is Arial-Narrow, 16 pt. font size and 21 pt. leading. In document 2, there is a style Body in the paragraph styles list; it is Arial-Narrow, 9 pt. font size and 9.5 pt. leading. I selected the entire paragraph in document 1. I click in a text frame in document 2. Whether I choose Edit > Paste or Edit > Paste without Formatting, the resulting paragraph in document 2 is Arial-Narrow, 9 pt. font size and 9.5 pt. leading.

     
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  • SRiegel
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    3. SRiegel,
    Apr 11, 2012 8:42 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    To keep the formatting but not the style name, after you choose your text in the first document, choose Break Link to Style in the parpagraph pallet before you copy the text. If that doesn't work, check to see if there is a character style applied, and do the same to it.

     
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  • Bob Levine
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    4. Bob Levine,
    Apr 11, 2012 8:59 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    Do you have manual overrides in the text?

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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  • Rik Ramsay
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    5. Rik Ramsay,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:10 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    You will achieve your goal by just using basic Edit > Paste but you should try putting it in an empty, new text box. It keeps the appearance and will override your Body style leaving a + next to it. I advise you to create a new style with this though especially if you're later sending it to print.

     

    If it's not doing that, you may have character styles applied.

     
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  • Dan Macy
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    6. Dan Macy,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:11 AM   in reply to SRiegel
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    I selected the paragraph in document 1. I chose Break Link to Style in the Paragraph Styles palette. I clicked in the text frame in document 2 (which only contains one empty paragraph that is CenterAlign, Arial-Narrow, 7 pt. font size and 7.5 pt. leading) and chose Edit > Paste without Formatting. The paragraph ends up formatted like the empty paragraph that was in that text frame to start with (7 pt. Arial-Narrow, centered), which is not what I want either. The copied paragraph is 16 pt. Arial-Narrow, LeftAlign in document 1 and I want it to end up that way in document 2.

     
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  • Dan Macy
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    7. Dan Macy,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:12 AM   in reply to Bob Levine
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    I have some boldface text in the middle of the paragraph but it's not tagged with a character style.

     
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  • Bob Levine
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    8. Bob Levine,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:22 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    Wait. Which style do you want to keep?

     

     

     

    The style in the document it’s being pasted from or pasted to?

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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  • SRiegel
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    9. SRiegel,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:26 AM   in reply to Dan Macy
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    After you use Break Link to Style, use a regular Paste (not pate without formatting). This will keep the orginal fomatting, and not pull in the style name.

     
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  • Dan Macy
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    10. Dan Macy,
    Apr 11, 2012 9:33 AM   in reply to SRiegel
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    My mistake. Sorry! When I used Edit > Paste, it worked as I wish. Thanks to all for your suggestions!

     
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