Whats the best way to deal with traditional (not metadata) captions?

[MarieMeyer]

What's the best (least crazy-making) way to deal with traditional captions based on text (not metadata).

I'm working on a long technical book that will include >100 figures, each with a caption consisting of one more sentences.

Here is the first one: it was easy to do because there was a natural break int he text that allowed me to simply create my caption with a paragraph style.

But of course it won't always be that easy: here is an example where the figure and its caption had to be inserted into the middle of a paragraph and so I put the caption inside its own text frame to get the body copy to "jump" the figure + caption combo correctly.

Is this the "right" way to do captions? If so, is there a way to automate the creation of a caption box for text when a new graphic is placed?

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Marie:

I would:

1. Place the image on the pasteboard (outside the printable page), add the caption and group them.
2. Activate text wrap for the group and then drag the group to the desired position.
3. Once in place, anchor the group to the text so that it moves with your edits.

~Barb

[MarieMeyer]

Thanks Barb, that is a good suggestion. As you can see, I ended up the captions a little bit offset from the baseline. Any thought on how to fix that? My paragraph style for captions is "align to grid".

[Gusgsm]

There's a slight variation of what has been suggested. It's not better but, as it behaves in a different way, you might find this alternative interesting in some cases when it comes to the painful operation of fitting the text.

Instead of just grouping the objects (image(s) and caption(s)) and then placing the group in the text flow, try placing the whole group "inside" of another (bounding) box, adjust the new box to the content and then place the container in the text flow. The bounding box won't change size unless you want it to, regardless to any change in the group inside.

Hope it helps.

[MarieMeyer]

Can you explain what you mean by "bounding box" in this context?

[Gusgsm]

A frame (not text nor image) that you simply use as a container to place the other things inside it. What you place is this container, that behaves as a single unit.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi Marie,

I would like to know if the steps suggested above worked for you, or the issue still persists.

Kindly update the discussion if you need further assistance with it.

Thanks,

Srishti

[Barb Binder]

Hi Marie:

I'm not sure what you mean by "As you can see, I ended up the captions a little bit offset from the baseline"—your caption baselines are snapped to the baseline grid. Did you want them closer to the image? If so, shorten the image slightly (or reduce the text wrap offset below) and then you can move the captions up to the first grid line under the image.

~Barb