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InDesign default kerning issue

Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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InDesign automatically applies -40 kerning to all new text, regardless of the font in use.
I have dumped the preferences; problem persists.
Any ideas?

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Community Expert , Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

Are you using Paragraph and / or Character styles? If so, those need to be Redefined after you did the Select All and changed the kerning to metrics (or optical)

When text is selected, you'll see the choice of metrics or optical. With an insertion point, you'll see a number, such as -40. But that number changes for each letter pair and is built in. The automatic kerning between "AW" should be tighter than "WT", for example. You don't want the same number for all letter pairs. Where are you seeing

...

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Are you sure you really restored your preferences. Some people inadvertantly do it wrong. See if you followed the directions listed in this article:

Trash, Replace, Reset, or Restore the application Preferences

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Hi smx21:

In one file or in all files? In existing files or in new files too?

Trashing preferences will impact all new InDesign files (system defaults), but does not go back and address defaults in existing documents (document defaults).

Document defaults are set when you make a change in InDesign with a file open, but with nothing selected. If you find that existing files have undesirable defaults:

  1. Select the existing text and choose your desired properties to impact the existing text
  2. Deselect all, and choose the desired settings to impact all future text within that file. In this case, choose the Type tool, Edit > Deselect all and set the Kerning back to Metrics.

~Barb

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Thank you both! I dumped Prefs using keyboard method and new files are fine. I will have to address the existing files as instructed....

Didn't work for existing file. Kerning pops right back to -40 even after setting the kerning to Metrics with nothing selected, and having corrected the text when selected...

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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It's important that you don't have a blinking insertion point anywhere when you set document defaults, which is a risk with the Type tool.

Let's try this:

Use the Selection tool, open Window > Type & Tables > Character and then set the Kerning back to Metrics. Then select the type tool and add more text. Does the kerning hold?

~Barb

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Barb... same thing happens. It's maddening. I open the file (created pre-pref dump) and highlight ALL, set to Metrics. Deselect, no cursor. Opened Window > Type & Tables > Character and confirm/reselect "Metrics". Simply inserting cursor and typing a space pops the Kerning back to -40.  I am now thinking it is font-related. Some older files no longer pop back on the kerning. However, if I change the font, it persists, in this particular file, or files that use the initial font. Thank you for your help though, in narrowing it down.

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Are you using Paragraph and / or Character styles? If so, those need to be Redefined after you did the Select All and changed the kerning to metrics (or optical)

When text is selected, you'll see the choice of metrics or optical. With an insertion point, you'll see a number, such as -40. But that number changes for each letter pair and is built in. The automatic kerning between "AW" should be tighter than "WT", for example. You don't want the same number for all letter pairs. Where are you seeing the "-40"?

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Explorer ,
Aug 17, 2018 Aug 17, 2018

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-40 kerning is applied at first keystroke after insertion point.

It must be related to a paragraph style, as when I redefine it, it is fixed. I didn't think that was the issue, as when checking the specs for each style, all kerning shows as metrics.

Thank you, all, for your help!

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Community Expert ,
Aug 17, 2018 Aug 17, 2018

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So glad it's working now, and you are welcome from all of us!

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Do you want to share a page of your file on Dropbox, Peter? I’m happy to take a look.

~Barb

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Just to clarify, you do know the difference between Kerning and Tracking?

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2018 Aug 16, 2018

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Yes, thank you Derek. I learned the difference when using Pagemaker, back when owned by Aldus.

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