4 Replies Latest reply: Dec 1, 2010 3:32 AM by linziloop RSS

    Hiding columns in a table?

    linziloop Community Member

      Hi there,

       

      I wonder if any of you know of an easy way to hide columns in a table in InDesign CS5? To further explain, i have two documents currently, one is a price guide and the other is bascially identical but without the prices, lets call that the product guide. It seems daft to have to update the two (especialy when i actually have four as i have each in two languages!) every time there is a slight change to the product listing. So, i was thinking if i have the price guide, make a PDF of that, hide the column with the prices in, and then hey presto, I've got the product guide. Seems simple but i can't seem ot find a simple way of hiding the column.

       

      Is there such an option? Or any suggestions as to how best do it? I don't want to delete it as i will need to update this column occasionally, and i really want to avoid having lots of different InDesign documents as i have this situation for 5 different country's guides, each with a local language and english language version, making 20 in total if i keep them separate (10 if i don't, which is enough imho) - mental i know! But thats the way work want it

       

      Cheers!

       

      (On Mac OSX 10.6.4 and running InDesign CS5)

        • 1. Re: Hiding columns in a table?
          peter at knowhowpro Community Member

          linziloop wrote:

           

          Hi there,

           

          I wonder if any of you know of an easy way to hide columns in a table in InDesign CS5? To further explain, i have two documents currently, one is a price guide and the other is bascially identical but without the prices, lets call that the product guide. It seems daft to have to update the two (especialy when i actually have four as i have each in two languages!) every time there is a slight change to the product listing. So, i was thinking if i have the price guide, make a PDF of that, hide the column with the prices in, and then hey presto, I've got the product guide. Seems simple but i can't seem ot find a simple way of hiding the column.

           

          Is there such an option? Or any suggestions as to how best do it? I don't want to delete it as i will need to update this column occasionally, and i really want to avoid having lots of different InDesign documents as i have this situation for 5 different country's guides, each with a local language and english language version, making 20 in total if i keep them separate (10 if i don't, which is enough imho) - mental i know! But thats the way work want it

           

          Cheers!

           

          (On Mac OSX 10.6.4 and running InDesign CS5)

          * If you experiment with some table cell settings, you can probably find a design that works when the columns are exposed, and when they're set to their minimum width - 3pt.
          Setting the column width to its minimum may not conceal cell content if the cell side margins are so small as to allow content to touch the cell sides, so you may need to pay attention to the margin values. If the column has vertical rulings, you may also need to pay attention to their stroke width and color.
          * Conditional text won't hide a column, but if the column is the furthest left or right, you might achieve what you want by applying a condition to the text in each cell of the column and hiding or showing it as needed. The width will be preserved, but no text will appear when hidden.
          * Similar to conditionalizing the cell content, you can define a paragraph style for only the cells in the column, and redefine the character color to None or Paper to hide the content, and redefining the color to Black to show it.
          * It may be possible to script a solution. I'm not familiar enough with available scripts. Inqire on the scripting forum.
          HTH
          Regards,
          Peter
          _______________________
          Peter Gold
          KnowHow ProServices

          • 2. Re: Hiding columns in a table?
            FergyMac Community Member

            How about if you create a new layer, then draw a box to cover the price column? Turn that layer off and export to pdf (shows prices), turn it on and export to pdf (doesn't show prices).

            • 3. Re: Hiding columns in a table?
              macinbytes Community Member

              You could just set the column width to .05 and set a fill to the to the column on export. If you make all the type overset it won't include it in the document on export. Maybe not the most elegant solution, but would avoid having multiple versions. Would have to be careful not to have overset text elsewhere, but that's reasonably trivial to do. One downside is that you'll have a 3pt gap at minimum on that column.

              • 4. Re: Hiding columns in a table?
                linziloop Community Member

                Thanks everyone, some really good answers there! I have strict guidelines as to how the tables have to look, stroke widths colours, etc. so that rules out some options but i do really like that layers suggestion - simple but effective! Will give it a go and see how i get on and if it doesn't work out then I've got some other options to choose from there, nice one