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1. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
Salah Fadlabi Apr 16, 2014 1:24 PM (in response to cindy2k4)whenever I try to use the selection tool, the cursor just shows a lock icon and nothing else happens
Object menu>unlock all on spread.
Also you can select existent text frame, then object>text frame options>general>column>number
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2. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
cindy2k4 Apr 16, 2014 2:00 PM (in response to Salah Fadlabi)Thanks! This worked for the document that required all the text in multiple columns.
Any suggestions on how to draw a text frame around a particular block of text so that the main text isn’t affected? (i.e. just that frame will have two columns while the main text just has one)?
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3. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
Salah Fadlabi Apr 16, 2014 2:25 PM (in response to cindy2k4) -
4. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
Willi Adelberger Apr 17, 2014 3:14 AM (in response to Salah Fadlabi)Why that? You can create 1 (one single) frame, with two column. For the first paragraph use span text over all columns property in the paragraph style, the other in single column or create a text frame with one column and use the split column property iin the paragraph style.
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5. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
cindy2k4 Apr 17, 2014 11:17 AM (in response to Willi Adelberger)Thanks for your suggestions.
However, I am having trouble drawing text frames within existing ones. When I do, a lock icon appears under my cursor and nothing happens. I have “prevent selection of locked objects” unchecked so that I can edit from my templates (if I have that option checked, I can’t use the text tool).
Anything I can do so I can select text to be in a new frame?
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6. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
Salah Fadlabi Apr 17, 2014 11:48 AM (in response to cindy2k4)Screen shot would help!
Are you try: Object menu>unlock all on spread
Also check layer panel it may be the text frame on locked layer.
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7. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
cindy2k4 Apr 17, 2014 12:27 PM (in response to Salah Fadlabi)I haven’t quite figured out how to take screenshots on my computer (2013 MacBook Pro). But I want the document to look like the second screenshot on your earlier post, with the paragraphs above the selected text in one column and the text below that in two.
“Unlock all on spread” did enable my selection tool, but I still can’t change the number of columns without affecting the entire spread instead of just the text I want to print in two columns.
Any suggestions?
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8. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
Larry G. Schneider Apr 17, 2014 12:39 PM (in response to cindy2k4) -
9. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
P Spier Apr 17, 2014 12:52 PM (in response to cindy2k4)You don't really want to put one frame inside another, you either want to switch to split columns for those paragraphs or add a new two-column frame to the thread. To do that you would adjust the height of the exisitn frame on that page, then draw the new frame. Click the ooutport of the adjusted frame to pick up the text and click ito the new frame to add it to the thread.
The split coluymsn solution is better in some respects since the split is tied to the actual text, not the frames, and will self-adjust as you edit.
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10. Re: Creating multiple columns in InDesign CC for Mac
P Spier Apr 17, 2014 12:56 PM (in response to Salah Fadlabi)Salah Fadlabi wrote:
Are you try: Object menu>unlock all on spread
I'm dead set against using this command. It's like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Locked objects can be selected, if you enable it in the prefs, so that the content may be edited, and indiividual objects can be unlocked either by clicking the lock adornment (if visible) near the upper left corner of the bounding box, or by clearing the lock in the layers panel.






