InDesign—Drag and Drop Text

[capezio]

I'm learning ID after using Quark for years and one thing that is frustrating me is that I cannot find out how to or if indeed you can drag and drop text when editing text like you can in Word and Quark. I have a book which I bought to help me but for this it doesn't.

Another thing that bugs is that I don't seem to be able to move text boxes minute amounts like I can in Quark by holding down the alt key whilst using the arrow keys.

Are these things possible? I hope someone can throw some light for me

Thanks

btw I'm using version 2.0

[urstwile]

I couldn't find anything in the help about being able to drag and drop text, so I'm going to say you probably can't. I generally just import the text I need using the Place command.

In terms of keyboard move increments, if you go into preferences and type a small amount as your default increment, you can then hold the shift key down to multiply that increment by ten. So it kinda works, but in the reverse direction and with a different modifier key.

[capezio]

Thanks urstwile for looking, I couldn't find anything either, drag and drop is a check box in Quark preferences but there is nothing remotely similar in ID that I can find. I keep forgetting I'm using ID and try to drag and drop...nothing happens...maddening. Oh well I'll just have to get used to s'pose.

["Technical" Terry]

Moving stuff around on the Mac:

Preferences set to 1pt
arrows move at 1pt increments
Shift+arrow moves 10pt
Apple+Shift+arrow moves 1/10pt


EDIT: Sorry, the "Apple" key is now referred to as the "CMD" or "command" key.

[capezio]

I just discovered how to do it in CS2 InDesign but it doesn't work in V2
Here goes.

Select the text so it is highlighted within the frame.
Position the curosor inside the highlighted text. The cursor changes to a curved arrow with a T next to it.
Press with the mouse and drag to the new position. An insertion point appears at the new location.
Release the mouse to move the text to the new position.

So there you have it I'll just have to wait until I get CS2

Its much easier to do in Quark, Have they changed that for version 6 or 7? I'm still using 4

PS. let me know if it works in CS2 please

[urstwile]

Technical Terry, great tip, I didn't know about holding down the command key, will save me some trips to the Units and Increments prefs.

Capezio, Quark v6 still allows drag and drop text.

In terms of InDesign CS2, I was able to get drag and drop to work once I enabled Drag and Drop Text in Layout view. So I just learned something new. Thanks for prompting that adventure. :)

[capezio]

hmm thanks Urstwile, where is the dialogue box to enable drag and drop in Layout View. Is it in View or layout in the menu? Most likely I'm looking in the wrong place knowing me.

[urstwile]

Well, mind you this was in InDesign CS2, but it's worth a shot for you in V2. It's under preferences, in the type category. Works exactly the same as it does in Quark.

[capezio]

Urstwile, no its not there it was the first place I looked when I started with ID. Obviously its something they improved on in CS. It is just sooooo useful when editing text.

Really must see about getting software sorted out. More money <sighs>