Adobe In-Design Question on Drop Caps and nested style

[satisfacShawn]

I'm using CS3 and I wish to add a drop cap and nested style on only the first paragraph, but when I select it in paragraph styles it does it for every paragraph?

[Virgo Nightingale]

Go to the toolbar at the top of the screen. Click on the Paragraph Formatting Controls button on the left side (¶). A little further to the right along the bottom of the toolbar, you will see the field where you can set the size of the drop cap (an up/down arrow next to an A). Just to the right of that is where you can set how many characters to apply the drop cap style to (left/right arrow above an Aa).

This toolbar is where you set attributes for an individual paragraph. Paragraph styles will apply attributes to all paragraphs you give that style to.

[satisfacShawn]

I see that toolbar and the different attributes I can apply but when I select the attributes you metioned ie.
the size of the drop cap (an up/down arrow next to an A) to 1
and
how many characters to apply the drop cap style to (left/right arrow above an Aa) to 2

It does the big letter for the first letter in every paragraph. I only want to do this for the first letter in the first paragraph.

[obesebee]

You need to create a new style sheet with the drop cap attribute and apply it only to the first paragraph. All the other paras will have to have their own style without the drop cap style applied. InDesign can't differentiate otherwise.

[satisfacShawn]

Eureka! I see now. I only need to highlight the first paragraph and then add the new paragraph style.
Thank you

[urstwile]

Nested styles are most applicable where you have multiple paragraphs that all need to start off the same way, say with a bold or italic first sentence. Not so applicable when you have only one paragraph that needs a drop cap while the rest do not.