noob questions: InDesign

[flutterby nut]

i'm starting a new project...i don't spend much time in InDesign and i'm already confused :o...

when i create a new file i'm seeing dimensions of: 51p0 x 66p0 ...what is this, and more importantly, where do i go to make it say inches?

[Audentia]

It's in Picas which is the InDesign default.
You can change it to inches from your main toolbar at the top:
InDesign -> Preferences -> Units/Increments
You'll see the default change options there in the top half of the box.

[eugenetyson]

Welcome to printing!

51p is 51 picas. It's a typographical measurement which is roughly 1/6 of an inch.

12pts = 1 pica.

You can change this forever by firstly not having any documents open.

Then go to the Preferences (under edit in Windows)

Units and increments and change ruler units to your measurement unit liking.


If you change a setting with a document open it may only apply to that document, I know units and increments do, as well as others. So if you want to make it permanent then do it with no documents open.

My blogpost on how to change default settings is here but does not include rulers - I must add that in :)

http://doozler.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-change-default-new-documents.html

[flutterby nut]

:D ...feel like a fish on dry land!

would i be better served by trying to understand and adapt to picas?...would it make more sense to change permanently or per document?

[emucru]

inches are pretty common in print (depending on where you live).

:D ...feel like a fish on dry land!


Don't worry we will throw water on you once in awhile until you grow legs and lungs. :)

[flutterby nut]

ok...i'm limping along with an indesign file i did 3 years ago...

in my new file i've deleted the default colors except paper, black and registration, and copied over my previous colors from before...my client wants one of these a touch lighter than before...i used it both as a solid and a transparency in the old file...

i see that i can adjust the sliders and achieve a new color...seems like a major guessing game...is there a better way?

[Jeremy Scott]

you can just type in 5in for 5 inches and then it will convert it.

[eugenetyson]

You can't really judge colour on screen. There's a plethora of issues there.

If you need to match colour precisely then you're better off choosing from a Pantone to Process book, which are available from local print supply shops, as far as I know.

[flutterby nut]

You can't really judge colour on screen. There's a plethora of issues there.

If you need to match colour precisely then you're better off choosing from a Pantone to Process book, which are available from local print supply shops, as far as I know.

exactly!...i remember that from another thread...i did want to toddle off to the printer to check the book...

yeah!...i can put this off a bit and focus on my rush web job :D...

thanks so much!!!...i'm sure there'll be more to ask...

[flutterby nut]

ok...went to the printer armed with my hex color, cmyk percentages, and the printed piece whose color i'm shooting for...

in the pantone book, my color is a lovely shade of army-like green, which is not the light green this color printed at (something like an andes mint green)...

so i compared my printed piece to other swatches, both coated and uncoated, and selected a coated pantone shade that's just slightly lighter...

i'm worried how this is gonna turn out...will it really print like the pantone color i selected?...for sure?

and when i put the percentages in indesign, will the printer somehow know from that that it's a coated pantone?...or will i have to rely on my client to tell them to have it printed on 'coated' stock?...

thanks, this is way stressful!

[CkretAjint]

If your color swach in InDesign is, PMS ____ C it's for coated.

PMS ____ U is for uncoated. And there about 30 other abbreviations for different Pantone types as well!

[flutterby nut]

yes, it's c for coated...haven't checked yet, but i imagine indesign will take a pantone input as well?...

[CkretAjint]

Sure, if you tell the swatch that its a Pantone color... It and people can't read minds that a CMYK breakdown if for Pantone to be printed. ;)

Besides, if you used a Pantone color, the printer should print it as that and it won;t look any different than your book. I have a feeling the printer isn't printing it with Pantones, or you didn't designate the Pantones color for the green correctly...

[flutterby nut]

well...truth be told, this was my first-ever color print job a few years ago and i lucked out...or more probably, the printer bailed me out as best they could :D...so i'm presently attempting to do a better job with it this time...

next question, should i place an image in indesign, or copy/paste it?...can never remember which is the better way to do it...

[CkretAjint]

PLACE!!!!!!!!!! ;)

Please dear Lord, place it. If you are copying and pasting it, you embed it. There for I, as a production artist, cannot easily edit the image at the printer to assure it will print correctly. If it's placed I can adjust according and make sure both you and I are happy with it once printed.

[flutterby nut]

:D...can i reduce the size in indesign, or should i do that in photoshop...and if i save as a jpg in photoshop again, do i loose some quality doing it?

[CkretAjint]

Depends... I would jsut scale it in InDesign. Most of the time when you are asked to scale the image down to 100% and then re import that is because the printer shop has a small RIP and cannot handle large images, or it takes FOREVER for the RIP to process. We have a large one, so we don't both with scaling them down.

Seriously, JPG? Use TIF or EPS....

[flutterby nut]

it's already a jpg...you recommend changing it then?

[CkretAjint]

/c:

Why is it a JPG already?

[flutterby nut]

got it off the stock photography website that way...???

[CkretAjint]

Just from talking to you about the file so far, I would leave it as is, but make note of it to your printer though...

[flutterby nut]

out of curiosity, why would the printer be upset if it's a jpg?

[flutterby nut]

sigh...

i have need to use a table...should i place it in the text box i've been using?...or a new one...can i have more than one?

is there a best way to format dot leaders with prices?...should i line up the dollar signs or the beginnings of the leaders?...i guess leaders...

[urstwile]

flutterby nut, allow me to introduce you to this website (http://indesignsecrets.com/). :)

[flutterby nut]

what?!...no stiff drink??? ;) ...thanks btw...

[garricks]

flutter, that Web site is worth its weight in scotch, trust me. ;)

[flutterby nut]

^^
indeed!...i've survived this ordeal!...thanks so much for all your help! :)

[garricks]

Yay! Johnny Walker Black all around! Belly up to the bar, Dzingers!! :D