Does InDesign have constrained boxes?

[yellow789]

I am switching from QuarkXpress to Indesign. I am having trouble trying to constrain a box within a box.

Does anyone know if this is possible in InDesign?


Mac G5 OS 10.4.3 InDesign CS2

 

[Eggles]

Constrain a box within a box??? What sort of box? Text box? I'm having a hard time understanding what you are asking so perhaps a little more info would help.

 

[kandsuk]

Like Eggles, I'm not sure what you mean by a "box within a box", but if you mean you want to constrain proportions of a box, use SHIFT + CTRL (Win) when you drag the corner out...

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(ignore my "Vendor" status... I clicked the wrong thing when I signed up and can't figure out how to change it!)

 

[jmgalvin]

There are a number of ways to constrain as you resize.

With selection tool hold down Command Shift as you drag.

With the Scale tool hold down the shift key

If going from Quark, you might like showing the Control Palette. Select the box and click the constrain thing next to the width and height settingx on teh control palette. Then change either the width or height.

To use Object menu/Scale select object and type in the new percentage of original in the Uniform section.

To use the Transform pallette select object, click the constrain thing next to percentage boxes in transform window and type in percentage or select on of the drop down presets.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[yellow789]

What I mean is ITEM>CONSTRAIN in Quark. I cannot figure out how to do that in InDesign.

What this option does is:
For picture box...maybe text box too....it lets you place a box within a box and set it to constrain. This makes the first box constrained within the parent box. When you scale the parent box, the constrained box scales in the same proportions. I use this because it's easier to move things around. I design newspaper ads and this feature is key because I use borders and picture boxes. It makes for a cleaner design.

Thank you everyone for your help. Sorry the the miscommunication.

 

[jmgalvin]

If you select both boxes and go to Object menu/Compound Path/Make, you should get that result. The path can be released later if you want other changes.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[yellow789]

thanks jmgalvin,

That helped a little bit. However, when I did that, the properties, such as border, went away....and I also got a weird new box that appeared. I'll have to read up more on paths.

 

[jmgalvin]

You can also just group the 2 boxes and they'll scale proportionally.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[yellow789]

jmgalvin,

Thanks again for trying. That doesn't help me either. For the kind of precision I need, I have to figure something else out. It's hard for me to explain exactly what I need also.

Thanks again.