How to change the default from from "Times" to something better

[danyounger]

I've lived with this for years, but I'm sure there has to be an answer. I am so tired of getting "Times" as the default font for every text box I create. I upgraded to CS3 with a hope that it had evolved a pref change for that damn Times font. Is there any global way to change CS3 so that I don't have to swipe and change the font every time I create a new text box? I've looked though the help files and the internet, haven't seen an answer yet. You'd think that with all the designers using the software, there'd be a few who get annoyed at seeing "times" every time they create a box.

(I know I can change the "styles"of the paragraph or character, but that's post creation, how do I just tell inDesign to use the font I want each time I create a text box?)

Anyway, I assume I just missed this in the text section, What's the answer?

 

[apepp]

...launch indesign...

...open character palette...

...change font...

..quit and relaunch...

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...this is true for other functions too..

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...also change the default paragraph style too as this will have an effect too...

Andrew

 

[eugenetyson]

I wouldn't change the default paragraph or default character or the default object styles.

The reason I wouldn't do this is because if you were to open the same document on a different computer, InDesign would read the styles that that computer has and not the one's you set up, as they are the Basic Paragraph and Basic Character Styles.

Instead, I would, open InDesign without any documents open. Then open the Paragraph Panel/palette, and make a new style, call it something you remember, like Preferred Style, change the font, leading, space, before/after or whatever you want in the style.

Close down InDesign and restart it. The style is there and it will travel with the document.

If you just change the font to something, then you will notice that the Basic Paragraph style will have a little plus beside it. That means that there is an override on the style. And this will cause you problems changing over to another computer with the document, or if you send it to be printed and they open the file, they could have changed their basic paragraph style for something that is undesireable for what you want.

So be sure to make your own styles and not override the one's supplied with InDesign.

 

[eugenetyson]

Oh and one more thing, have your new style selected in the paragraph pane before you close. Every new document will use this new style that you made.

 

[apepp]

...yep that is correct eugene, change the default paragraph style...

Andrew

 

[danyounger]

D'OH!!!! I can't believe that I've gone so long and never figured that one out! (lots of cussing for nothing...) Thanks everybody!!!

Dan

 

[eugenetyson]

No Andrew... don't change the default paragraph, make your own before opening docs in the app.

 

[apepp]

...yep, sorry eugene, a bit ambiguous my wording, using the word 'change' i really mean 'change'...

Andrew