Is there an easier way?

[gcaluna13]

....To color my text without going through the swatch menu?

Seems like Adobe went backwards on this one.

I just want to highlight text with the text tool and go to a color box at the top and select whatever color I want.

I'm new at ID but it seems that you have to select 4 different things just to change text color or any other elements for that matter.

Is ther a frame color, fill color, and text color box I can just attach to the top with the rest of the text info?

 

[apepp]

...the methods are:

select text > swatch palette > color

select box > choose 'T' symbol in swatch palette > color

select box > paragraph style set up with color

select box > character style set up with color

eyedropper tool > select a color > select target text
(double click eyedropper tool for the behaviour used)

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...one helpful thing to do is to setup your own workspace so it behaves as you like it too...

...that way you can have the swatches palette easily accessible at all times...

...when you master the shortcuts (also customisable) you will do it quicker...

Andrew

 

[MarcusStringer]

you shuldn't really need you colour window there at all.
I don't use it...

I just have the swatches window open because you can do everything in there.

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[gcaluna13]

Thanks for the tips Andrew.
Marcus... not sure what you mean (color window where?)but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.

 

[eugenetyson]

gcaluna13... there is nothing anyone can do for you here. It's clear that you're new to InDesign so you should really just try and do some projects with it and see how you get it on. You should buy some books like "InDesign CS2 Bible". The folks over at

http://www.indesignsecrets.com

have new books out for CS3.

http://indesignsecrets.com/real-wor...cs3-visual-quickstart-guide-now-available.php

If you get really stuck then by all means come back and ask the questions. But I urge you, as a fellow user, to start using the projects, buy the books and try it yourself first. I know it's hard, but that's how I learned it. I'm using InDesign since January 2006. I learned a lot from books and just using the application myself. It's a good way forward.

The only reason I say this is you started off wanting to know easier ways to apply colour, now you want to know where the colour window is... seems to me that all your answers so far are in the help files.

For a lot of new people the easiest, quickest and best way to learn, is just to play with InDesign, learn it, love it, use it.

 

[gcaluna13]

Thanks for that Eugene, But I was responding to Marcus' comment:

"you shouldn't really need your colour window there at all.
I don't use it..."

I said, "Color window where?" as in, where is he assuming my color window is or how I'm using it? That's all. Thought I was missing some special back door tecnique or method of including it to a region making it easier to use.

All in the interpretation, I suppose.

 

[eugenetyson]

Fair enough.

But you're not missing anything. Having your colour swatches open aswell as Paragraph Style panels open and pages panel open should give you most of what you need for everyday use of indesign.

 

[jmgalvin]

If I understand things, you're looking for a swatches window with a whole bunch of colors, like you'd find in Word or Photoshop if you pick something like Windows swatches window.

ID does not have this because the necessity of having so many different types for different purposes. You have to add a swatch in teh swatches window for each color you want.

You can use the Color window (window menu/color), select the type of color (cmyk,rgb, lab) and then click on the color bar in the area nearest to the color you want and look at the preview.



Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[gcaluna13]

Yes.

It was a question of convenience.

I was hoping it would be more like PS, where you just go to the top (with text that you want to change, highlighted) and click on the cute little color box which then opens a color wheel with tints and shades.

Hell, it has the font type and size. Why couldn't it have gone one step further or just lift the programming from PS?

 

[MarcusStringer]

I was hoping it would be more like PS, where you just go to the top (with text that you want to change, highlighted) and click on the cute little color box which then opens a color wheel with tints and shades.

The little colour window is instead od at the top like in Photoshop is now in the toolbar down the bottom...like in photoshop as well..

When it's type it will be a T and when it's a box it will in the shape of a box.

If it's type then highlight the type then click on the T then the colour window I think you are talking about will pop up

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au