Datasheet

The InDesign workspace

9Lesson 1, InDesign CS4 Essential Skills

The InDesign workspace

InDesign documents are displayed in the center of the work area, while panels that let you

control objects or perform speci c tasks are displayed along the right side of the workspace

in the panel docking area. InDesign has many panels that are critical to the editing and design

work you perform. InDesign includes various workspaces that provide easy access to the

panels and tools you’ll use for speci c tasks. Let’s take a closer look at the InDesign workspace,

including the document window and panels.

The document window

InDesign pages are displayed within a black border. Anything positioned within this area appears

when the page is  nished. The area outside of the black border is referred to as the pasteboard.

Anything that is placed completely outside this black border on the pasteboard is generally not

visible when the  nal document is distributed.

You can use the pasteboard to temporarily hold elements while designing your project. You can

move design elements such as images from the pasteboard to the page, trying di erent layout

variations. The pasteboard can also be useful for placing notes to colleagues—or even yourself—

regarding the project. To get a better understanding of the InDesign workspace, you’ll open up

the completed project, reset the workspace, and look at the work area.

1 Choose File > Open. In the Open dialog box, navigate to the id01lessons folder and

select the id01_done.indd  le. Press Open.

2 Choose Window > Workspace > Typography. Panels containing controls that help you

work with type are now displayed.

You can also use the dedicated Workspace switcher, located in the Application bar above the

Control panel. The Workspace switcher displays the name of the current workspace and can also

be used to change between workspaces or to reset the current workspace. The selected workspace

controls which panels display and which menu items are available. Fewer or more panels and

menu choices are available based upon the selected workspace.

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