Datasheet

CHAPTER 1 Customizing

There are only so many keys on the QWERTY keyboard, only so many modiﬁers and com-

binations of keys, so customizing keyboard shortcuts in InDesign often entails sacriﬁcing

keyboard access to one command for another. By the same token, just as you can add multiple

shortcuts to Cut, other commands already have multiple shortcuts. Do they need two (or

three)? Probably not, which means their extras are fair game for commands that don’t have

any. Other commands have shortcuts you’ll never use; put those key combinations to better

use. If you use the Gradient Feather effect often, give it a keyboard shortcut (it doesn’t have

one by default, although the Drop Shadow command does—Cmd+Shift+M/Ctrl+Shift+M).

The Product Area drop-down list mirrors the structure of menus but includes a lot more, even

commands not found on the menu bar. Object Editing, for instance, includes all sorts of align,

distribution, scale, and nudge commands that simply don’t have counterparts on any menu and

would normally require mouse work. Explore the dialog box, changing and testing shortcuts, until

you have all your most-used commands shortcutted and InDesign works your way.

The folks at Adobe did a great job in setting keyboard shortcuts on the commands most used

by the average InDesign user, but they had to leave it up to you to tailor the program to your

unique workﬂow. Keyboard shortcuts, various panel arrangements and customizations, even

customizable menus are available to tailor the program to you. Use them.

Menus

Yes, you read me right: In InDesign CS3 and later you can customize menus. Photoshop CS2

(and its now-retired protégé ImageReady CS2) introduced the idea of customizable menus. Odd

as it may sound, it’s a pretty cool idea. Do me a favor: Select Window  Workspace  New in

CS5. You’ll likely be prompted to save your current workspace; answer in the afﬁrmative. Now,

return to the Window menu. Notice anything? Check out the File menu. You should see quite a

few commands and submenus highlighted in a pleasing blue (see Figure 1.12).

Figure 1.12

Menu highlighting

in use to show off

new commands

and upgraded

areas of CS5

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