Datasheet

Part I: Before You Begin

Using the object-creation tools

InDesign has a bunch of tools for creating shapes. Part V covers them in

more depth, but you should know about a few of them now because they

create objects that can contain either text or graphics. Plus, you can also use

them to draw your own shapes that you then color or otherwise embellish in

your layout. Here’s what you need to know:

 Pen tool: With the Pen tool, you can create simple illustrations. You

use the Pen tool, which is modeled after the pen tools in Illustrator and

Photoshop, to create paths (both open, such as lines, and closed, such

as shapes) consisting of straight and curved segments. Give it a try —

it’s fun! (Chapter 7 explains how to use the tool.)

 Type tool: The Type tool lets you draw rectangular text frames, as well

as type text inside them.

 Line tool: The Line tool lets you draw freestanding lines (paths) on your

page. After selecting this tool, simply click and drag the mouse to draw

the line. Holding the Shift key while you click and drag constrains the

line angle to 45-degree increments, which is useful for creating straight

horizontal and vertical lines.

 Frame and shape tools: InDesign has three frame tools (Rectangle

Frame, Ellipse Frame, and Polygon Frame) and three shape tools

(Rectangle, Ellipse, and Polygon). The frame and shape tools are redun-

dant because both frames and shapes can hold text or graphics or be

empty.

Because the frame and shape tools really do the same thing, you might

use the frame tool when creating frames that will have their content

added later. Why? Because the frames appear with a big X through them,

making them easier to spot when looking for frames to fill. The shape

tools create frames without that X, so it’s easier to overlook them.

To create a rectangle or ellipse, choose the appropriate tool, click

somewhere in the document window, and drag the mouse to another

location. The rectangle or ellipse fills the area. But creating a polygon

works differently, as Chapter 7 explains.

Using the navigation tools

Several tools, described in the following list, help you navigate your docu-

ment so that you can move around your pages, move your pages around the

screen, and change the degree of magnification to see just part of a page or to

see several pages at once.