InDesign strokes

[Adrian]

Hi!

I'm using InDesign CS under Mac OSX.

I am having two issues with strokes.

When I'm working with a frame, and I want to add a stroke, and I have ticked the "Dimensions Include Stroke Weight" option in the Transform palette, then when I size the frame it includes the weight of the stroke in the overall frame size. So far so good.

However, when I apply a stroke to an existing frame, the frame grows. Bizarrely though, it doesn't grow by the size of the stroke. If I add a 0.5pt stroke, the frame grows by only 0.5pt.

My two questions are: (1) Is there a setting that will allow me to add a stroke to an existing frame without growing the frame? (2) Why does the frame grow by only the size of the stroke and not by twice the stroke?

Best wishes, Adrian

[ktinkel]

However, when I apply a stroke to an existing frame, the frame grows. Bizarrely though, it doesn't grow by the size of the stroke. If I add a 0.5pt stroke, the frame grows by only 0.5pt.The stroke gets its width by making a rectangle, divided equally on either side of the “stroke,” which actually has no width itself. So what happens there makes sense.

Now why it does not allow you to prevent that, I do not know. Maybe best to size the frame, then stroke it, clicking the “include stroke width” thingie first.

Maybe someone more adept at the innards of InDesign can tell you how to to this.

[Shane Stanley]

How much the frame grows depends on how you have "Align Stroke:" set in the Stroke palette.

Shane

[Adrian]

Shane,

Indeed it does! Thank you. (I shan't even try to explain how I could miss something so obvious!)

Best wishes, Adrian

[Adrian]

Kathleen.

I didn't understand at all what you meant by this, until I went and had a look at what Shane suggested and the penny finally dropped! Thank you!

Best wishes, Adrian

[Adrian]

Shane,

If I may pick your brain again? Is there a way to make the Align Stroke selection stick (for another frame, rather than the one it's been applied to)? It seems to always default to Align Stroke to Centre and I can't find anywhere to change that default.

Best wishes, Adrian

[terrie]

adrian: If I may pick your brain again? Is there a way to make the Align Stroke selection stick (for another frame, rather than the one it's been applied to)? It seems to always default to Align Stroke to Centre and I can't find anywhere to change that default.Not sure if this is it but I'm pretty sure I got it to stick when I set it when no document was open--sets it as a global setting rather than a specific doc setting...

Hopefully Shane will give us the full scoop...

Terrie

[Shane Stanley]

Is there a way to make the Align Stroke selection stick (for another frame, rather than the one it's been applied to)?

As Terrie says, choosing it with no documents open makes it the default for future documents. To change it for an existing document, just change it with no frame selected.

Shane

[Adrian]

Terrie/Shane,

Many thanks for that. I'll give it a try.

Best wishes, Adrian

[terrie]

shane: As Terrie says, choosing it with no documents open makes it the default for future documents.Oh yay!!! I got it right...'-}}

Terrie