An alternative to tables?

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

Hello all,

I've published a few RPG books with InDesign and I use a single column/row table for highliting text that is read to players during the course of the game.

The problem with tables is that they don't wrap like normal text, unless you split the cell into multiple rows, but then it ruins the effect when a table doesn't wrap. Then you get into an endless back and forth trying to get everything lined up properly.

Is there a way, in InDesign, to use the paragraph styles alone to simulate a box around the text that will still wrap like normal text? Perhaps with Layers? I haven't messed with them at all, so I'm not sure what they can do.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Jeff

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

What, do you people have lives or something? ;)

Ok, I can split the table into multiple rows and put sections of text into their own cells, then it wraps a little better. Not very elegant for a $700 program.

How about this then. I want the box containing the text to have rounded edges, or a background image. Is there an easy way to do this repeatably (like for 40 or 50 text boxes)?

I tried creating a rounded rectangle in Photoshop, and placing it in the table cell, then sending it to the back, but the text still remains behind the image. This techique also won't work on a dynamic basis. Meaning I would have to get all my text exactly as it's going to be and then apply all the images and size them. Still doesn't help if I can't get the text to be on top of the image.

Also tried placing the image as text, but then the text wrap options don't show up.

Any suggestions??

JEff

[Anne-Marie_Concepcion@adobeforums.com]

I don't quite understand what you're trying to do. A screen shot or two might help, if you have a place to post it.

I think I get the part that you're setting off RPG dialog (i.e. "stuff that is read to players") into bordered sections of text that go with the text flow, right? And to do that you're placing that text into 1x1 tables with a border? With regular text above and below?

What is supposed to wrap around what, is the part I'm confused about. More explanation maybe?

As for rounded corners, how about placing the special text in a rounded corner text frame w/a stroke applied, then cutting/pasting that as an inline object..inside a 1x1 table or just as is in the flow, in its own paragraph.

AM

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

Thanks for the reply.

You've got most of it. When I say the text in the box needs to wrap I mean to the next column when it reaches the bottom. I know a table will only wrap the next cell to the next column. If the table would wrap just like the rest of the text in the frame then there would be no problem.

Your suggestion of using an inline text frame sounds interesting, but that would act the same as a table, would it not? Meaning it would not flow to the next column.

Here is a screen shot of the layout currently (the blur is on purpose to obscure the text):

<http://www.infinite-realities.com/test/text1.jpg>

The shaded area is a table with swatch color applied, no border, and multiple rows so it flows to the next column at least somewhat elegantly. I don't think an inline text box will do this. So I think I'm stuck with tables.

I see other PDFs with images behind the text, I can't imagine someone placing those images after all their text is in place and then hoping everything still lines up. It would be REALLY nice if ID would have an option to apply an image to a table or a cell as a background like you can with HTML styles.

Jeff

[Karen_C@adobeforums.com]

Why not just connect framed text to frames and draw a colour box behind the text (where your blue boxes are). You can even connect these frames to other frames on other pages.
See ABOUT THREADING TEXT FRAMES
in Indesign Help which has pictures to guide you.

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, I'll check that out.

And why is it that the help doesn't show up when you click it? I have to go find the HTML and load it separately into a browser.

Jeff

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

Karen, thanks for the reply.

Not sure if your suggestion will help me. I'm already threading frames in a continuous thread from beginning to end for all pages in the book. Are you talking about a text frame within a text frame instead of a table? I tried that and they still don't flow to the next column at all, they extend off the bottom of the page as text from above pushes them down.

A paragraph style would be ideal for this, but they don't offer the option of a background color or graphic.

Jeff

[Ken_Grace@adobeforums.com]

"And why is it that the help doesn't show up when you click it?"

One of life's mysteries. Some people get help, some aspire to help and
others have help thrust upon them.

Non-functioning help has been discussed to death in this forum. Basically it
doesn't work for some people and nobody knows why. What you're doing is the
logical way to get to it, and you can ease this by putting a shortcut button
on your windows taskbar.

k

[Guy_Smiley@adobeforums.com]

Have you checked out the Help PDF? Some people--myself included--find
it much easier to navigate, search, and read than the HTML Help.

[Jeff_Alberts@adobeforums.com]

No, I haven't checked the help PDF, and you're probably right. But the point is, the help menu does nothing. It would be nice to have context-sensitive help like even the simplest windows app has.

Anyway, back to the original subject.

I guess there is no alternative to tables.

Anyone know if ID CS handles things better? Or offers more options like applying a background image to a table or cell?