Images and Captions

I'm doing my first major book project in ID and am looking for a slick way to link a floating image and its caption, which in my current job will usually be located centrally under the image.



The image will be aligned either to the left or right margin with a text wrap offset towards the text for both image and caption. Image sizes and aspect ratios are very variable both at source and on the page, but aspect ratio needs to be preserved.



At the moment I'm using two grouped frames with a frame style for the caption frame to give a consistent vertical displacement below the image and a wrap applied to the group via another object style. I'm making this two-frame construction manually each time.



I've had a play with a one-column, two-row table, but so far haven't found a way to auto-size the top row to the image size.



How do experienced folk create such linked pairs of image and text in ID CS4?
Images and Captions
I use groups, just as you are doing now. You might speed things up by making a group of two empty frames and putting it into a library from which you can drag copies as needed. You can pre-style the frames so that all that's needed would be sizing.
Images and Captions
Thanks, Peter. Hadn't tried the Library function before. Looks very useful here.



If I import an image into the top frame, and then resize the frame to fit the aspect ratio using the 'fitting' option, the image section resizes, but not the caption frame, which then needs to be manually resized horizontally to match the width of the image frame.



Is there an easy way to manage the sizing of the image frame in combination with the width of the grouped caption element to fit the varying images and page sizes I need to use?

OK, I'm making progress - I think.



By styling the frame fitting options for the graphics frame to have its reference point at the middle bottom and applying Fit Content Proportionally, the image comes in bottom justified to fill the width and I can then manually resize that frame vertically using the top edge without disturbing relative position of the caption frame.



Another gotcha I find is that if the caption frame in the library is empty, it seems to be very hard to get started with text entry within the grouped pair of frames. So I've added dummy text to my caption frame in the library.



So now I can place the grouped library item on the page, size it to suit the width I want, drag in an image from Bridge, sort out the frame height and enter the caption much more easily. And dragging the bottom edge of the group allows resizing of just the caption frame, which is ideal.



Thanks for the initial steer.

I don't know why you'd be having any trouble making the text frame active. What version of ID are you using? It does seem to be a little harder in CS3 than CS4, but double-clicking in the frame should work.



If you have CS4 you'll come to appreciate the smart guides for resizing frames to match the dimensions of other nearby objects. :)

... this could be automated - you will only need to move finall group on place - if you have (or you can make) list of images and captions ;)



robin



--

www.adobescripts.com

Thanks for the thought. Sadly the task isn't that structured.



I'm recreating and adding to a series of documents that I published originally as a CD-based 'web site'. Each chapter deals with a different subject (person) whose source material I am updating and expanding by referring back to the originator as I work through the chapters. So no fixed list of images and captions at the start of the job and the images themselves will need to be updated since web resolution is all I have in some cases - lots of rescanning to come.



Dragging from Bridge into a standard pair of grouped frames pre-styled in a library seems to be a lot better than I was doing till now, but I'm still having problems with the grouped caption frame acquiring the frame style of the grouped image frame for no obvious reason.



But its bedtime in UK now, so I'll come back to this tomorrow and hope some sleep will make things clearer.

%26gt; I'm still having problems with the grouped caption frame acquiring the frame style of the grouped image frame for no obvious reason



Did you set the style in the caption frame before you grouped it?



What version of ID are you running?

ok ;) you don't need to have list of images and captions ;)

because almost everything could be automated - if not in 100% - I think 90% is also good, right ? ;)

my tool will build this list for you - when you expand your document :)

it will add empty groups - Image+Caption - and mark it with hidden label - you can place it anywhere

when you need - you can create list with PageNumbers where each group was placed (or other informations you need - this could be ChapterName, etc. - my tool will find it) - and you can send this list to editor/author/anybody for update



and of course you will have option to place images to empty groups - after scanning



robin



--

www.adobescripts.co.uk

Im sorry this is off topic, but I was trying to find away to contact Peter and I couldnt, I have seen your name here often and would appreciate if you could share your knowledge with me, can you please visit my post?



thank you very much!!

Mer



http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.59b7b488



Topic:

Appearance of photo changes after its placed

Robert,



I've had a look through your script list, but haven't identified which one you think is relevant.



Peter,



I am using CS4. I have a style for the image frame and a separate style for the caption frame, with a descendant variation for wrap left or right for each.



To create a pair of frames, the two frames were styled, positioned correctly and then grouped. This was repeated for the other wrap. The two variations (wrap L and wrap R) were then put into a library.



I then dragged instances out of the library onto the page and populated with image and specific caption text and sized to suit.



On several occasions during testing last night, for no reason I am aware of, the caption frame acquired the style of the image frame, resulting in the text being bottom justified instead of top justified below a standard vertical offset.



I'll try to see what triggers it as I use the library items in anger today.

David,



because my page contains only 1/3 or 1/4 of what I've created ;) many tools was done for individual order and wasn't published yet



contact me on priv - I'll send you script for testing



robin



--

www.adobescripts.com

Sounds like you are doing things correctly. Go through the style again and be sure that the vertical justification is actively set, not just passive (i.e. it has a check in the box). It seems strange that a text frame could take on properties of an image frame that way.