Hi there!
In this video we’re going to learn how to auto-size our text frames to accommodate our
text in InDesign, so let’s get started.
Let’s grab the type tool, and make a text box on the center of the image, and type in
some text.
Let’s select the text, and change the font to Futura bold.
Since our background is dark, let’s also change the font color to white.
Now let’s change the font size to 24 points.
Actually we need it to be larger than this, so let’s change it to 70 points.
Now you can see that the text could not fit into the text box we created, hence we could
only see part of the text.
To correct this, with the text box selected, let’s go to object, and then ‘text frame
options’, and from the popup menu, switch to the ‘auto-size’ tab.
Ensure that the preview box is checked, and change the ‘auto-sizing’ option to ‘width
only’.
The alignment reference point is already selected as center, so you can pick the center-left
option to see how the text box reacts to it.
I think the center reference point is perfect for our text box here, so let’s change it
back to center, and then hit okay.
Now you see if I make a copy of this text box, and then add some text to it, the text
box will expand to accommodate our text, rather than presenting the irritating red plus button
at the bottom right corner of the text box.
Let’s delete this text box.
Using the type tool, let’s make another text box here, and fill it with some placeholder
text.
Now since I do not see any overset text, or the red plus button at the bottom right corner,
let’s copy some text, and add to trigger the overset text.
Now that this text box has some overset text, let’s go to object, and then text frame
options, and from the popup menu, switch to auto-size tab.
This time from the ‘auto-sizing’ dropdown, select ‘height only’ option, and you shall
find the text box expanding to accommodate the entire text.
You can use the reference point to check which one fits the document well, and I think for
this one the one on top-center will work well.
You can also click the bottom-center to see how the text box reacts to it, and as you
can see, it pushes the text box above, so the most apt reference point to be used is
the top-center one, and then hit okay.
Alright guys!
That concludes our session, and it’s time for a short break, so I’m going to see you
in the next one momentarily.
Good bye!