Image for Column Depth question

[Australopithicus]

Dear Affinity Publisher users.

I am migrating from InDesign and am in the process of considering how to handle a 250 page A4 book.

I would like to learn how Publisher users achieve pages with consistent a column depth despite the varying number of paragraph spaces within a given text column on each page.

InDesign allows you to set text of varying column depth and then apply ‘Align to Baseline Grid’.  InDesign adds whatever space is deemed necessary to each individual column, in order to achieve an even depth of all columns. That means each line of text in each column, has leading modified fractionally to achieve a standard column depth throughout.

Publisher offers Baseline grid which is a different tool for a different objective. As we all know, text book pages have a varying number of paragraphs page to page. Unless the paragraph space matches the type leading, column depths will vary. To use a wide para space of 12 to 14 pts is ugly and takes us back to the days of IBM Golf Ball typewriters where a para space equalled one line of text.

I try to resolve the problem by choosing a para space which is an even fraction of the type leading (EG  12 pt text; 4 or 6 point para space). That only reduces the degree of mis-alignment. It requires further adjustment to make baselines even. In commercial work I prefer to let columns ‘float’ unevenly as part of an informal style. However In this book I seek a more tailored result.

Being new to Publisher I wonder if I have missed features which address the problem from a different direction.

I would appreciate learning how other Publisher users handle this problem please.

Best Wishes,

Tony Foster

 

[Australopithicus]

[Komatös]

Hi, @Australopithicus and welcome to the forums

I am not quite sure if I have understood correctly, however, I believe that what you are looking for is "Balance text in columns".

You can find this setting in the studio panel text frames.

If the panel is not displayed, you can find it under View -> Studio -> Text Frame.

 

If you want to make changes to your post, you can click on the three dots at the top right of the post next time. A drop-down menu with editing options will then appear.

[Australopithicus]

Thank You very much Komatös,

You understood me perfectly and I am happy Publisher can do the job. Finding the location of the appropriate tools is tricky as ID and Publisher terminology differ.

Again, Many Thanks!