Frame gridding

[Mac -]

Hi all, brand new to exploring publisher

I was wondering if there is a method of creating a quick grid of text or graphic frames that have even and consistent spacing in between their columns or rows? As I'm having difficulty with this simple task of creating basic wireframes like the image attached. 

In indesign, as you are drawing the frame with the mouse still down you can press the arrow keys to start adding rows and columns (Down & Up key, adding and subtracting rows/ Right and left keys adding and subtracting columns.

You can also change the spacing between the frames by holding down cmd while using the arrow keys.

Releasing the mouse button places the grid of frames that you created, if they are text frames they would be placed as linked text frames. I use this quick grid making shortcut as the foundation for all of my layout work.

Is there a tool or shortcut like that, that I am unaware of? I am an industrial designer and I use Indesign and  the shortcut for the frame tool daily, to make grids for mood boards, various design proposals and drawings comparisons. The frames can then be manipulated with the gap tool to resize the frames to fit the image better if I am creating a mood board.( I am aware that Publisher doesn't have the gap tool yet, but haven't read anything about gridding). Thought I'd mention this as my use case is different than many that use it for a proper book/text publishing tool

 

Also, is there a way to turn on spacing guides ( see 2nd image attached)?

[Aammppaa]

1. Look at the guides manager. Set up your basic grid of blocks, then drag snap text frames, image frames as required. 

2. Snapping panel, snap to gaps and sizes. 

[fde101]

Yes; also, another option is to use snapping and make the frames the same size and snap them against each other, then use the resize objects individually feature of the move tool and resize around center to create the gaps evenly.

[Mac -]

Thanks!! Not the workflow I'm used to but achieves the same thing

 

[fde101]

10 hours ago, ErrkaPetti said:

still understand why Pro users wants to leave Adobe for Affinity

subscription fees would be a big one...

 

10 hours ago, ErrkaPetti said:

you in the market to earn money to your pubwork, it's to early to convert to Publisher

as long as it is still in beta that will continue to be true

 

10 hours ago, ErrkaPetti said:

25 bucks a month for a Pro user to Indesign can't be beaten just now

The new QuarkXPress advantage program actually can beat that.

Get InDesign for ONE month at $25 then use the competitive upgrade to get QuarkXPress with 3 years of the advantage program for $750.  This includes all upgrades for 3 years - total cost $775 vs. $900 for 3 years of InDesign (the difference being that with Advantage you are paying that up front vs. spread out over time).

If you don't renew after 3 years, with InDesign you lose access to your work, but with Quark you keep the license for the last version you got while using the program - Quark's is an upgrade/support contract, not a subscription.

At current pricing, you can get a 3-year renewal of Advantage for $695, or $232/year, vs. $300/year for InDesign.

 

If Publisher meets the anticipated $50 price point, consider that Designer has been out for over 4 years now without a paid upgrade, and it looks very much like it will make it to 5 or more - that works out to $10/year, probably less...  and it is also a perpetual license.

 

 

EDIT: I just looked it up and InDesign is only $21/month rather than $25; that does flip it the other way for the first 3 years ($756 vs. $771), but certainly not by much, and 6 years works out to $1512 for InDesign vs. $1466 for QuarkXPress...

[Mac -]

Quote

Yet another Pro user coming here to point out that Affinity Publisher hasnt all the features of Indesign

I wasn't trying to point out any real lack of features, wireframing is an essential part of layouts and I knew Publisher would have had some form of creating what I wanted. I just didn't know the workflow that's why I elaborated on my current use of Indesign so I could get a relatable reply.  As many of the replies I found were about text and columns.. and many other grid scenarios that don't relate to me.

On 5/8/2019 at 4:37 AM, ErrkaPetti said:

Can't still understand why Pro users wants to leave Adobe for Affinity, although Affinitys suite is awesome in many ways, but if you in the market to earn money to your pubwork, it's to early to convert to Publisher...

I agree at the moment, obviously it's in Beta as fde101 said. But I never said I was leaving InDesign for a Beta Affinity?  Literally just downloaded the beta a week ago and want to try it out as I believe after beta it could potentially replace my need for Indesign.

I believe Affinity would have every tool needed for professional publishers(it may be different tools, but you would achieve the same result just as quickly) But ultimately I don't need it as a tool for making money publishing so its not a worry for me, its a tool during my industrial design process for laying out my design process and organising documents that I print out on a simple printer, no bleeds, baseline, or anything crazy.

Apologise if I came off as anything either than inquisitive and thorough in an effort to be clear.