• Adobe InDesign

  Select a column from a tab delimited

  Posted by Thiery Roussel on November 14, 2013 at 1:35 am

  Q?
  Is it possible to select only one column of text separate by tab

  I’m in the process of creating a template for closing credits…. trilling!
  And I figure the tabs will be the simplest way to get the standard 2 columns.

  But I want to be able to select only the left or right column and apply a different character style.
  How do i get this?

  My dummy text is formatted like this;

  (tab) Title (tab) Full Name
  (tab) Driver (tab) John Doe

  Best

  

  Paul Fullilove replied 12 years, 6 months ago 2 Members · 6 Replies
• 6 Replies

• 

  Paul Fullilove

  November 14, 2013 at 3:13 am

  Hello. It looks like you might want to create object styles for each column. Check out the following:
  https://blog.lynda.com/2013/05/16/indesign-secrets-three-great-object-styles-for-any-designer/. It’s the third little (photo credits)tutorial in the video towards the end. You should be able to adapt that to what you need.
• 

  Thiery Roussel

  November 14, 2013 at 2:08 pm

  I get the tutorial. Not sure how this could help me.
  The two columns are in the same text box. And I want to select just one.
• 

  Paul Fullilove

  November 14, 2013 at 7:16 pm

  My mistake. I assumed that you used two text frames or two columns in a table. I would suggest that you pose your question to the indesignsecrets.com forum. That way David Blatner or others well versed in InDesign could help you out. Sorry.
• 

  Thiery Roussel

  November 14, 2013 at 7:51 pm

  Thank Paul for your ressources.
  I see how this would be easier to format if i had multiple text box, but i try to achieve the less copy&paste from an external document, wich introduce potential errors. If that path doesn’t work, I may go to different text box or tables.
  Best
• 

  Paul Fullilove

  November 14, 2013 at 8:23 pm

  Don’t give up hope yet. If you are copying and pasting from a word document DON’T. Use the Place command in the File menu. When the dialog box displays make sure you select the preserve text & table radio button. That way your word styles have a good chance importing intact. You can leave import styles selected. I always place in a text frame. If everything look kinda good then you can create your character styles. Anne Marie Concepcion has a great course on lynda.com that goes through this very process in detail. You might be able to view it without having to purchase anything.

  Good Luck
• 

  Paul Fullilove

  November 14, 2013 at 8:27 pm

  One more thing I forgot. Make sure you check mark show import options in the Place dialog box. If you don’t, you never get to the Place option dialog box.

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