InDesign CS3 is a significant step forward in page-layout software. Whether you are a creative professional or a production artist, InDesign CS3 includes enhancements that make it easier to produce and distribute compelling content.

What you'll learn in this lesson:

• Working with new productivity-boosting techniques
• Enhancing tex formatting
• Expanding your creative capabilities
• Using table formatting enhancements

What's New in InDesign CS3?

Starting up

This lesson provides an overview of the new features of CS3.

Before starting, make sure that your tools and panels are consistent by resetting your preferences.

You will work with several files from the id01lessons folder in this lesson. Click here to download the AGI Dynamic Learning: InDesign CS3 lessons folder.

We've highlighted some of the key new features of InDesign CS3 in this lesson, and included a reference to the lessons where they are discussed in more detail.

Improved Styles

When designing your layouts, you may want to create the same border for all the picture frames or assign the same text attributes, such as color, size, and font, to all the headlines.. InDesign makes it easier than ever to save a snapshot of these attributes, called a Style, for repeated use., You can save an enormous amount of time and maintain consistency in your layouts by using styles to apply formatting. You can create text styles  for individual characters, such as the numbers used in the step-by-step instructions in this book, or for an entire paragraph. Object styles can include attributes such as the border or drop shadow applied to a graphic frame.

InDesign CS3 introduces styles for tables and the cells within a table. This allows you to quickly and easily format tables so they maintain a consistent look.

Open the file id01.indd. This is a one-page brochure with information about Stockholm, Sweden. If you receive any warnings relating to missing fonts, dismiss them as you'll be formatting the text over the next few steps.

From the Tools panel, choose the Type tool then click the cursor in the table listing city names in the upper-right corner of the document. Click anywhere within the table so that the insertion point is blinking within the table.

Click the Table Styles button along the right side of the docking area to display the Table Styles panel. You can also choose Window > Type & Tables > Table Styles to display the panel.

In the Table Styles panel, click the City Table Style to apply this style to the table where the cursor is located. The table formatting is changed, including rules (lines), background color, and text formatting.

Table styles let you quickly format an entire table, including cell and text attributes.

Styles applied to text characters and paragraphs can be grouped together into a nested style. Nested styles let you quickly and easily apply multiple formats to text in a single step. InDesign CS3 now lets you repeat nested styles in a paragraph, such as a list, in a single step.

Continuing to work with the Type tool, click in the text listing statistics such as population and size of the country, located along the bottom of the document.

Click the Paragraph Styles button along the right side of the window, or choose Type > Paragraph Styles. The Paragraph Styles panel opens.

In the Paragraph Styles panel, click to select the Nested List Style and apply it to the text. Notice that the text alternates its formatting.

Use nested styles to apply repetitive formatting to text.

Quickly apply formatting to text and objects

Styles and other commands can be applied using the enhanced Quick Apply option to speed up the formatting of your documents. Simply select the object or text you wish to format, then press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Return (Mac OS) to access the Quick Apply feature. When the Quick Apply window opens, type the first few letters of the style to be applied, and when the style you are seeking is highlighted, press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS) to apply the style to the object or text.

From the Tools panel, choose the Type tool and click the cursor in the blue headline text so the blinking insertion point appears anywhere within the word Stockholm.

Using your keyboard, press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Return (Mac OS). The Quick Apply panel appears.

Type ch and the Quick Apply panel lists all styles that start with the letters ch, including the chapter heading style. With the chapter heading style selected, press Enter or Return to apply the style to the text.

Use Quick Apply to easily format text or objects.

Keep this file open, as you will use it later in this lesson.

Quick Apply lets you apply character, paragraph, object, and table styles. It also lets you apply key commands and scripts.

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