Using Type > Working with columns, rows, and tables > Balancing columns of text

 

Balancing columns of text

The Text Adjust Columns inspector lets you copyfit text by balancing text among columns, modifying leading, or altering the text size and leading proportionally to fit the selected text block.

You can also use the Text Adjust Columns inspector to make text inside an irregular object exactly fit that object.

To insert a break in a column and force text into the next column:

Use the Text tool to place an insertion point in the column where you want the text to break, and choose Text > Special Characters > End of Column.

To balance lines of text evenly among columns:

1

Use the Text tool to place an insertion point where you want to apply text balancing, or select a text block.

2

Choose Window > Inspectors > Text, and click the Adjust Columns button to display the Text Adjust Columns inspector.

3

In the Text Adjust Columns inspector, do one of the following:

Select Balance to distribute lines of text evenly among columns. An odd number of lines results in one fewer line in the last column.

Select Modify Leading to add leading so that text fills the column from top to bottom. For Threshold, enter the percentage a column must fill before modified leading is applied. For example, with a threshold of 50% (the default setting), extra leading is applied only to those columns that are at least 50% filled with text.

4

To reduce or enlarge text size and leading to fit the column size, enter values for Copyfit % for Min. and Max. text and leading size, measured as a percentage of the current size. Values larger than 100% increase text and leading size; values smaller than 100% decrease text and leading size.

5

For First Line Leading, choose an option to enter a value for the space above the first line in a column:

To specify First Line Leading as a point value to be added to the current type size, select + from the pop-up menu and enter a value in points for the amount of leading you want to add to the current type size.

To specify First Line Leading as a fixed point value, select = from the pop-up menu and enter a value in points to set leading to the exact size specified.

To specify First Line Leading as a percentage of the current type size, select % from the pop-up menu and enter a leading value as a percentage of the current type size.