Transform objects

Use the Transform panel to view or specify geometric information for any selected object, including values for position, size, rotation, and shearing. Commands in the Transform panel menu provide additional options and quick ways to rotate or reflect objects.

Display the Transform panel

View geometric information about objects

When you select an object, its geometric information appears in the Transform and Control panels. If you select multiple objects, the information represents all selected objects as a unit.

Change transformation settings

The Transform panel includes several options that determine how objects are transformed and how transformations are displayed in the Transform and Control panels.

Change the reference point for selected objects

All transformations originate from a fixed point on or near the object, called the reference point. An icon is displayed at the reference point when a transformation tool, such as the Scale tool, is active.

The last-selected reference point on the reference point locator becomes the new default reference point for all tools and objects. If you drag an object’s reference point icon to a custom location (not on an anchor point), the panel reference point returns to the default position once the current object is no longer selected. InDesign preserves the default reference point position for new documents so you don’t have to reset it.

Change the information displayed for nested objects

The Transform panel orients an object to a spread’s pasteboard, where a horizontal line has a rotation angle of 0°. By default, this is true even if the object is nested inside a transformed container object (that is, if the object is part of a transformed group or pasted inside a transformed frame). For example, if you paste an unrotated graphic inside a frame, rotate the frame 10° with the graphic inside, and then select the graphic using the Direct Selection tool, the Transform panel displays the graphic’s rotation angle as 10°.

If you prefer, you can deselect the Transformations Are Totals command to see the same information relative to the nested object’s container. In the example above, if you deselect Transformations Are Totals, the Transform panel displays the graphic’s rotation angle as zero (the angle it has relative to its rotated container).

Measure the position of selected objects

The Show Content Offset command determines the appearance of the X and y values in the Transform panel for nested objects selected with the Direct Selection tool . The selected reference point in the reference point locator of the Transform and Control panels determines which of the nine reference points on the selected object is being compared to the zero point of the document or to the zero point of a container frame. The zero point of a container frame is always its upper-left corner.

The position of selected objects is measured from three positions:

• The position of the container frame in relation to the zero point of the document. With Show Content Offset turned on or off, select the container frame using the Selection tool.

• The position of the nested object in relation to the zero point of the document. Turn off Show Content Offset and select the nested object using the Direct Selection tool.

• The position of the nested object in relation to the zero point (upper-left corner) of its container frame. Turn on Show Content Offset and select the nested object using the Direct Selection tool.

If Show Content Offset is selected, the X and Y values of the embedded object appear relative to the container object, and the X/Y icons in the Transform panel change to X+/Y+. If this command is deselected, the nested object values appear relative to the rulers.

Include or exclude stroke weight in measurements

Stroke weight can affect an object’s size and position. You can change the stroke’s alignment and then choose whether the Transform panel measures an object’s size and position from the center or from the edge of its stroke. For information on changing stroke alignment, see Stroke panel options.

Transform objects

You can modify an object’s size or shape, and change its orientation on the pasteboard, by using tools and commands. The toolbox includes four transformation tools—the Rotate, Scale, Shear, and Free Transform tools. In addition, you can use the Selection tool to transform objects. All transformations, with the addition of reflection, are available in the Transform and Control panels, where you can precisely specify transformations.

When transforming objects, note the following:

• The results of a transformation can differ significantly, depending on what is selected. For example, when you rotate an image, what gets rotated depends on whether you select the image, the frame, or the frame and the image. Use the Selection tool  to transform (rotate, scale, or shear) an entire path and its content (click outside the content grabber); use the Direct Selection tool  to transform just the path without its content or the content without its path. To transform the content without its path, make sure that all anchor points are selected.

• A transformation affects all selected objects as a single unit. For example, if you select multiple objects and rotate them 30°, they all rotate around one reference point. If you want to rotate each selected object 30° around its own reference point, you must select and rotate them individually.

• When transforming type, you can use either of two selection methods: Use the Selection or Direct Selection tool to select an entire text frame or text converted to outlines, and then use the transformation tools; or use the Type tool to select text or to click an insertion point in a text frame, and then specify transformations in the Transform panel, Control panel, or dialog boxes available when you double-click a tool. In both cases, the transformation affects the entire text frame.

• When you rotate, skew, or scale a group, the settings apply to the entire group, as well as to the individual objects in the group. For example, if you rotate a group 30°, the rotation value in the Transform or Control panel is 30° whether you select the group itself or direct-select an object in the group.

Transform objects with the Transform panel

Use the selection tools to determine whether the content and frame are transformed together or separately.

Transform objects with the Selection tool

Use the Selection tool to move, resize, and rotate objects.

Transform objects with the Free Transform tool

The Free Transform tool works the same way it does in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, by providing a way to perform any transformation with just one tool. You can combine transformations, such as rotating and scaling, while the Free Transform tool is active.

Rotate objects

You can rotate objects using any of several methods.

Rotate an object using the Rotate tool

You can also rotate by using the Free Transform tool.

If Smart Guides (and Smart Dimensions) are turned on, visual clues indicate when you’re rotating an object the same degree as a nearby rotated object. For example, if you rotate one object on your page 24 degrees, a rotation icon appears as you rotate another object close to 24 degrees.

Rotate an object using the Selection tool

Rotate an object using the Transform or Control panel

When you rotate a single object, the specified value remains displayed in the Transform or Control panel. When you rotate multiple objects, the Rotation Angle is reset to 0 degrees, even though the objects are rotated.

Rotate an object using the Rotate command

You can use the Rotate command to rotate an object by a specific amount. This command also lets you rotate a copy of the selected object, leaving the original in place.

Move objects

You can move objects by cutting them from one spot and pasting them into another, by entering new horizontal and vertical coordinates, or by dragging them. Dragging also allows you to move a copy of an object or to copy objects between software applications.

The Smart Guides feature makes it easy to move objects to precise locations in your layout. As you drag an object, temporary guides appear, indicating that the object you’re moving is aligned with an edge or center of the page or with another page item.

Move objects

For best results, use the Selection tool to move multiple objects. If you use the Direct Selection tool to select multiple objects or paths, dragging moves only the selected graphic, path, or anchor points.

Move objects by a precise amount

You can use the Move command to move an object by a specific amount. This command also lets you move a copy of the selected object, leaving the original in place.

Move objects to a precise location

Specify the distance objects move when nudged

Scaling vs. resizing objects

Resizing and scaling are different actions in InDesign. Resizing is simply changing the Width and Height values of an object. Scaling involves using a percentage value related to the original scale (100%) of the frame.

The difference between resizing and scaling isn’t always apparent. A good way to see the difference is to resize and scale a text frame that has a stroke applied to it. When you double the size of the text frame, the text size and stroke weight remain the same. When you double the scale of the text frame, the text size and stroke weight also double.

Resizing a frame

By default, when the frame (and not the frame contents) is selected, changing the values of the Width and Height fields changes only the frame, not its contents, regardless of which selection tool is active.

Scaling a frame and its contents

When the frame is selected with the Selection tool, changing the values of the Scale X Percentage and Scale Y Percentage fields changes the frame and its contents. If Auto-Fit is selected, the frame and its contents are resized together.

Resizing or scaling frame contents

If you want to change only the content (resize or scale) of a frame, click the Content Grabber or use the Direct Selection tool to select the contents. Once selected, you can use the Width and Height fields or the Scale fields, depending on your preference.

Overriding defaults

If you want to scale the frame or its contents by a percentage and have the results returned in the current measurement system, you can enter in a number with the percent sign to override the default measurement system. For example, if the current width is 12p, and you want the new width to be 75% of the current value, you can enter 75% in the Width field. After you press Enter, the new value for the Width displays as 9p.

Similarly, you can use other measurement system values if you want to scale to a specific increment but have the results display in percent of the original. For example, you can replace 100% with 9p, and InDesign figures out which percentage is required to make it that width/height.

Resize objects

Dragging the handle of a frame that includes contents, such as an imported graphic, does not resize the contents by default. It’s important to understand that the content and the container frame are separate items, each with its own bounding box. Simply dragging the frame of an imported graphic will either crop the graphic or leave a blank space outside the graphic, depending on which direction you drag. Being able to modify the frame apart from the contents adds flexibility, but it takes some time to get used to.

The Smart Guides feature makes it easy to resize objects based on other items in your layout. As you resize an object, temporary guides appear, indicating that the object is aligned with an edge or center of the page or is the same height or width as another page item.

• To resize a frame, drag any handle using the Selection tool. If you hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) while dragging, the frame and the content are scaled. Adding the Shift key scales proportionally.

• To resize the content of a graphics frame, use the Selection tool to click the content grabber or direct-select the graphic, and then drag any of the graphics frame handles.
• To resize a frame or its content to a precise size, select the object and enter the size in the width (W) or height (H) fields on the Control panel.

• To resize both the frame and content, use the Scale X Percentage and Scale Y Percentage fields, not the W and H fields. The W and H fields change only the selected frame or content, not both. Rather than specifying percentages, you can type dimensions by including the unit of measurement, such as “6p.”
• To resize a frame or its content to a percentage of its current size, select the object and enter the percentage in the width or height fields on the Transform panel.
• To create a copy of the selected object with the new size applied to the copy, type a value in the width or height fields on the Transform panel and then hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you press Enter.

Scale objects

Scaling an object enlarges or reduces it horizontally (along the x-axis), vertically (along the y-axis), or both horizontally and vertically, relative to the reference point you specify.

By default, InDesign scales strokes. For example, if you scale a selected object with a 4-point stroke by 200%, the Stroke panel indicates an 8-point stroke and the stroke visibly doubles in size. You can change the default stroke behavior by deselecting Adjust Stroke Weight When Scaling in the Transform or Control panel menu.

Scale an object using the Selection tool

Scale an object using the Scale tool

Scale an object using the Transform panel

To maintain the original proportions of the object when using the Transform panel, make sure the Constrain Proportions icon  is selected.

Scale an object using the arrow keys

If you use this method to scale up by a percentage and scale down by that same percentage, the object returns to the original scale value if Adjust Scaling Percentage is selected in General preferences. For example, if you scale a 20-mm circle up 10% and then down 10%, the circle returns to 20 millimeters (not 19.8 mm).

Scale an object using the Scale command

Determine how scaling is tracked

You can determine how scaling is tracked in the interface. If the Apply To Content preference option is selected in General preferences, scaling values are reset to 100% in the Transform panel after the object is scaled. If Adjust Scaling Percentage is selected, scaling values remain as specified (such as 125%).

With multiple objects selected, the scaling value will always display as 100%. However, you can select objects individually to see the applied effect of the transform (such as 125%) if Adjust Scaling Percentage is selected.

Adjust stroke weight when objects are scaled

For example, if you scale a 4-point stroke by 200% when this option is turned on, the stroke weight becomes 8 points. If you turn off this option, the object doubles in size but its stroke weight remains 4 points.

If this option is turned on and you scale an object disproportionally, InDesign applies the smallest stroke weight to all sides. For example, suppose that you scale a selected object with a 4-point stroke only in the X direction by 200%. Instead of applying an 8-point stroke in the X direction and a 4-point stroke in the Y direction, InDesign applies the smaller value (4 points) to all sides.

Scalability of an effect

If you created an object, and apply an effect, the effect scales consistently in proportion to the object scaling. The proportion in which you scale the object, the effect gets scaled in the same proportion.

In preferences, General > Apply to content > Include Effects. Deselect this option if you want only the objects to scale and not the effects.

Or

Window > Object & Layout > Transform. From the flyout menu, select Adjust Effects when Scaling to turn the effect scalability on or off.

This works similar to the way stroke effects work. So you can scale effects just like you scale strokes.

Reset scaling value to 100%

In some cases, if you want to reset the Scale X and Scale Y values of an object to 100% without resizing the object. For example, if you opened a document from a previous version of InDesign that has non-100% scaling values, or you have scaled an object with the Adjust Scaling Percentage preference setting selected. When you choose this command, the scaling values for all selected frames are reset to 100%. Choosing this command does not change the size or appearance of objects.

Reflect (flip) objects

Reflecting an object flips the object across an invisible axis at the reference point you specify. (See Change transformation settings.)

The flip/rotate indicator (P) in the middle of the Control panel appears white with a black outline if an object is flipped. If the object is not flipped, the indicator is solid black.

Shear (skew) objects

Shearing an object slants or skews it along its horizontal or vertical axis, and can also rotate both of the object’s axes. Shearing is useful for:

• Simulating some types of perspective, such as isometric projection.

• Slanting a text frame.

• Creating cast shadows when you shear a copy of an object.

Shear an object

When you shear a single object, the specified value remains displayed in the Transform or Control panel. When you shear multiple objects, the Shear Angle value is reset to 0 degrees, even though the objects are sheared.

Shear an object using the Shear command

You can shear an object by a specific amount by using the Shear command. This command also lets you shear a copy of the selected object, leaving the original in place.

Repeat transformations

You can repeat transformations, such as moving, scaling, rotating, resizing, reflecting, shearing, and fitting. You can repeat either a single transformation or a sequence of transformations, and you can apply those transformations to more than one object at a time. InDesign remembers all transformations until you select a different object or perform a different task.

Clear transformations