| The correct way to create a line above or below a paragraph is with paragraph rules. These are lines that travel with the paragraph and that can be applied as part of style sheets (see page 368). To apply paragraph rules: 1. | Select the paragraph to which you want to apply the rule and choose Paragraph Rules from the Paragraph palette menu . This opens the Paragraph Rules dialog box .
Use the Paragraph palette menu to open the Paragraph Rules.
The Paragraph Rules dialog box controls the settings for paragraph lines. | 2. | Choose Rule Above or Rule Below to specify whether the rule appears before or after the selected paragraph .
Choose Rule Above or Rule Below to position the line above or below a paragraph. | 3. | Check Rule On to activate the rule. Tip If you want rules both above and below the paragraph, repeat steps 2 and 3. |
Why Use Paragraph Rules? If you want a line (technically called a rule) to appear above or below a paragraph, you might draw a line using the Pen or the Line tool. Unfortunately, if the text reflows, that line does not travel with the text. You could also paste the line into the text as an inline graphic (see page 244), but you would not have much control over that line. The proper way to create lines above or below paragraphs is to use the Paragraph Rules commands. Because the rules are applied as part of the paragraph settings, they automatically move if the paragraph moves. In addition, they can be precisely positioned in relationship to the paragraph. |
Once you have turned on the rule, you can style its appearance. This is somewhat similar to styling the stroke for an object. To style the appearance of a rule: 1. | Set an amount for the weight (or thickness) of the rule .
Use the Weight control to define the thickness of the paragraph rule. | 2. | Use the Type list to choose a stroke style for the rule .
Use the Type list to choose the stroke style for the paragraph rule. Tip In addition to the default stroke styles, this list also displays the custom stroke styles you define for the document (see page 159). | 3. | Use the Color list to apply a color or gradient swatch to the rule .
Use the Color list to choose the main color for the paragraph rule. Tip The available swatches are those previously defined in the Swatches palette. Tip Use the Text Color setting to have the color of the rule change automatically if the text color changes. | 4. | If desired, check Overprint Stroke to set the ink to overprint (see page 145 for setting overprints). | 5. | If you have chosen a color for the rule, use the Tint controls to create a shade of the color .
Use the Tint control to set the screen for the color of the paragraph rule. | 6. | If you have chosen a rule style that has a gap, use the Gap Color list to apply a color or gradient swatch to the gap . This is similar to setting the Gap Color for strokes, strikethroughs, and underlines.
Use the Gap Color list to set the secondary color of the paragraph rule. | 7. | If you have chosen a gap color for the rule, use the Gap Tint controls to create a shade of the gap color .
Use the Gap Tint control to set the screen for the gap color of the paragraph rule. | 8. | If desired, check Overprint Gap Color to set the gap ink to overprint. |
The length of a rule (called its width) can be set to cover the width of the column or the width of the text. The rule can also be set to be indented from the column or text margins. To control the width of a rule: 1. | Choose from the Width list in the Paragraph Rules dialog box as follows :
The Width list lets you choose the length of paragraph rules. Column creates a rule that is the same width as the column that holds the text .
Column width fits the rule to the width of the column. Text width fits the rule to the neighboring text. Text creates a rule that is the same width of the closest line of text .
Tip If you set a rule below a paragraph that ends in a short line, the rule will be the same length as the last line. | 2. | Set the Left Indent to the amount that the rule should be indented from the left side of the column or text .
The Left Indent and Right Indent fields let you modify the length of a rule. | 3. | Set the Right Indent to the amount that the rule should be indented from the right side of the column or text . Tip Use positive numbers to move the rule in from the margin . Use negative numbers to move the rule outside the margin. The rule can extend outside the text frame.
How changing the Left and Right Indent settings changes the look of rules. |
By default the paragraph rule is positioned on the baseline of the text. You can control the position above or below the baseline . This is called the offset of the rule.
Change the Offset amount to move a rule up or down relative to the text. To control the offset of a rule: In the Paragraph Rules dialog box, enter a value in the Offset field. For a Rule Above, positive numbers raise the rule above the baseline. For a Rule Below, positive numbers lower the rule below the baseline.
Tip Negative numbers move rules in the opposite direction.
True Story When I first started learning page layout software, I used the art director's computer at the advertising agency where I worked. I stayed after hours to explore the programs and create my own documents. When I saw the command "Rules" in the menu, I figured that was where they kept the laws governing the program. Since I didn't want to mess up the art director's machine, I never chose the command. It was several years later (and several horrible jobs without any paragraph rules) that I discovered what the "Rules" were. |
You can create many special effects with paragraph rules. One of the most common is to superimpose text inside paragraph rules to create the effect of reversed text. Most reversed text is white type inside a black background. However, any light color can be used inside any dark background . The Guardian of the Gate |
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It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he had lain among the poppies a long while. | A paragraph rule can create the effect of reversed text. |
Tip Don't forget that you can also use the underline or strikethough styles to create reversed text (see page 61). To reverse text using rules: 1. | Apply a light color to a line of type. | 2. | Open the Paragraph Rules dialog box. | 3. | Create a Rule Below. | 4. | Set the weight of the rule to a point size large enough to enclose the text. For instance, if the text is 12 points, the rule should be at least 12 points. Tip If you have more than one line of text, you need to calculate the size of the leading times the number of lines. | 5. | Set a negative number for the offset value. Tip The offset amount should be slightly less than the weight of the rule. For instance a rule of 14 points might take an offset of -11 points. | 6. | Check Preview so you can see the effect of the weight and offset settings you choose. | 7. | Adjust the weight and offset, if necessary. | 8. | Click OK to apply the rule .
A dialog box showing the sample settings for a paragraph rule that create the effect of reversed text. |
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