Greetings dear subscribers
In my previous tutorial, I taught you everything about using Smart Guides in Adobe InDesign
However, in this tutorial I want to discuss about most common issues users face using Smart guides in Adobe InDesign and I will give solutions to respective problems.
Problem no. 1
Objects are not Snapping even though Smart guides are turned on
In this problem,
I assume that you have tried all the methods to solve this problem
including using shortcut key CTRL or CMD U or going to the view grids and guides smart guides.
To fix this problem, go to Edit, preferences, guides and pasteboard and then make sure that all the boxes under smart guides are checked.
After doing this, again make sure that “smart guides” is checked under view,
grids and guides, and smart guides.
Problem no. 2
Smart Guides are Grayed out
This is one of most common issues in Adobe InDesign.
When we want Smart guides, but it doesn’t seem to work for some reason
and when you go to view grids and guides and you find the Smart Guide to be Grayed out.
I used to panic a lot in this situation, but no more.
All you have to do is, go to view, grids and guides and uncheck Snap Document to Grids.
Now, go back to the view, grids and guides, and see, the Smart guides are back.
Problem no. 3: Inaccurate snapping
When working with Smart guides, it is very important that Snap to Guides is turned on.
This option is available in view, grids and guides and snap to guides.
Shortcut key is CTRL SHIFT semicolon for windows users and CMD Shift Semicolon for Mac users. So, when you draw or align objects, they can be snapped to nearest point.
Sometimes, objects are badly aligned in Adobe InDesign due to inaccurate snapping.
Off course, this can be tedious and frustrating.
There is a thing called Snap to zone, which is present in Guides and pasteboard
under Guides option. Snap to zone determines the exact range within which an object snaps to guides. So, if you define any value for zone, let’s suppose the lowest value 1 pixel.
Now draw this square, and another square as well.
Now drag this second square, hold SHIFT and bring it close to First Square.
See, that these objects are not snapping at all.
This is because each object has a range of 1 pixels to snap the object,
they don’t snap to anything beyond 1 pixels. In this scenario, it is best to zoom in very very close to the objects and snap them.
If you are working on small size project, for example 10 pixels width and height,
then it is fine to use lowest value. Otherwise, keep it to 4 pixels as it works with many medium size projects.
If your page size is large such as 10 feet or more, then we need to use larger zone size,
let’s say 20 pixels or more.
It would work fine giving maximum accuracy.
Keep in mind, the unit for Snap to zone is always in Pixels.
Also, if you have both snap to guides and snap to document grids turned on,
InDesign will give priority grids.
I hope this tutorial gave you useful information regarding all the problems in Smart Guides
and you will be ready for your next project.
Please subscribe my channel, like this video and hit the bell icon so that you don’t miss any of my new tutorials.
If you have any question, please leave them in the comments,
I would be very glad to reply you.
See you in the next tutorial.
Goodbye.