Help! text block on page has faint line around it--how to remove it?

[L***@adobeforums.com]

While checking pdfs of files before sending them to a printer, I noticed that on one page, the block of text has a faint line corresponding to the frame edges visible on its right end and partial lines above and below which fade from right to left, disappearing about halfway across.

I then took a look at the InDesign file and can see the same thing, and the lines are visible when either the pdf or InDesign file is printed.

As problems go, this is probably not the worst I could have, but I am a relatively inexperienced user with no tech support at my workplace for InDesign (I asked), and I'm a little nervous about what else I may encounter in my move from PageMaker to InDesign to pdf. I have scores of other converted PageMaker files ready to pdf, and a tight schedule!

Windows XP, InDesign CS2

Thanks for any help!

Louise Menges

[P***@adobeforums.com]

That sounds like you have a gradient applied to the stroke on the frame.

[L***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks for the suggestion, Peter (I am a "newbie"), but I didn't know that there is any frame but the one toggled on and off in the view manu (and that one is red and doesn't print). If I've accidentally selected an option for a printing frame, how do I turn it off?

Another weird thing I noticed in my collection of freshly-distilled pdfs was a page with a double-ruled header. I have running headers on most pages with rules offset 0.07 inches, but this page has one at the application default position directly under the text and a second one below it at the position I chose. This does not appear in the InDesign file-just the pdf.

Louise

[P***@adobeforums.com]

I didn't know that there is any frame but the one toggled on and off in
the view menu




Text must either be contained in a frame, or flowed along a path. Normally you would either drag a frame where you want it using the text tool or flow text into an existing frame when you place.

Unlike many other layout applications, however, InDesign will automatically generate the frame if you try to paste text or place a file outside an existing frame. Normally these frames have no stroke color or weight so you might not be aware of them.

It's possible that at some point you set a gradient for strokes when nothing was selected. If that's the case, the gradient became the default stroke for new frames. It's equally possible that just this one frame has the stroke applied.

As for the other problem with the rules, are you certain it isn't really there in the document? Take a look at the page in Preview Mode, which can be toggled from the view menu, the button at the bottom of the toolbox, or by hitting the W key when anything except a text insertion point is active. Preview mode should show you exactly what will print (and what should be distilling).

If the rule truly isn't there, try exporting to PDF instead of distilling and see if that makes a difference. Also try exporting to Interchange Format (.inx) and opening the resulting file. Save that as a new InDesign Document and see if the problem has disappeared.

Peter

[K***@adobeforums.com]

Select the text frame with the selection tool (black arrow). Look at your
swatches palette. At the top you have a square with a red line through it,
this is the graphic indicating the frame fill. There is another icon which
is a hollow black square. This indicates the frame stroke (border). Click
the hollow black square so that it's in front of the frame fill icon. Now
look at what colour is indicated in the palette. You should see the
highlight over [None]. But if Peter is right about the frame having a
gradient stroke, you will see a gradient highlighted. Select [None] and the
stroke will go away.

k

[L***@adobeforums.com]

Thank you Peter and Ken!
Following you instructions, Ken, I discovered that I had inadvertently chosen a frame stroke around that text block, and I removed it. Whew! I've probably made many other inadvertent mistakes feeling my way around--we'll see.

This morning I couldn't find the double rule again, but I did find another instance of a frame stroke to be removed!

Thanks again for your help,
Louise

[K***@adobeforums.com]

As Peter said, if you have selected a frame stroke with no frame selected,
or with no document open, you will have set that stroke as the default for
all new frames in your present document, or all new frames in any new
document. So I suggest you close all documents, and check your stroke
setting again.

k