InDesign for QuarkXPress Users [Electronic resources]

Scaling Images

There are several ways to scale images in InDesign, most of them similar to ways you do it in XPress.

Scaling with Fitting Commands

First, as in QuarkXPress, you can choose menu commands (or a context menu, or keyboard shortcuts) to center or fit the graphic to the frame or the frame to the graphic (see Figure 64-1). Select the graphic frame with the Selection tool and choose among these commands:

• Choose Fit Content Proportionally from the Fitting submenu (under the Object menu) or press Command-Option-Shift-E/Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E to resize the image to the maximum size that will proportionally fit the frame.

• Choose the Fit Content to Frame option (or press Command-Option-E/Ctrl-Alt-E) to scale the image to the frame size, allowing it to distort.

• Use the Fit Frame to Content option (or press Command-Option-C/Ctrl-Alt-C) to resize the frame so that it is the same size as the imported image.

• Use the Center Content option (or press Command-Shift-E/Ctrl-Shift-E) to center the graphic in the frame.

Scaling With Key Commands

As in QuarkXPress, you can also use keyboard shortcuts to change the size of an imported graphic. Press Command-./Ctrl-. (period) to increase the size of a selected image or press Command-,/Ctrl-, (comma) to reduce the size of an image. In either case you are adjusting the size in one percent increments. You can increase or decrease the size in five percent increments by adding the Option/Alt key.

Scaling with the Transform Palette

After selecting an image, you can use the Transform palette, the Scale tool, or the Free Transform tool to scale an image to a specific value (we discuss these methods in Chapters 17 and 18). If you use the Transform palette, you can enter the percent to scale vertically or horizontally. If you want the horizontal and vertical values to be the same, type one value and then press Command-Enter/Ctrl-Enter to duplicate the value to the other field.

Also, use this palette to determine the scaling previously applied to an imported image, but be certain to click on the image with the Direct Selection tool to obtain an accurate reading of its scaling.

Scaling a Graphic by Dragging

You can also scale graphics interactively (but not precisely) by dragging the bounding box handles with the Selection tool as we describe in Chapter 17. To scale a graphic frame and its contents together, hold down the Command/Ctrl and Shift keys while dragging. Note that when you use this method, the frame doesn't retain the scaling value (the scale fields in the Transform palette return to 100 percent). If you select the image with the Direct Selection tool, however, you can see the true scaling value.