InDesign for QuarkXPress Users [Electronic resources]

Chapter 18. Other Object Transformations

In the last chapter we discussed the two most common transformations on page objectsmoving and resizing them. Now we'll discuss three other transformations: rotation, flipping (mirroring), and skewing (also called shearing). We'll also talk about a special tool borrowed from Photoshop and Illustrator, the Free Transform tool, which allows you to perform multiple transformations (see Figure 18-1).

In case you're jumping around in the book, here's a quick review of a few things you need to know about the way InDesign does transformations, which also apply here.

• Transformations are displayed and can be numerically changed on the Transform palette (see Chapter 17).

• Transformations are performed in relation to the transformation pointdisplayed as a point on the proxy in the Transform palette, or as a target icon attached to the selected object when using the Scale, Rotate and Shear tools.

• By default, when you tranform a frame InDesign transforms the content of the frame, too. But the Transform Content item on the Transform palette menu lets you turn this off.

• Use the Selection tool to change an entire object, and the Direct Selection tool to change part of an object (like a picture within a graphic frame).

Note that just because InDesign can do something, doesn't always mean it's a good idea. For instance, you can easily transform bitmapped images in ways that will make your favorite printer very unhappy. If you like the effects of rotating, shearing, transforming, or dramatically scaling bitmap (scanned) images, you should probably make these changes in Photoshop. Your pages will print faster and more reliably.