Defining Text Styles

InDesign has two types of text styles. Paragraph styles apply formatting for both character and paragraph attributes. Character styles apply formatting for only character attributes.

The Basic Paragraph style is the style that is always part of a document and is automatically applied to all new text . When you change the definition of the Basic Paragraph style, it automatically updates all text that has been styled with the Basic Paragraph style.

The Basic Paragraph is the default style that appears in all new documents.

To set the Basic Paragraph attributes by example:

1.	Click inside a text frame and use the Control palette, Character palette, or Paragraph palette to change the text attributes.
2.	A plus sign (+) appears next to the Basic Paragraph listing in the Paragraph Styles palette . This indicates that local formatting has been applied to the Basic Paragraph. The plus sign (+) next to the style name indicates that local formatting has been applied to the text.
3.	Choose Redefine Style from the Paragraph Styles palette menu. This changes the definition of the Basic Paragraph to match the local formatting. The plus sign disappears.

To set the Basic Paragraph attributes by definition:

1.	Double-click the Basic Paragraph listing in the Paragraph Styles palette. This opens the Paragraph Styles Options dialog box.
2.	Make whatever changes to the style definition you like as explained on the following pages.
3.	Click OK to make the changes. Tip The Basic Paragraph style can be modified but not deleted.

You can use the Paragraph Styles palette to define new paragraph styles for a document.

To define a paragraph style manually:

1.	Choose Type > Paragraph Styles. This opens the Paragraph Styles palette . The Paragraph Styles palette lets you define and apply paragraph styles.
2.	Choose New Paragraph Style from the Paragraph Styles palette menu. or Opt/Alt-click the New Style icon in the Paragraph Styles palette. This opens the New Paragraph Style dialog box set to the General options . The New Paragraph Style dialog box set to the General options.
3.	Use the Style Name field to name the style.
4.	Set the Based On, Next Style, and Shortcuts options as described on pages 376 and 377.
5.	Click each category on the left side of the dialog box and set the criteria for each one . (See the chart on the following pages for more information on each category.) Click each category in the Paragraph Styles dialog box to set the format of the style.
6.	Click OK to define the style. The name of the style appears in the Paragraph Styles palette.