Using the Place Command

Although there are several ways to add a graphics file to an InDesign document (all of which are explained in this chapter), the Place command (File ‚ Place, or z +D or Ctrl+D) is the method you should use most often. When you use the Place command, InDesign offers import options for various graphics file formats that are not available if you use other import methods .

Here's how to use the Place command to import a picture:

1. If you want to import a picture into an existing frame, select the frame using either of the selection tools, then choose File ‚ Place or press z +D or Ctrl+D.

   The Place dialog box, shown in Figure 23-1, is displayed. If you want InDesign to create a new frame when you import the picture, make sure no object is selected when you choose Place.

   
   Figure 23-1: The Place dialog box.

   Note ‚  

   You can import a picture into any kind of frame or shape (including a curved line created with the Pen tool) except a straight line. Be careful: If the Type tool is selected when you use the Place command to import a picture into a selected text frame, you'll create an inline graphic at the text cursor's location (see Chapter 12 for information about creating inline graphics).

2. Use the controls in the Place dialog box to locate and select the graphics file you want to import.

3. If you want to display import options that let you control how the selected graphics file is imported, either select Show Import Options, then click Choose or Open; or hold down the Shift key and double-click on the filename or Shift+click Choose or Open.

   If you choose to Show Import Options, the EPS Import Options, Place PDF, or Image Import Options dialog box, depending on what kind of picture you are importing, is displayed.

4. Specify the desired import options, if any are applicable , then click OK.

   These options are covered later in this chapter.

5. You can place the picture in an existing frame or in a new frame, as follows :

   • If an empty frame is selected, the graphic is automatically placed in the frame. The upper-left corner of the picture is placed in the upper-left corner of the frame, and the frame acts as the cropping shape for the picture.

   • If a frame already holding a graphic is selected, InDesign will replace the existing graphic with the new one if you've checked Replace Selected Item in the Place dialog box. Otherwise, InDesign will assume you want to put the new graphic in a new frame.

   • To place the graphic into a new frame, click the loaded-graphic icon (shown in Figure 23-2) on an empty portion of a page or on the pasteboard . The point where you click establishes the upper-left corner of the resulting graphics frame, which is the same size as the imported picture and which acts as the picture's cropping shape.

     
     Figure 23-2: The loaded-graphic icon.

   • To place the graphic in an existing, unselected frame, click in the frame with the loaded-graphic icon. The upper-left corner of the picture is placed in the upper-left corner of the frame, and the frame acts as a cropping shape.

After you place a picture, it's displayed in the frame that contains it, and the frame is selected. If the Selection tool is selected, the eight handles of its bounding box are displayed; if the Direct Selection tool is selected, handles are displayed only in the corners. At this point, you can modify either the frame or the picture within, or you can move on to another task.

Tip ‚  

If you can store all your graphics files in a single location ‚ not necessarily in a single folder, but perhaps within a folder hierarchy on your hard disk or a file server ‚ you can minimize link problems. If you move, rename, or delete the original file after importing a graphic, you'll break the link, which will cause printing problems. Keeping all graphics files in a single, safe place ‚ a place that's backed up regularly ‚ is a good idea.