How to Resize Multiple Frames in InDesign CS3

Adjust the size of multiple frames at the same time.

When designing a document in InDesign CS3, you may have created the perfect layout only to discover that you need to change the size of all the frames. While you could spend countless hours, or at least several minutes, manipulating each frame individually, you could also adjust all of the frames at the same time with practically the same steps it would take to adjust one frame. Depending on the tool you use, you can resize both the selected frames and the content of the frames, or you can resize the selected frames while maintaining the content's original size.

Instructions

Resize with the Scale Tool

1. Select the "Selection" tool.

2. Hold down the "Shift" key and click on the frames that you want to resize.

3. Press on the "Free Transform" tool until the sub-tools appear.

4. Double-click on the "Scale" tool to open the "Scale" dialog box.

5. Enter a percentage value or an exact dimension in the "Scale X" and "Scale Y" boxes. Click "Ok." Note: This changes both the frame and the content; they will both shift positions after they are resized.

Resize with the Transform Panel

1. Select the "Selection" tool.

2. Hold down the "Shift" key and click on the frames that you want to resize.

3. Click on the "Window" menu. Hover over "Object & Layout" and select "Transform" to open the Transform Panel.

4. Enter value in the "W" and "H" boxes in the top section of the "Transform Panel" to resize the frame only. Enter a percentage for the width and height in the bottom section of the "Transform Panel" to resize both the frame and the content.

References

• Adobe InDesign CS3: Transform Objects
• InDesign Secrets: Scaling vs. Resizing in InDesign CS3; October 2007; David Blatner