Change page margins and number of columns

The margin is the distance between the page edge and the text frame. For a single-sided document, you set margins for the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the text frame. For a double-sided docu­ment, you set the top, bottom, inside, and outside margins for a symmetrical look.

To set up asymmetrical left and right margins, you change the text frames directly on the master pages. For example, you could make the text frames on both the left and right pages appear on the right side of the page, leaving an area of white space on the left.

You can divide a text frame into two or more equally spaced columns of equal widths. To create a multicolumn layout with unequal column widths or gaps, use one text frame for each column of text and position the text frames one by one. Draw the text frames or set up one text frame the way you want it and then duplicate it.

1)Place the insertion point in the main text flow or click in the page margin. If a book window is active, select the documents you want to affect.

2)Choose Format > Page Layout > Column Layout.

If the layout is asymmetrical (for example, with a different number of columns, or a different inside or outside margin on the left and right master pages), an alert message asks whether you want to proceed. To retain the asymmetry, change the layout directly on the master pages.

3)To change the margins, enter the values in the Margins area. The margins and the gap (space) between columns determine the individual column width.

4)To change the number of columns or the gap between columns, enter new values in the Columns area.

All columns will be the same width and will be separated by a uniform gap.

5)Click Update Entire Flow. If the new column width is too narrow to accommodate some anchored frames or tables in the document, an alert message asks whether you want to proceed. If you click OK, you can manually resize the tables and frames.