Adobe InDesign CS5 - Manual (Page 455)

449 USING INDESIGN
Transparency effects
Last updated 11/16/2011
• To adjust the mid-point between two opacity stops, drag a diamond above the Gradient Slider. Where the diamond
is located determines how abrupt or gradual the transition between stops is.
Reverse Gradient Click to reverse the direction of the gradations. This box is located to the right of the Gradient Slider.
Opacity Specifies the transparency between gradient points. Select a point and drag the Opacity slider.
Location Adjusts the position of a gradient stop. Select a gradient stop before dragging the slider or entering a
measurement.
Type Linear shades from the starting gradient point to the ending gradient point in a straight line; Radial shades from
the starting point to the ending point in a circular pattern.
Angle For linear gradients, establishes the angle of the gradation lines. At 90 degrees, for example, the lines run
horizontally; at 180 degrees, the lines run vertically.
Use Global Light
You can apply a uniform lighting angle to transparency effects in which shading is a factor: Drop Shadow, Inner
Shadow, and Bevel and Emboss. When you choose Use Global Light with these effects, lighting is determined by the
global setting in the Global Light dialog box.
1 Do any of the following to open the Global Light dialog box:
• Choose Global Light from the Effects panel menu.
• Choose Object > Effects > Global Light.
2 Enter a value or drag the angle radius to set the Angle and Altitude, and click OK.
Set the opacity of an object
You can apply transparency to a single object or selected objects (including graphics and text frames), but not to
individual text characters or layers. However, imported graphics with those types of transparency effects will appear
and print correctly.
For videos on adding opacity, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0087 and www.adobe.com/go/vid0088 .
1 Select the object or objects.
The word mixed appears in the Effects panel if you select multiple objects and their opacity settings conflict. For
example, if the Fill opacity setting is different in objects you selected, the Transparency palette reads, “Fill: Opacity
(mixed).”
2 Choose Object, Stroke, Fill, or Text with any of these techniques:
• Click the Apply Effects button on the Control panel and choose an option.
• Click an option on the Effects panel (click the triangle next to the word Object, if necessary, to see the options).
3 On the Control panel or Effects panel, type a value for Opacity or click the arrow next to the Opacity setting and
drag the slider. As the opacity value of objects is reduced, the transparency increases.
Note: If you direct-select and cut or copy an object from a transparent group in InDesign, and then paste the object
somewhere else in the document, the pasted object won’t be transparent unless it was previously selected individually and
had transparency applied.