This tool generates modular and baseline grids for InDesign documents based on page size and a few parameters.
- Download the “Modular-grid-maker-working.js” script
- Open your Scripts panel in InDesign (Windows > utilities > scripts)
- Right click on “User” and click “Reveal in Finder.”
- Add “Modular-grid-maker-working.js” to the folder
- InDesign should now display the script in the panel
- Start a new, or open an existing, InDesign file (works best for facing pages currently)
- Double click the Modular-grid-maker-working.js script
- You will be prompted with a user input window asking for a grid number and leading size. This number is used to create both horizontal and vertical guides as well as the gutters (vertical and horizontal)
- The script resizes your document to create a page size that holds both your modular grid and your baseline grid together and create the modular grid, baseline grid, gutters, and margins. (Note if your Grid number is 4 or fewer gutters are set to zero as the Van der Graff margins do not work.)
You should get a page ratio based modular grid with horizontal gutters set to your leading and vertical gutters in proportion to your page shape. The margins should be set up with a Van der Graff cannon structure.
View > Grids & Guides > Show Baseline Grid
The document now also has a matching baseline grid that fits your page height and is in rhythm with your modular grid system.
- If prompts are left blank the script crashes
- The user needs to know the leading they want before they run the script
- Currently only uses Van der Graff cannon margins
- Works, but gives an error if using non-facing pages
- Paragraph styles with type sizes based on page shape ratio
- The new document starts with a ratio input (or a range of common shape suggestions), then askes for height or width maximum to create a full page layout
- Have a more robust inputs panel with all of the inputs in one place, be able to preview the results