How to create a flexible object?

How do you create a text frame object that ignores paragraph styles?

• I'm an experienced ID user but missed this. I want the text frame for spacing w/o overwriting existing paragraph styles. For example, I'll have a heading (H1) followed by a paragraph (P1) in the same frame. When I apply a text frame object (w/ no paragraph style), ID no longer recognizes the H1 P1 styles.

• Answer:

  I don't understand what you mean by "when I apply a text frame object" when you already have a text frame with an H1 and P1 formatted paragraph in it. Are you using Object Styles ? [After your first comment:] I still don't fully understand "no longer recognizes the H1 and P1 styles". Do you mean the text changes to one overall setting, or do the styled paragraphs not follow any overall change in the Paragraph Styles anymore ? If that's the case here, read on ! Watch out with using the Object Styles. There are three Default styles: one applies no style at all, and two with names that might trick you into thinking the one does and the other doesn't change the text formatting. But as a matter of fact, these are just names. In both styles' settings, the Paragraph Style property can be switched to a "-" (a dash, meaning: don't bother), or an "x" (meaning: apply the Paragraph Style chosen on the right of the panel). So you could even set these Object Styles to switch their behavior, regardless of their names or initial settings ! The existence of these two named styles is just for letting the text frame or blank (and image) frame tool have different settings to start with. That's all. Now, check out how the Object Style you're applying is set. It would be too easy if you activated the Paragraph Style option, and set it to apply a specific style. The text would of course be formatted and set to that style. However, (here it comes) if it is set to "x", but the chosen Paragraph Style is "None", then the text formatting will not be altered, but the applied Paragraph Style setting will be lost for the containing text. Is that what's happening ? Solution: uncheck that Paragraph Style option in the Object Style, before applying it to styles text. Or... even better, but this is for an experienced user like you: set up your H1 Paragraph Style option "Next Style" to P1, set the Object Style to apply Paragraph Styles, chose H1 as the style to start with and check "Apply Next Style" right below it. Create a text frames with 2 (or more) paragraphs of text in any or none Paragraph Style, and select this special Object Style. See how the Object Style initiates a sequence of Paragraph Styles ! You can set up a chain of several Paragraph Styles, using this magical method of "Next Style". It's similar to Nested Styles, but they are a chain of Character Styles within a paragraph. Object Styles can apply a sequence of Paragraph Styles within a whole text frame.