gridWizard

gridWizard is a plugin developed to generate and manage grid systems within Adobe InDesign.

gridWizard is available as an open-source release under MIT License at this github repository. if you found it useful / it saved you some time / pain, consider to support my work buying gridWizard for what you wish / can here on gumroad.

for any further request / consideration / report or if you want to share what you made with it, feel free to reach me at a.martinelli0601@gmail.com.

script setup

1. move the gridWizard1.0.jsx (facingPages and / or singlePage) files in the InDesign scripts folder:
   on macos
   /Users/<username>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/Version x.x/<locale>/Scripts
   on windows
   C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version x.x\<locale>\Scripts
2. open InDesign and access the scripts panel (if you don't see it go to Windows > Utilities > Scripts) and navigate to the "user" folder.
3. doubleclick on gridWizard1.0.jsx (reference gridWizard1.0_facingPagesjsx for facing pages documents and gridWizard1.0_singlePage.jsx for single page documents).
4. within the initial tab (GridWizard), select the target parent spread from those available in the active document.
5. choose a generation method by navigating through the tabs, fill in the customizable fields, press ok, and let the magic happen.

methods

gridWizard offers 5 building methods (looking to add some others soon !!).

1 - Everything Everywhere All At Page Ratio

Everything Everywhere All At Page Ratio generates a layout grid wherein everything - the dimensions of the rectangle defined by the margins, those of the modules resulting in the grid and those of the gutters - is related to the aspect ratio of the page.

• Full - Empty areas ratio: defines the ratio between the area covered by the margins and the one covered by the grid (the default value is the same as the aspect ratio of the page).
• Subdivisions number: defines the number of rows and columns occupying the rectangle defined by the margins.

2 - I Kissed A Square And I Liked It

I Kissed A Square And I Liked It generates a square-based layout system.

• Full - Empty areas ratio: defines the ratio between the area covered by the margins and the one covered by the grid (the default value is the same as the aspect ratio of the page).
• Short side subdivisions: defines the number of sections dividing the short side of the rectangle defined by the margins. Long side subdivisions are calculated accordingly to accommodate square modules only.
• Gutter: defines the gutter size (the measurement unit is the same of the active document).

3 - Gutenbergify

Gutenbergify parametrically recreates the layout grid developed by Gutenberg for his 42-line bible.

• Subdivisions number: defines the number of rows and columns occupying the rectangle defined by the margins (the default value is the one used by Gutenberg).
• Flip horizontally / Flip vertically: provides the option to reflect the grid horizontally or vertically, allowing the creation of a wider variety of layout systems.

4 - Fibonacci Dreams

Fibonacci Dreams uses the Fibonacci sequence, starting with a procedurally defined module based on the page size, to create a mathematically harmonious layout grid.

• Columns / Rows number: defines the number of rows and columns occupying the rectangle defined by the margins (it is possible to pick values from the first six elements of the Fibonacci sequence).
• Flip horizontally / Flip vertically: provides the option to reflect the grid horizontally or vertically, allowing the creation of a wider variety of layout systems.

5 - Pure Chaos

Just some pseudo-random chaos.

• Columns / Rows number: defines the number of rows and columns occupying the rectangle defined by the margins.
• Gutter min / max width / height: defines the minimum and maximum values for the width and height of the gutters.
• Facing pages handling: defines the treatment of facing pages.