How do I keep the paragraph spacing in tables?

Question

Hi,
I used a table and styles to format a CV in InDesign. Unfortunately the paragraph spacings are only applied in cells, but not inbetween them.
In the following table, for example, there would be a paragraph spacing between p1 and p2 but not between p2 and p3, and p3 and p4.
Header 1
Header 2
p1
p2
p3
p4
So far, I matched the cell indents with the paragraph spacings, but creating a cell style for each paragraph style seems weired to me.
Is there a better way to do this?
Regards

Answer 1

qzmufu wrote:
Thank you. I don't use border lines and a column layout came to my mind. The reason why I didn't opt for it was that I did not know how to place the text like in the example below in columns - well at least not conveniently.
Header 1
Header 2
00/0000 - 00/0000
Experience 1
blablabla
00/0000 - 00/0000
Experience 2
blablabla
00/0000 - 00/0000
Experience 3
blablabla
Unfortunately, the fancy split and span functions aren't availabe for me, as I'm still using CS4.
Anyway, knowing that there is probably no better way already helps me. So again, thank you.
You're welcome.
If this is the format you want, you can create a paragraph stye that uses an indention setting that positions the wrap-around "blablabla" content where you want it, and sets the first-line indent to a negative amount equal to the positive indent. For example, if the blahblah should start at 4" from the left, the first-line indent should be set to -4". Also include a left-aligned tab stop position of 4" so that when you type a tab character after the date, the Experience starts at the same 4" indent. This is called a "hanging paragraph."
Search Google for terms like "InDesign hanging paragraph tutorial" without quotes for more about this technique.
For the different vertical position of the left column's text vs. the right column's text, you can create a character style that sets the baseline shift in Advanced Character Formats to a minus value that gives you the look you want. If your right-column paragraphs run longer than 2 lines, you'll need to modify the baseline shift to suit the centering against the right column. You can create paragraph styles named 2-line shift, 3-line shift, etc for this effect. You can apply the character style to the selected left-column text manually, or you can incorporate the character styles into the paragraph styles by using the Nested Styles feature in the Drop Caps and Nested Styles pane of the Paragraph Styles panel. You'll need a paragraph style for each different number of experience wrap-around lines; for example paragraph styles named 2-line experience, 3-line experience, etc. In each of these styles, create the nested style for the appropriate number of experience lines.
Search Google for terms like "InDesign nested styles tutorial" without quotes for more about this technique.
There's a lot you can do with tailoring your text. Usually styles are helpful for repeating any things you'd need to do manually, but often folks avoid styles because they take some time to set up. When you choose New Paragraph Style, the settings of the paragraph that contains the cursor are used, so you can easily save any manual work you've done to tailor a paragraph into the style you create. Consider the effort of creating styles as an investment that pays you back many times over, each time you use the styles.
HTH
Regards,
Peter
Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices