In InDesign, you typically "reorder" interactive objects like buttons by setting their tab order on a page. This determines the sequence in which users navigate through them by pressing the Tab key, which is crucial for accessibility and user experience.
Setting the tab order for buttons and other interactive elements is a straightforward process within InDesign. It allows you to control the flow of interaction when a document is exported as an interactive PDF or other formats that support tab navigation.
Steps to Set the Tab Order for Buttons
Here’s how you set the tab order for buttons and other interactive elements on a page in Adobe InDesign, based on the standard workflow:
- Navigate to the Page: Open the document in InDesign. Go to the Pages panel and double-click the page containing the buttons or interactive objects whose tab order you want to set. This ensures the correct page is active.
- Access Tab Order Settings: With the page active, go to the main menu bar. Click on the Object menu, then point to Interactive. From the submenu that appears, click Set Tab Order.... This will open the Set Tab Order dialog box.
- Select and Reorder: The Set Tab Order dialog box lists all interactive objects on the current page.
- Select the button or object you want to move in the list.
- Use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to adjust its position in the sequence. Moving an object up places it earlier in the tab order, while moving it down places it later.
- Confirm Changes: Once you have arranged the objects in the desired tab sequence, click OK.
Quick Reference Table
| Step | Action | Menu Path | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Select the target page | Pages panel > Double-click | Ensure the page is active. |
| 2 | Open the Set Tab Order dialog | Object > Interactive > Set Tab Order... | Access the reordering tool. |
| 3 | Select an object and use Move Up/Down buttons | Set Tab Order dialog | Arrange items in desired tab sequence. |
| 4 | Apply the changes | Set Tab Order dialog > OK | Saves the new tab order for the page. |
Why Set Tab Order?
Setting the tab order is essential for creating accessible and user-friendly interactive documents.
- Accessibility: It allows users who navigate using the keyboard (e.g., by pressing the Tab key) to access interactive elements in a logical sequence, which is crucial for people with motor impairments or those using screen readers.
- User Experience: A logical tab order makes the interactive document easier and more intuitive to use for everyone, guiding them through forms or interactive content smoothly.
While the reference provided focuses on setting the tab order, this is the primary method for "reordering" how users interact with buttons and other objects in InDesign's interactive workflows. Visual stacking order is managed using the Arrange commands (Object > Arrange).
