Pack graphic frames into a compact page while keeping their sizes and crops.
For print preparation, image collections and layouts where you want several graphic frames in a small area. Compact Frames moves the selected originals and adjusts the current page to the result.
What it does
- Packs selected graphic frames from the same page into a compact arrangement and resizes the page to fit the result.
- Set minimum spacing in millimetres; existing frame strokes are included in the spacing.
- Preserves frame sizes and image crops without adding scaling or rotation to frames or images.
- Creates empty outline copies on the separate Stand layer, with an inside-aligned 0.25 pt stroke in 100% magenta.
- Rerunning replaces only the matching outline copies created by the script. Undo the entire operation in one step.
- Packing searches for a compact arrangement but does not guarantee the mathematically smallest area.
How to use it
- Select graphic frames on the same page with the Selection tool.
- Double-click Rahmen_Kompakt.jsx in the Scripts panel and enter the minimum spacing.
- Choose Arrange. Inspect the page dimensions and Stand layer.
Installation
In InDesign, open Window → Utilities → Scripts. Right-click User → Reveal in Finder / Explorer. Copy the JSX file into that folder, then double-click it in the Scripts panel. Adobe InDesign is required and is not included. The interface follows the InDesign application language: German for German InDesign, English otherwise.
Before you start
Ungroup and unlock frames first. Text frames and anchored frames are excluded. Packing is a heuristic, not a guarantee of the mathematically smallest area. Unselected objects may end up outside the resized page.
Please try it on a copy of your document first. These captures show InDesign 2026 on macOS; other versions and Windows have not been verified for this shop release.