HeadStraddler
A JavaScript for InDesign CS & CS2 on Macintosh or Windows
They said it couldn't be done—heads that straddle multi-column text frames—and for a long time, I believed them, but then one day I found a way to do it. And that method is the basis of this product.

Using this product has opened my eyes to the benefits of working with multi-column text frames (particularly in newsletters). It was the lack of a head-straddling mechanism that had previously caused me to be disenchanted by multi-column frames. I had reasoned that if I had to have more than one frame to set a page, then having three or four was no more hardship than having two.

But HeadStraddler.js allows us to use just one frame. Read on!
Function

Fine Print

This script is available for download as a ShareWare product from the Downloads page. Until you register the product operates in demonstration mode. In this state, it provides the full functionality of the product, but periodically it will remind you that you have not yet registered.

A single-user registration key is available at $19.95 from

A registration bonus is provided in the form of an Undo script that autmatically installs itself on successful registration.

How to Register

If you prefer to run the software in demonstration mode until you're confident it performs to your satisfaction, then to register, simply run the script with no document open. It will request your registration number. Once this is verified (watch out—it is case sensitive), you'll be able to run the product with no further reminders, and you'll find the Undo script has been added to the folder in which you placed the product script. Note: you will need to switch out of InDesign to another application and then activate it again to see the Undo script.

Availability

This script is provided as-is for your personal use. It has been widely tested and appears to function without error, but like all software, there may be gremlins lurking that have yet to surface.

You use this script entirely at your own risk. Any failure to perform as expected or any loss of data or any consequential damages are entirely your responsibility.

You'll also benefit from the functionality this script provides, enhancing your use of multi-column text frames. It’s entirely up to you to weigh the benefits against the perceived risk.

I advise frequent back-ups and retaining archival copies of your documents at key points in their design and development.
Converts a single-column head to a head that straddles the columns of a multi-column text frame.

HeadStraddler addresses one of the most frequent complaints about working with multi-column text frames in InDesign. It provides a mechanism for creating a head that straddles the columns that is contained entirely within the text frame. Further, it supports the kinds of activities you are likely to need as you work with such a headline: aligning the top baselines of the columns under the head; adjusting the space between the head and the supporting text; adding extra paragraphs (such as a subhead or a byline) to the straddling head.
Features
Creates a straddle head in a multi-column text frame. Select your text frame, either by clicking on it with the selection tool or by having a live cursor in it, and HeadStraddler converts the first paragraph to a straddle head that spans the width of the text frame, automatically adjusting the following text so that the first baselines of the columns align with each other.
Adjust an existing straddle head to fit. What if you need to edit a straddle head, changing the number of lines of text? What if you change the width of the text frame? What if you do anything that upsets the relationship of the head to the following text? Simply rerun HeadStraddler and everything will adjust to meet your the needs of your new setup.
Provides user override mechanism. Should you want to have a custom width for your straddle head, for example because you have given it a custom filled background, an override mechanism is readily available. If you activate this, HeadStraddler limits its attention to the vertical characteristics of your headline, but leaves the width untouched. I have personally not found a need for this, but it did come up during testing by a third-party and so the script accommodates it.
Bonus: UnstraddleHead Script Provided for Registered Users.
UnstraddleHead

This bonus script is automatically added to your scripts in the same folder where you keep StraddleHead.js when you register. It can be used at any time to revert a straddle head (including one where you might have added extra paragraphs) to the original multi-column look. It’s like an Undo script except that you can use it at any time on a text frame that has a straddle head. For example, you might use it to restore a head prior to exporting the text of a story.
Operational Notes
How Does it Work? HeadStraddler replaces the first paragraph of your text frame with a single-celled table the full width of the text area of your multi-column text frame (actually, it will also function in a single-column frame, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of point to using it on one.
What if I change the size of the table? Once HeadStraddler has created the table, it largely loses interest in it. You can add paragraphs to it (for example, a subhead or a byline). Provided that you don't change the table options, the table will automatically resize to accommodate your changes. When you're ready, you simply run HeadStraddler again and it adjusts the text columns so that they regain their alignment with each other.
What if I don't like the spacing after the head? Change it! I normally do so by adding space before to the first paragraph after the head. Then run HeadStraddler again. It's this aspect of reusing HeadStraddler that has made me a fan of using it in my work.
What about text wrap? Works like a charm with one exception: if you have a text wrapped object that wholly prevents the first line of text in a column from being where it wants to be, then it is moved too far below the interfering frame by an amount equal to the height of the headline. This looks like a bug in InDesign. I've found that if I convert the text wrap to a custom shape to try to overcome it things become even more weird, the first line of text under the frame either snuggles up to the frame or it flips to that other position; there is no in-between. Most of the time, I've gotten around this by avoiding designs that needed this. The one occasion I couldn't live without a graphic there, I solved the problem by making the graphic in question an inline frame within the text stream.