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• • July 2, 2013 at 11:49 am #34134
    MIchelle Cook

    Member

    I have a book project coming my way soon. It will be a 5-column format on each page with a different language in each column. So the first column will be English and will flow throughout the book in the first column on every page. The second column will be the same text, but in Spanish, flowing to the second column on every page, etc.

    My question is, how can I easily set this up so that when I import the text, it runs to the appropriate column on each page? I don’t really want to have to rethread the entire book, column by column, to get this to work. Any suggestions on how to set up the master pages for each automatic text flow will be so highly helpful and welcome!

    Thank you!

  • July 3, 2013 at 6:25 am #34146
    Chris Thompson

    Member

    Would a table work? One language per table column, one row per paragraph (so long as the paragraph numbers match), invisible table cell divider lines.

    Be aware that English usually runs shorter than most other languages for the same content, perhaps by 20-25%.

    Good luck,
    Chris.

  • July 3, 2013 at 6:26 am #34147
    Boaz Eilat

    Participant

    Hi Michelle,
    This is how I set it in similar project (assuming that you’ll get the source text in different files, one for each language).
    Create General master with 5 columns and 5 temporary master pages, each one with one column in the appropriate location.
    The first temporary master (Col-1) is based on the General master, but set to one column and has margins accordingly.
    The second temporary master (Col-2) is based on the Col-1 master, but its margins are shifted in 1 column width + gutter.
    The third temporary master (Col-3) is based on the Col-2 master, but its margins are shifted in 1 column width + gutter.
    Same procedure for setting Col-4 and Col-5.
    (Notice that in master spreads you have to set the margins for each page separately)

    Now to the text import:
    Apply master Col-1 to all your working pages, import the text for column 1. The text will flow throughout the first column on every page.
    Apply master Col-2 to all your working pages, import the text for column 2. The text will flow throughout the second column on every page.
    Same procedure for the other columns.
    Now you can apply the General master to all your working pages and start working.

  • July 3, 2013 at 6:41 am #34148
    MIchelle Cook

    Member

    Thanks to both of you! I think I’ll fiddle around with those ideas and see what works best. It’s going to be a 200 page book, so the simpler the better.

  • July 3, 2013 at 8:32 am #34153
    Chris Thompson

    Member

    Also, have a think about uneven column sizes (English narrower) to even up the distribution of the text.

    • July 3, 2013 at 8:37 am #34154
      MIchelle Cook

      Member

      That’s a great point! I have a feeling I’ll need to fiddle a bit with this book and try a couple things to see what looks best!

      Thanks for the comment!

  • July 3, 2013 at 10:35 pm #34168
    Gert Verrept

    Member

    We always work with text in two frames (two languages) in stead of two columns (no limit on number of frames). That way it’s easier to get the text aligned in all the frames. We use “script labels” for the frames on the master pages and a script which adds pages and threads the frames automatically.
    But, I don’t know if scripting is possible in your case.

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