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• • November 17, 2016 at 1:53 pm #89867
    Imran Rahim

    Member

    Hi people,

    Despite working with InDesign for some years now, I’m faced with a project that probably has a simple solution but I can’t work it out.

    Basically, I’m making a book of a decent length, likely to be around 600 pages and there are essentially three text boxes on each page, with each text box in roughly the same spot. Now I need to link each text box to its corresponding text box on the next page, and so on through the document, such that I’m able to paste in text box 1, and this flows through to every text box 1 on every page, and likewise for text boxes 2 and 3. I’m sure there’ll be an easy solution which evades me so any help would be very welcome.

    It probably sounds complicated what I’m trying to achieve but it’s quite simple. Either way, please let me know if you need me to clarify.

    Many thanks in advance guys

  • November 17, 2016 at 2:11 pm #89868
    Melanie Samaha

    Member

    I’m not sure if this will work but let’s give it a try. I know how to do it with one text box, you have three so my thought is to do the same steps three different times and changing the margin set up.

    1. on the master page set up the margins to match your first text box. Then auto flow your text starting with the first page. If you don’t know how to auto flow, It’s when you hold the shift key when you drop the text on the page. If you see a red + showing overset text then you didn’t auto flow. No worries, simply click the red + which will load the text to your pointer tool. Click the pointer tool in the next text box while holding the shift key. Here is an article on auto flow text
    https://creativepro.com/autoflow-text-when-pasting.php

    2. For the next text box, repeat setting up margins on master page to match position of your second text box.

    3. Repeat for third text box.

    Good luck!
    Melanie
    in Louisiana

  • November 17, 2016 at 2:16 pm #89869
    Imran Rahim

    Member

    Thanks for the quick reply, Melanie. I tried this as it happens. However, when I switch back to my non-Master page view, the text is not editable as all the textboxes are in reality on my A-Master. Are you saying to basically do all my work from the Master page?

  • November 17, 2016 at 3:14 pm #89871
    Imran Rahim

    Member

    Sorry. having re-read your post Melanie, I can see what you were suggesting now. I just tested this, albeit crudely, it does seem to work although I’m concerned I may run into problems later on by having artificial margins, as it were. I suppose I could use guides on the master page to mark my true margins to get around this.

    As far as workarounds go, this is quite clever and I would never have thought of it myself so thanks. However, I guess I was after a little more simple and organic if that makes sense.

  • November 17, 2016 at 4:23 pm #89875
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    Another option: https://creativepro.com/creating-two-or-more-automatic-text-flows.php

  • November 18, 2016 at 8:59 am #89891
    Imran Rahim

    Member

    Thanks David. I’ll give it a try and report back.

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