InDesignCC: Layer not appearing in new page

Hi winterm and Aman,

Thanks very much for your replies! I understand the concept of page layers much better now.

I have managed to make the new pages look like the ones in the template! (that is, the guidelines and grey area appear.) However I still can't get the contents in the template page's 'instruction' layer to appear under the same layer in the new pages.

I'm happy to let that slide though - the missing objects in the 'empty' instruction layer doesn't seem to affect my document pages.

But if anyone wants to have a crack at this, the steps I took was:

1. Converted document spread to master spread.

(by selecting and dragging the pages to the master spread region)

2. Applied master page to document page.

(by dragging the master page onto new pages as shown in Aman's gif)

The document page now looks like the existing page in the template, but has no contents in the 'instruction' layer.

There isn't anything in the document page which I can 'ctrl-shift-click'.

(I tried the steps in a plain new document and did manage to make the text frames in the master page appear under the layer of the new document page, so I think I understand how applying master page should work.)

I wonder if this might have to do with the 'instruction' layer being non-printing (the layer name is italicized).

Anyhow, right now the problem I raised seems to be resolved, i.e. I can now repeat the appearance of my template pages in new pages (even if the actual contents of the 'instruction layer' do not appear in the new pages).

If anyone has anything to add, I would be most grateful to hear them. Thanks very much again!

Hi,

Like said above, the guidelines are only on starting pages of the document.Layer elements(guidelines in this case)  are not global. When you add a new page.. which adds on a new spread, the layers created are empty, which is what you see.

Since you want guidelines on all pages, you first need to create a master page and then apply that master page on all document pages.

But now since you already have a document page(spread) with all the needed guidelines, i would suggest you convert that document spread to master spread first and then apply that master page to all document page.

To do so, select the two document pages and drag them to the master page region. When you get a hand symbol, release the mouse.

Once you apply the master page to the document page, still you will see the layers empty. You would then need to override the master page(ctrl+shift+click) on document page to make them part of the document page. See the small gif below(in the gif i do it with text frames):

-Aman

Yes, layers in InDesign are global for a document, BUT not their content. It may differ (and usually differs) from page to page. On some pages specific layer may be used heavily, on others - be absolutely blank (unused). However, layer itself exists for all pages. If you want certain text/items appear on all layers, you put it on a appropriate Master page.

1. How do I add new pages while retaining the contents of the 'instruction' layer?

Cut content of that layer from document page and paste to the same layer on Master page. Now instructions will be available in 'instruction' layer in all pages with that Master applied.

2. How do I copy the 'instruction' layer from an existing page to a new page?

You don't need to, the layer is here already! Copy just content from page to page (document or master), as said in p.1.

In the pages panel should be the matching master pages.

Fenja