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L Gryfe
L Gryfe
Inspiring
March 23, 2025
Question

pour text into a multi column layout into a single text box

  • March 23, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 297 views

I have a three-column layout. When I pour in threaded text onto new pages, ID creates three separate threaded text boxes. Is there a way to have it create a single three-column text box instead?

1 reply

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 23, 2025

On the Parent Page, build one frame that covers the acreage of your 3 columns. Press Cmd/Ctrl+B to go into Text Frame Options. Set the number of columns (internal to the single frame) to 3. Possibly choose your gutter width, too.

Now when you File > Place a word.docx onto, say, page 1, it can flow into the 3-column single frame that was built on your Parent page.

In a less automatic way, you could also build the 3-column single text frame on any given page. 

You could also capture all that as an Object Style to be applied to a new text frame that you build.

Mike Witherell
    L Gryfe
    L GryfeAuthor
    Inspiring
    March 23, 2025

    Thanks! I was hoping there was a way to do it without putting a text box on the parent page. But that will do.

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    March 23, 2025
    quote

    Thanks! I was hoping there was a way to do it without putting a text box on the parent page. But that will do.


    By @L Gryfe

     

    If you've 3x text columns defined on your page - either as a local setting or through applied Master / Parent Page - that's the way InDesign reflows text - so you need to have a (Primary) TextFrame on the applied Master / Parent Page - as @Mike Witherell explained. 

     

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