Synchronizing text flow across pages for multiple text frames

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
February 2, 2025
5 replies
792 views

I am attempting to compose a document (non-facing pages) containing poetry in different languages with line numbers (every x lines). In my latest attempt, I have 4 columns representing the text and line numbers in each of the two languages.

My first attempt, using a multi-column text frame (primary and non-primary) failed because, for the life of me, I could find a way of getting the text to flow 'column first' (i.e. fill the first column until all text was entered on multiple pages before advancing to the next column).

My latest attempt seemed more promising but still failed. I can fill the first column with text across multiple pages, but if I attempt to enter text (line numbers every 10 lines) in the second column, when I reach the end of the first page, InDesign inserts a new page between the first and previously second page with no text in the first column of the new second page.

I am now completely stumped, and I have not got to the third and fourth columns yet.

Am I trying to achieve something that InDesign can't do or am I missing something?

Will I have to resort to abandoning text flow and treating each page/spread separately and copying pasting text into each column on a page-by-page basis?

Thanks in advance for any assistance,

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

For the line numbers, you may want to test out Display Line Numbers from:

https://www.id-extras.com/products/line-numbers/

They have a trial version and it will auto-restart the numbering when it reaches a particular paragraph style (e.g., a title style).

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

I think OP wants to have one extra flow with numbers - then extra columns with different languages - but everything "synchronised" - 1st line of each language side-by-side, etc. - so extra Story, as a 5th, or rather 1st column, with just numbers, done with Bullets & Numbering, should be good enough?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

And if I understand you correctly, doing it as a one long Story, with each language starting on the first page - and still linked to the end of the Document - would be extremely impractical.

James Gifford—NitroPress

Legend

Well, the choices are one long story, broken at the start of each column on each page by manual intervention (assignment of a break paragraph style), or segments of some kind placed and managed page by page. Both require intensive page-editing but continuous flows allow for easier overall management, probably support accessibility better, allow on-the-fly changes, etc.

We see requests like this fairly often. I don't think there are any easy solutions, but using ID's structural features to their limit seems best to me.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@James Gifford—NitroPress

I think OP wants to have 1st column / language going from page 1 to let's say 55 - then go back to page 1 to 2nd column...

James Gifford—NitroPress

Legend

I would consider simplifying the structure to two columns, with the text in in each language/column indented to leave room for an "outdented" line number. That would use a separate Paragraph Style — whatever base style is needed, with the setup to allow the outdent and (manual) number to be inserted.

The language columns should be separate flows — I wouldn't try to to A/B/A/B in a single flow.

Other than setting up the two-column structure, this would all be controlled by Para styles, maybe quite a few in an organized hierarchy and mirrored between the two to allow separate language control. Styles that break at a column top would be essential to maintain the matched flow.

Does that make sense? Happy to explain in more detail if it's not clear.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

If you create multi-column TextFrame - it will flow text between columns - in this TextFrame.

You should rather create 4x different Stories - each one in its own "column" - and thread them manually as you add more text.

Kind of like this - but as columns: