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Oriana808
Inspiring
March 12, 2021
Answered

Text box threading issue

  • March 12, 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 2417 views

Hi,

 

I'm creating files that need to be made into accessible pdfs, which requires a lot of text frame threading. Have worked on numerous documents without any issues, however I'm now working on a file (originally created by someone else) and for the life of me I can't get text boxes to thread.

 

All text threading is done with existing text boxes that contain content. Usually I just click on one box and thread to the next. However what's happening in this doc is that the boxes won't link. Instead it keeps creating a new empty text box. Looked around at preferences but turning on/off Smart Text Thread, etc. doesn't help.

Have tried breaking all text frames, didn't help. In fact, previously linked frames now won't link. Seems to me like a preference or setting of some kind, since it happens with all text frames in the doc. Could be something simple but after 3 x 60hr. work weeks my brain is very tired.

 

Help? Anyone? Got work to do!

Thanks 🙂

    Correct answer Oriana808

    Sounds like minor corruption in the document.

     

    Use File>Save As and choose IDML

    Open that in InDesign. 

    Resave it as a new file  name. 

     

    See if it works.


    Yes it definitely was corrupt. Tried your method of saving as an IDML but that didn't work. Had to rebuild the file in a new document.

     

    *For future reference, in case anyone else encounters this problem.

     

    Thanks for the help :).

    4 replies

    Brad @ Roaring Mouse
    Community Expert
    Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 12, 2021

    Longshot: It's possible the previous designer added some manual column breaks (Keep Options) to force copy to break with certain text boxes, or there's a Paragraph or Charcter style with a Keep option that is causing havoc.

    (e.g. Keep Option > Move to next Column/Frame, etc.) or Keep with X number of lines.

     

    O
    Oriana808Author
    Inspiring
    March 12, 2021

    Thank you.

     

    I checked all hidden characters, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

     

    As per my latest post, I think the document was corrupt. I rebuilt the file in a new doc using all of the same elements and the threading works fine.

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 12, 2021

    Sounds like minor corruption in the document.

     

    Use File>Save As and choose IDML

    Open that in InDesign. 

    Resave it as a new file  name. 

     

    See if it works.

    Mike Witherell
    Community Expert
    Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 12, 2021

    You might also investigate extra empty text frames laying over or under the ones you are working on. They might also be on the master page, so be sure to look there, too.

    Mike Witherell
    O
    Oriana808Author
    Inspiring
    March 12, 2021

    Thanks.

     

    No empty text boxes. I checked everything I could possibly think of.

    O
    Oriana808Author
    Inspiring
    March 12, 2021

    Well one thing I discovered....

     

    Created a new document, copied and pasted some text frames into it, text threading worked exactly like it's supposed to work.

    So either the original document is corrupt or there is some hidden command somewhere.

    Great now I have to rebuild the entire document :(.

    Michael Bullo
    Community Expert
    Michael BulloCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 12, 2021

    Is any of the content locked? Expand the elements within the Layers panel and look for a padlock icon next to any of the text frames or layers.

    O
    Oriana808Author
    Inspiring
    March 12, 2021

    No, nothing is locked.

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