Left and right master pages not applying properly from reference table

[shannon_2928]

I set up right-hand and left-hand custom master pages for my document and added them to the UnstructMasterPageMaps reference table as the right-handed and left-handed page for when the relevant paragraph tag is used.  Then I saved, applied the master pages, and hoped for the best...

Well, the master pages don't appear to be applying as-intended.  While the apply function did update on my first test page (a left-hand page), typing to the end of the page and carrying over adds a new standard Right page and then one of my custom left-hand pages to continue the text flow, rather than continuing the text flow on the right-hand custom page I entered in the reference table.  Both text frames in my custom master pages have tag "B" and autoconnect checked.

If I force it to have a left-hand custom page and start typing on that, the text overflow on that will start a new left-hand version of the custom page rather than a right-hand one to follow.

The pagination of the document is set to double-sided.  The standard Left/Right master pages, which I have edited some, do not have this issue.  Any custom pages I try to create and add to the reference table do.  The spelling and capitalization of all the tag names is exact.  What am I missing?

[frameexpert]

The Apply Master Pages function is not dynamic; in other words, the master pages do not update as you type and edit. After you do your edits, run the command again and it should apply the correct pages.

[shannon_2928]

Thanks.  This does fix formatting issues as I go, but doesn't fix the text flow problem I'm seeing, so maybe I worded my question poorly!  How do I get it to understand that when I reach the end of a FrontMatterLeft page, the text should continue onto a FrontMatterRight page, and that it should not insert a blank right page so that the text is all on left-hand pages?  Even after running apply master pages again, the text flows aren't connected.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

This is probably not the issue, but go to the master pages and click in the main text box. 

Look in the lower-left corner and see if they are all the same flow (the default is flow A).

Another way is to select the master page frame, go to Format>Customize Layout>Customize Text Frame.

You can check the flow where and make sure Autoconnect is on.

[Bob_Niland]

AMP (Apply Master Pages) is also not recursive. It makes one pass per click. It does not loop through the document until MP assignments stop changing. So the next thing to try is to run it at least twice.

I take matters a step further, and try to pick up multiple ¶formats that are unique to MPs. For example, a recent project had 3-column layout for the Index, so the UnstructMasterPageMaps table looked for: Heading1.Index, IndexIX, Level1IX & Level2IX. This helps get the assignments correct on one pass.

It's really not possible for FM to be dynamic about this, as there can too-easily be situations where an applied MP would cause page content to flow out, taking the triggering ¶format with it. This causes the assignments to change with every pass, and if attempted dynamically, would result in an {undetectable} infinite loop.