Can a Primary Text Frame work on just one side of a spread?

[turner111]

I need to have a Primary Text Frame I can fill & have Smart Text Reflow work so that I can paste text & have the Primary Text Frame fill, but only one side of the spread.

In this case, it may be a string of names of vegetables or state names or something, but would only fill the blue Primary Text Frame here:

Since I'm not linking frames across the spread... it's not working.

Any way around this?

thanks!

[Willi Adelberger]

You have to link all primary text frames (can be any number) to work smart with them. 

[turner111]

Hi Willi - 

It works without linking anything if the document isn't a spread.
If I start with a single-page document, it works as expected, but if I then convert the document to facing pages, the newly created right page simply becomes a duplicate of the left, with linked text boxes.
Hmmm...

[Mike Witherell]

Try this:

Start a new document that has facing pages.

Do not switch on the Primary Text Frame

OK and then visit your parent pages

Build a textframe on only the left hand page.

Choose Edit > Preferences > Type (Windows) or InDesign > Preferences > Type (Mac OS).

Select Smart Text Reflow.

Preserve Facing-Page Spreads: This option determines whether facing-page spreads are preserved when text is reflowed in the middle of a document. If this option is selected when text reflows in the middle of the document, a new two-page spread is added. If this option is not selected, a single new page is added, and subsequent pages are "shuffled."

If your layout includes design elements specific to the right or left side of the spread, turn on this option. If your left and right pages are interchangeable, you can turn off this option. This option is dimmed if the document does not have facing pages.

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/threading-text.html

[turner111]

Hi Mike - thanks.

Did you try it? 😉

[rob day]

but would only fill the blue Primary Text Frame

Hi @turner111 , On your Parent Spread, shrink the Primary Text Frame on the right page so the text will not fit and add a Frame Break character at the end of each name:

[turner111]

Hi Rob-

Yeah, I thought of that, and considered it, but I HATE having "extra stuff" on my spreads. Might do it if I have to, but I try to avoid workarounds when I can, especially when there are bugs that need to be fixed that would eliminate the need to work around this stuff 🙂 

[Peter Spier]

Have you tried using a paragraph style with a Keep Option to start on next even page?

That ought to work if you have only one name per page.

[rob day]

but I HATE having "extra stuff"

I think the assumption is the Primary Text flows through the pages, but if there is only one text frame on the parent spread what does it thread to?

Once you’ve added the text to the facing page Primary text flow you can delete the primary frames from the right pages (which could be scripted).

The odd page primary frames deleted:

[turner111]

"I think the assumption is the Primary Text flows through the pages, but if there is only one text frame on the parent spread what does it thread to?"

Yeah, exactly. A bit of an oversight there, I think. Unfortunately, the document is 700 pages or so, so it would take lots of manual deletions. And, frankly, shouldn't be necessary.

[Peter Spier]

Perhaps I don't get what you're doing here, but I don't think you need a primary frame at all.

An ordinary text frame on the left Parent page will thread to the next left page automatically when you auto-flow text.

I have to say I have never really understood the attraction or usefullness of primary text frames.

[rob day]

have to say I have never really understood the attraction or usefullness of primary text frames

They can be usefull when the primary text flow shares multiple Parent Pages:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/can-someone-help-demystify-how-primary-text-fram...

[Peter Spier]

@rob day Interesting explanation/use case. Can't say it's something I would encounter often.

[turner111]

Hi Peter - "An ordinary text frame on the left Parent page will thread to the next left page automatically when you auto-flow text."

That's not working for me, and, in fact, no longer seems to be working at all, even with a primary text frame.
I'm going to try resetting my prefs.

[edit] Just tried this again. The only way I can get Reflow to automatically create pages is if I link a text box on the left to a text box on the right.

Additionally: If I link a text frame on the left parent to a text frame on the right parent (2 page doc starting on page 2) and then delete the text boxes on the right, ID crashes.

BTW I'm on 20.4.1.

[Peter Spier]

In case you've forgotten, you have to hold down the shift key when you click the loaded text cursor in the first frame in order to autoflow with a regular text frame.

[Peter Spier]

And one more thing I forgot is that you don't override the Parent page text frame befor you place text into it...

[turner111]

Thanks - Ok, issue partially solved - I updated to 20.5, and it seems to be working. (I really don't like updating in the middle of projects...) Not sure where this broke, but text/flow seems to be flowing normally when placed now.

Now, if I could solve my other big issue...

[Peter Spier]

Far as I know it never was broken, so I suspect something in your configuation or some sort of user error (we all make them).

As to your other problem, I don't have a good answer, but I'd be willing to bet it has to do with Smart Text Reflow and Primary text frames.