Cannot apply master to pages i, ii, iii, etc

[Brigit Ananya]

I have this master page for creating background  colors on each page:

I was able to apply it to pages 1 - 101. But how can I apply it to pages i - xvii?

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi @Brigit Ananya:

In the Pages panel, click the thumbnail for page i, and then Shift+Click the thumbnail for page xvii (all selectede page thumbnails will be blue). Then Alt+click on the name of the master page you wish to assign to the selected body pages. You will see the letter for the corresponding master page in the top outside corners of the body pages once they are correctly assigned.

~Barb

[Brigit Ananya]

Hi Barb,

Thanks a lot!  I'm a beginner, and I appreciate your help. By the way, only one header letter seems to show, although I have other master pages applied also.

With Love, Brigit

[Brigit Ananya]

Actually, yes, it seems one cannot apply many master pages. Right now, when I apply some header masters, page masters disappear, and when I apply page masters again, head masters disappear. I'm just going back and forth. PLEASE HELP! thanks in advance!

[Barb Binder]

Hi @Brigit Ananya:

You can only apply one master page to a body page.

Look at it this way: body pages contain the content that people open up our publications to read, and it changes from page to page. The master pages contain the repeating content that appears at the same place on multiple page. This includes things like page numbers, document titles, section titles, repeating graphic elements, and anything else that repeats.

Take a moment to think about what needs to repeat on the body pages and put all of that on the A-master. In a new document, the A-Master is automatically assigned all of the body pages, so anything you add to the A-master immediately appears on all of the body pages in the entire document. Then consider what additional layouts you need, and create additional master pages to accommodate those layouts, and then assign them to those specific body pages.

We are always happy to answer your questions, so continue to come back to talk to us. For your sake though, you will probably be better off if you take a break and the learn InDesign basics before you continue working through your document. There are online classes lead by live instructors like myself, but there's also a lot of pre-recorded training like the classes from LinkedIn learning. You can watch them at your convenience, anytime day or night, and they do an excellent job of teaching these basic skills that will make your day so much more pleasant. I can see from your screenshots that you're using very old version of InDesign. LinkedIn learning has an archive of their older classes and you'll definitely be able to find an introduction to InDesign course for your specific version. It is a subscription service, but you can sign up for a 30-day free trial. Just set aside a couple of days to work through the intro course and then you can cancel the subscription if it is no longer useful. Local libraries often offer, free access to LinkedIn learning to their communities.

~Barb

[Brigit Ananya]

Hi Barb,

Thanks for taking the time for giving me general instructions. I appreciate it.

OK, I am combining different master pages into on master page: I will make one master page, A-Master, for the text frames of my book content and the text frames for the page numbers. But can I put the rectangle that surrounds all pages for making different background colors onto the same master page, since it is on my second layer in the background, whereas the other two items, the textframes for the book content and the text frames for the page numbers are on my first layer in the foreground?

In that case, the A-master would be the only master page that applies to all  pages, whereas the other master pages I have are master pages containing titles and lines underneath the titles, which apply only to specific pages.

What exactly did you mean by  "You can only apply one master page to a body page"? Did you mean one master page that applies to all pages?

[Barb Binder]

What exactly did you mean by  "You can only apply one master page to a body page"? Did you mean one master page that applies to all pages?

Let's that you have created three master pages: A-Master, B-Master and C-Master. You can either apply A-Master, B-Master or C-Master to body page 1, but not two or all three. A single body page can be assigned a single master, or None.

OK, I am combining different master pages into on master page: I will make one master page, A-Master, for the text frames of my book content and the text frames for the page numbers. But can I put the rectangle that surrounds all pages for making different background colors onto the same master page, since it is on my second layer in the background, whereas the other two items, the textframes for the book content and the text frames for the page numbers are on my first layer in the foreground?

No. But you can create additional master pages with the varying background elements and assign those to the appropriate pages.

What version of InDesign are you using?

~Barb

[Barb Binder]

What exactly did you mean by  "You can only apply one master page to a body page"? Did you mean one master page that applies to all pages?

[Brigit Ananya]

Thanks for your rresponse. I'm using Adobe InDesign CS6, which is part of Creative Suite 6 that was released in 2012.

OK, I will just make one master page out of B-Master (text frames for book content) and C-Master (text frames for page numbers), and I will call it A-Master.

I will NOT use the original A-Master (rectangle for background colors). Each page has a different background color, so it seems I don't need a master page for that, I will just create the background rectangle with a special color on each page.

Then my only additional master pages, D-Master, E-Master, F-Master, G-Master, H-Master, I-Master, and J-Master, are for containing titles and lines underneath the titles, which apply only to specific pages.

So, my understanding is you can only can have one master page that applies to all pages, but you can have different master pages that apply to specific pages. Am I correct?

[Barb Binder]

Hi @Brigit Ananya:

No. I am saying that one body page can be assigned one master page. 

I can't find CS6 training on LinkedIn Learning after all, but I think the videos I am linking to below will be helpful for you to gain a better understanding of how master pages work. I am a career InDesign trainer and always happy to answer questions, but it's very hard to teach an application through the forums. The best way to understand how a program works is to either take a class or purchase a book and then come to us to ask us to clarify when you get stuck. 

I'm not sure if you need to sign into LinkedIn learning to watch these two videos. If you do, you can initiate a free, 30-day trial, just remember to cancel it if you decide you don't want to continue learning.

https://www.linkedin.com/learning/indesign-2020-essential-training/creating-and-applying-master-page...

https://www.linkedin.com/learning/indesign-2020-essential-training/overriding-master-page-items?resu...

If it were me, I would set aside a few hours to watch everything from the beginning of David's course up through these two videos. Then ask us anything isn't wasn't clear to you.

~Barb