Chapters are all numbered “1”

[zvi_t]

I have an InDesign document, not a book. Using PARENT A for page numbers, I created PARENT B, based on PARENT A. In PARENT B, I added a box where I want auto-numbering with a prefix, such as MYTH 1, MYTH 2, etc.

My left-side pages are linked to PARENT A and my right-side pages to PARENT B.

Page numbering works fine, but all right-side pages have the number "1", e.g., MYTH 1, MYTH 1, etc.

I tried both section markers and defined text variables. Even though the first page is set to "start section" in the "numbering and section options," neither worked.

What should I do?

[zvi_t]

I'm open to other ways to accomplish this.

All I need is to have the text box “MYTH (n):”  "MYTH 1:" on a parent and with sequential numbering on all right-side pages. As a result, if I need to move the box or rearrange the pages, I simply move it a bit on the parent, and the numbers will remain in order.

[ Typo edited by moderator. “MYTH 1” edited to “MYTH (n)” ]

[zvi_t]

type: All I need is to have the text box "MYTH (n):" on a parent...

[zvi_t]

typo: "typo:..." (not type:)

p.s. This is why it's bad that we can't edit posts here.

[Laubender]

Hi @zvi_t ,

please give us an idea how the result should be on document pages.

How often do you want to change "n" in "Myth n" for example?

You should be able to this with a numbered list on the document pages.

Rearranging pages would rearrange the numbering as well, like in my example below.

See the spread with the two yellow rectangles where the text says MYTH: 4.

When I move that spread to the beginning of the document, the text on that spread says MYTH: 1, because I used a numbered list that works throughout the document in text frames that are not threaded:

Download my sample document from my Dropbox account and look into the Paragraph Styles panel how this is done. Check the Numbered List tab there:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/itxpk1onckb4dv5/NumberedList-MYTH.indd?dl=1

From my German InDesign where the text frame holding the numbered list on a given document page consists just on a end-of-paragraph special character. Could be also a different white space like a single blank character:

The word "MYTH" and the number is just part of an automatic numbering system that is tied to the applied paragraph style "NumberedListMYTH":

Don't know if that solution applies to your use case here. As I said above, make your case clear with some more screenshots that show the desired behavior on your document pages. Also check my InDesign document…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[zvi_t]

Yes, it looks like it DOES apply to my needs! Thanks, I will check this later and update.

[zvi_t]

How do I export your paragraph style? There is only an option to load styles. InDesign wastes so much of my time on such little things. Can't they just have an export option next to the load? 

[zvi_t]

Ok, figured it out with the CC Library sync.

[Laubender]

@zvi_t said:

"How do I export your paragraph style?"

"Ok, figured it out with the CC Library sync."

Besides CC Libraries you can also do this:

[1] In your target document:

Use the Load command for paragraph styles you can find in the Paragraph Styles panel.

The source document is my test document. (But also note that language is set to German.)

[2] Simply copy/paste the text frame from my document. The applied style, also the named list, will come along.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[zvi_t]

ahhhh ok, I see what yours does. Nice, but not exactly what I need. The problem with yours is that if I want to move the MYTH text box a few pixels, I would have to manually move each one on 500 pages. I need this box to be on a parent so I only have to move the box in the parent and all the pages would be affected.

[Barb Binder]

I would put the chapter number on the body pages, and control both the incremental numbering and the position of the text with the paragraph style. When you need to edit all of the chapter titles, you simply edit the chapter number style definition. 

~Barb

[zvi_t]

Kind of a workaround, but it seems to work... kinda. All settings in the paragraph style are working, except the "space before" and "space after." I opened the box on top and bottom to give the text room, but it won't move up or down no matter what I set there. Any other ideas how to get the text to move up or down?

[Barb Binder]

There is way to adjust the position via a paragraph style but it sounds like you are all set with Uwe's solution. Glad you are back on track.

~Barb

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

@zvi_t said: "The problem with yours is that if I want to move the MYTH text box a few pixels, I would have to manually move each one on 500 pages."

Well, there is still a way, or two ways, to do it.

Use an object style that pins the text frame to a distinct position.

That will work for a non-facing pages document very well!

NOTE: It will also work for a facing-pages document where inside margin values and outside margin values are the same or if you plan to use the text frame for the MYTH either on pages left to the spine or pages right from the spine ( and not both! ).

See: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3bn9bbwdt051nvn/NumberedList-MYTH-ObjectStyleApplied.indd?dl=1

where I applied the object style MYTH to the text frames. If you change the position in the object style all text frames where that object style is applied to will instantly follow to the new position.

Object Style open, Preview turned on, position for x and y defined:

Object Style open, Preview turned on, new position for x and y defined:

Note: with position there is no way to define a position that will allow something like Towards Spine or Away from Spine. And you must not move the text frames on the document pages other than defining a new position with that object style and type in the new numbers. Do not move one of the frames with the mouse. Avoid style overrides!

Hm. And still we have a second method using parent pages this time.

There you can move the source text frame with the mouse on the parent page. But you absolutely have to avoid to move them on the document pages.

See my next post that is coming soon…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[zvi_t]

Ok, first one worked. VERY tedious to set up the first time because unlike most settings in photoshop, you don't see real time changes, and have to keep going back to the settings, changing a bit, and rechecking. Thank you.

[Laubender]

Now to the second method:

For this one you need to set-up a new parent page where one instance of the text frame with the MYTH entry is positioned. ( Later you can move around the text frame on that parent page like you want with the mouse. )

But here comes the tedious part:

For every instance on your document pages that should show the MYTH entry with the right number you have to do two things:

[1] Apply the new parent page to a page document.

[2] When on a document page where the new parent page is applied

Ctrl + Shift + Click (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + Click (Mac)

to detach the text frame with MYTH you see from the applied parent page.

As long as you do not change anything from the detached element all properties of the element will still follow the ones from the parent page. Also its position!

But we warned: you never must move the text frame on the document page.

Otherwise the ability to move along when you move the text frame on the parent page will be lost.

See my document where I exactly did this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u0kcnlskhnrhmoj/NumberedList-MYTH-ParentPage-Applied.indd?dl=1

Open the document and move the text frame on the parent page.

Also move spreads around to see how the numbering will change if you, for example, move the spread with the yellow rectangles to the end of the document.

In a facing-pages document that method will allow you to do different positions for the MYTH text frames on pages left to spine or pages right to the spine. Just duplicate the frame on the left parent page to the right parent page and apply the MYTH parent page to a document page right to the spine…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[Laubender]

@zvi_t said: "Ok, first one worked. VERY tedious to set up the first time because unlike most settings in photoshop, you don't see real time changes, and have to keep going back to the settings, changing a bit, and rechecking. Thank you."

Hm. When you change the position in the object style, note the [  ] Preview option.

Named  [ x ] Vorschau in the screenshot from my German InDesign. Enable preview and you should see the result immediately while editing the values in the object style.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )