Flow text to even/odd pages only (parallel pages)

[Benjamin39010368auuu]

I have seen a few responses to this on the forum from a few years back which I have tried.  I have not found success.

I am trying to create even pages that flow to even pages and odds that flow to odd.  The idea is a dual language layout.

I have tried creating a four page parent with text boxes on each page.  I link page 1 to 3, and 2 to 4.  In the parent when I add filler text, it behaves as expected.

When I use the parents to make actual pages, the behaviors don't seem to work.  I paste the text into page 1, it flows into page 3 but will not continue to make new pages flowing text on newly created pages 5, 7, etc.

I've tried the same process using just a two-page parent.  I paste the text into the textbox of page 1, which overflows.  Then I link it to the textbox in page 3.  It links properly to continue the text, but doesn't generate new pages. 

Quite frustrating for a novice.  Any help would be appreciated.  

Thanks!

[Eugene Tyson · Accepted solution]

This works for me 

Setup the Parent Pages text frames and don't link them - standalone text frames

Page 1 free the text frame from the parent page

Same for page 2 and 3 

Link Page 1 to page 3

Link page 2 to page 4

Then when you're text is overset - click the outport and shift click on the page you want to flow to 

and it flows the rest of the text into either left or right which you selected

Simple test file attached.

[Benjamin39010368auuu]

@Eugene Tyson Thank you for this reply.  Your file works exactly as I wanted it to.

I can't understand what I am doing wrong when I follow your very clear instructions.  Can you identify what I am doing wrong?

I make a two-page parent.  On the first page, I make a text box.  On the second page, I make a second textbox.  I do not link them. 

I click and drag the two-paged parent into the pages, it makes the two pages.  I do this again to have four pages.

From there, I free the text boxes from the parent by control-shift clicking on each one individually on pages 1-4.

Then I click the outport button and link textbox on page 1 to page three (the icon is a little chain).  I do the same for 2 to 4.  Testing as this point with placeholder text has 1 overflow to 3, and 2 to 4 which is perfect.  Then I have problems.

I copy (control-C) the very long text and paste (control-V) into page 1.  It flows to page 3 and then overflows.  No additional pages are created.

If I add pages 5 and 6 from the two-page parent, free the textboxes as above, click the overset outflow box (red) and click into page 5 textbox the following possibilities happen:

1. click, no shift (link icon) - fills textbox, overset red box appears at bottom right, no new pages
2. shift-click in the middle of the textbook (squiggly overflow arrow in between two parentheses)- creates a new textbook where I click, overflows onto the next page and makes necessary number of pages disregarding even/odd. (1-->3-->4,5,6,7 etc.)
3. shift-click in the upper left corner of the textbox (squiggly overflow arrow with upper-left right angle)- overflows into the textbox and then overflows into the next page and continues sequentially (1-->3-->4,5,6,7 etc.)    
4. shift-click very carefully in the inport button on the top left of the target textbox (the overflow arrow in between parentheses)-  Fills only the textbox, doesn't generate new pages.  
5. shift-click very carefully in the inport button on the top left of the target textbox (icon as the overflow with the right angle)-  Makes a new textbox size of parent textbox.  Overflows as 1-->3-->4,5,6,7 etc.

I attached a file to show you what I have done. 

Thanks in advance!

[Eugene Tyson · Accepted solution]

Not 100% sure what's going wrong for you there. 

I think maybe freeing the pages before threading. 

You don't need to free the text frames - try just clicking the red overflow outport then shift clicking on the desired page. 

[Benjamin39010368auuu]

OK, got it to work.  I used my file, but instead of linking an empty 1 to 3, and 2 - 4.  I created pages 1 - 4, then  pasted my text into 1, then shift clicked into 3.  Then I can add text 2, outflow shift-click to 4.  It worked perfectly.  Thanks!

[Eugene Tyson]

Great news! Thanks for the update.