Help Needed with Text Column Formatting in 20-Page Project (Primary Text Option ON)

[K-Ten]

Hello there! 

• I have a project with 20 pages. I want to change a few pages to have 3 or 4 columns, depending on the content. Some pages need text columns within the paragraphs, not across the whole page.

• I tried adding the text columns on separate pages using the page edit option, but it didn't work.
  
  
• I have the "primary text" turned ON because I imported the Word file to get the content on all the pages.
  
  In Design Sample Video

[Mike Witherell]

I often make 3 or 4 Parent Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4 columns. Then I apply them to pages according to my layout needs.

Also, you might rarely use the Primary Text Frame since you need to change type layout in some pages. I find it easier to make text frames as I need them.

[K-Ten · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your quick reply.

After nonstop researching and experimenting, I found I could use text frame options and span columns along with the primary text ON. I am very new to Indesign, so I am still finding my workflow. I was asked to design in one full text, which automatically shifts if I delete some text. So, I had to keep the primary text option ON.

Is there any other way where I can work non-destructively? Where can the text move to another page as I design, and I can have more control over the text and the design?

[rob day]

so I am still finding my workflow

In case it isn't clear the Margins and Columns settings create a page's margin and column guides. To create actual text columns, you have to select the text frame and set the column count in Text Frame Options. 

[rob day]

I have the "primary text" turned ON

Hi @K-Ten , To leverage the power of Primary Text Frames, you would want to make a Parent spread setup as 2-columns. In that case you can easily apply different masters to the primary running text—more on primary text frame usage in this thread:

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

Here the A-parent is setup as 1 column with Primary Text Frames (icon has an arrow)

A B-parent with 2-column Primary Text Frames:

Now if I drag the B-parent page on to page linked to the A-parent, the running primary text is updated to 2-columns:

[K-Ten]

Thank you so much! I shall try this method as well. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

To recap...

If you want the entire page in 3-4 columns, it's best to use different master pages or just override the default column setting. (Twenty page is not very long, so if it's only a few pages, I would just do an override as the easist option.)

If you want to do a mix of columns in the text, use the span/split Columns feature (with paragraph styles!). Keep in mind that the column settings will flow from page-to-page if the text reflows.

If you want a mix but need to keep the column layout static (on the same page), use two separate text frames and link them together. (For example, 1 column on the top half and 3 columns on the bottom half.)