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Question

How do I copy and paste on all or multiple pages in indesign

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
March 15, 2024
5 replies
15443 views

Pretty self-explanatory, I want to copy an element (text box, if that matters) and paste it in place on every page in my indesign document. Does anyone know how this is done?

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

https://creativepro.com/files/jongware/binaries/multipagepaste.zip

Mike Witherell

Barb Binder

Community Expert

We are always happy to help. 😊 And it sounds like waiting for Eugene's script will be the way to move forward.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

Barb Binder

Community Expert

Hi @M. Haam:

As per @Eugene Tyson, this isn't a native feature within InDesign. Both and he @Steve Werner recommended using parent pages—which is also how I would approach this as well. Since you indicated concern about the stacking order—add two new layers to your file: one for the page numbers and one for the repeating image. Be sure the page number layer is above the repeating image layer. You can learn more about layers here: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/layers.html

I also added the scriping tag to your post, in case you want to pursue that part of Eugene's answer. (Edit: too late on my part, Eugene is on it! 😀)

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

M

M. Haam

Known Participant

Thanks, Barb! These would all be great solutions - and the way I would set up the file, were I the one who created the file. However, I inherited this file from another designer who didn't do any set up at all. I have a 70 page document that needs page numbers and using the parent pages isn't an option - unless I create the layers in parents and then rebuild all the pages to use the parent. So you can see the pickle I'm in. Either way, appreciate your time.

L

Laubender

Community Expert

@M. Haam said: "… I have a 70 page document that needs page numbers and using the parent pages isn't an option - unless I create the layers in parents and then rebuild all the pages to use the parent."

Well, if one single parent page is applied throughout all document pages you have to do that 2 steps only once.

Go to the parent page, [1] add a new layer at the top of the stack of layers and [2] add your element you want to see on all pages on that layer. This layer should be reserved for elements on parent pages that you like to see on the top of all other elements on the document pages.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

Steve Werner

Community Expert

So if you have multiple Parent pages, add the element to each of your Parent pages.

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Put it on your Parent Page then it's on every page in the same place.

If you need to access to make a change change it on the Parent Page.

M

M. Haam

Known Participant

This doesn't answer the actual question. "How do I copy/paste on all or multiple pages". What if pasting into the parent page doesn't work? For instance, I have page numbers that, if I put them in the Parent Page, get covered by imagery in the child page. So, I need to put page numbers on the child pages.
Is there any way to "paste across all pages"?

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Sorry, I thought it was implied, the awkward avoided answer is no you cannot paste onto multiple pages simultaneously.

A method that works is using parent pages and then it's on all those parent pages.

Every workflow has caveats, perhaps it can be scripted or a script exists already.

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