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Inspiring
December 20, 2023
Question

How do I import and replace parent pages?

  • December 20, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 809 views

Hello. I have several long Indesign files to eventually compile into a book. I altered margins, guides and running headers in the 'A' Main Body parent page of one of the files. I'd like to use that 'A' parent page across the rest of the files. I tried applying it to the other files, but it creates an extra  'E' parent page instead. I then tried a couple of things, including applying that 'E' parent page to all pages, but it places that information atop what's already there rather than replacing what's there. I also tried dragging 'E' on top of  'A' in the parent section of pages, and it does something similar. How do I import the parent page 'A' so that it simply replaces the current parent page 'A' and applies its settings to all 'A'-based pages?

Thank you

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1 reply

James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
December 20, 2023

I'd wrap them in a Book and use the sync feature with your "A" chapter set as the style reference.

Inspiring
December 20, 2023

Interesting idea. Is there a way to then unwrap them and have the style remain in each file?

James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
December 20, 2023

INDD files remain completely independent in a Book, subject only to the book process changing page and note numbers throughout the component files when it's updated. You can do anything you like with any INDD file as part of a book; synchronizing and updating are almost wholly on-demand steps. And it's the only good way I know to sync styles, page layouts, all that among what are supposed to be identically structured chapters.

 

You can simply delete the INDB file at any time, and it will have no effect on the formerly collected INDD files.