How do I set up a multiple page document with alternating master (parent) pages in Indesign?

[rhondak37849348]

How do I set up a multiple page document with alternating master (parent) pages in Indesign automatically, quickly or easily? I need to create a 200 page document made up of A Left Master and B Right Master facing pages. Eg: Page 1 A, Page 2 B, Page 3 A, Page 4 B....... Page 199 A, Page 200 B.
Manually adding 100 B master pages after each A master page is not practical. Surely this should be an option in the 'Document Setup' as I assume it's a very common thing.

[rhondak37849348 · Accepted solution]

Ok, just found this method:

Even and odd pages for Master Page set up

* Set up document to the total amount of pages needed

* Set up A and B Parent pages

* Copy the page ranges from below these instructions

* Click on the Parent Page you want to apply to particluar document pages (eg: all even pages)

* Right click to select ‘Apply Parent to Pages..’

* Paste in page ranges

Evens 

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, 180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200

Odds

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129, 131, 133, 135, 137, 139, 141, 143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 153, 155, 157, 159, 161, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 181, 183, 185, 187, 189, 191, 193, 195, 197, 199

[Laubender]

Hi rhondak37849348,

exactly that solution would have been my suggestion for non-facing-pages documents.

With a facing-pages document this is not necessary, because there would be one parent page for odd and one parent page for even pages by default.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Barb Binder]

Hi @rhondak37849348:

I think I'm just misunderstanding the question altogether. A sketch or screen shot would help. Are you asking how to make the left body pages look different from the right body pages? Why do you need to assign A to each left and B to each right? Can't you simply design the left and right sides to look the way you like on the A-parent?

~Barb

[rhondak37849348]

Hi Barb, sorry, I've probably confused it with the left right thing. Basically I just need to set up a 200 page document that is Page 1 the A master and then Page 2 the B master and then just alternate A B A B A B throughout 200 pages. (Screenshot of the pages dialogue box attached as A B A B A B). I eventually used the method I posted above which made it easy (found after posting my original question) but in my opinion I think there should be a way to do this in the original document set up. 

[Barb Binder]

Hi Rhonda:

It is easy to set up a facing pages (or double-sided) document, where the left and right pages look different from each—typical setup for books, where the page numbers are in the outer corners, for example. This is done with just the A-Parent.

Your screen shot shows a single-sided document—so I am assuming you will not be printing double sided? In that scenario, what you did was likely the easiest approach. Most books are double-sided though so I'm still a bit confused. 😊

~Barb

[rhondak37849348]

Thanks Barb, it is a double sided document. I just want to be easily able to set up the A B A B A B A B page configuration for 200 pages (odd, even, odd, even, odd, even etc). When we originally set up a document it only allows all A master pages then I have to go in and change to or add B pages after setup (as far as I know). I was manually dragging the B master into the pages dialogue box which was tedious for adding another 100 pages, or making it 200 pages and selecting each odd numbered A pages and changing them to B pages. And typing out 2,4,6,8,10, etc for 100 pages to add in the 'Apply to pages' is also tedious and open to error. I managed to find a place to cut and paste that sequence of even or odd numbers which I’ll keep on file and use for future documents. Unless there's a better way to setup 200 pages in the formation of ABABABAB quickly.... Maybe I'm missing something simple??

[Barb Binder]

Hi Rhonda:

I'm sure it is me but I still can't figure out why you can't do this with the A-Parent, which can have a different look on the left and right pages.

Can you share a screen shot of a sample left and right page body? 

~Barb

[rhondak37849348]

So sorry, I actualy just want single pages, not facing pages. I shouldn't have said facing pages, or left and right, just plain single pages one after the other, not next to each other. 

[Barb Binder]

Hi Rhonda:

In that case, you did it correctly and I'll go ahead and mark your second answer as correct. 

To address your original concern:

Surely this should be an option in the 'Document Setup' as I assume it's a very common thing.

This is not a common thing, and cannot be addressed in Document Setup. Personally, I've never run across this specific request before—obviously others have because you found a solution online—and I've been in the business a very long time. 

Please do come back next time you have a question for us. 

~Barb

[Bob28960358z3ke]

I've had this same problem as I'm using a book printer that only allows you to submit documents as SINGLE pages, no facing pages, i.e. spreads. I honestly don't know why they require submissions this way but it obviously precludes using spreads. I need to convert my book of 290 pages from two-up facing pages to single pages before submitting. In doing so, I  created a 'B' parent for the right hand page and have to apply that to each individual right-hand page. Was hoping there was a place in the interface where I could ask Indesign to apply 'A' parent to even numbered pages and 'B' parent to odd numbered pages. Or, as the original poster answered, do it by listing page numbers out which will work but seems labor intensive. Indesign makes this easy for facing pages, but not for those situations where a printer insists on single page documents rather than spreads.