InDesign is selecting the wrong page in page display

[Thomas_Calvin]

I wonder how much time this bug has wasted.

I noticed that when changing section-specific info in the Layout / Number & Section Options menu, sometimes it would produce totally unexpected results and screw up multiple sections and page layout.

It turns out that this is because pages are inexplicably selected in the Pages tab, unrelated to where the insertion point resides. Sometimes two pages are selected at once in that pane, other times only one... but frequently the selected one(s) is wrong. I didn't select it, and it doesn't reflect the page on which I'm working.

Further experimentation shows that it usually selects both pages of a spread, instead of the one you put the insertion point on. That is a major PITA; if you click on the right page thinking you're going to start a new section, InDesign will instead start the section with the left page, messing things up.

With the insertion point sitting in text, I expect any changes made to the section or chapter options to affect the section in which I'm working; not in some arbitrarily (and automatically) highlighted thumbnail in a disconnected pane.

[Thomas_Calvin]

Aaand that's a Web page.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Aaand that's a Web page.

By @Thomas_Calvin

Yes, describing and naming parts of InDesign. 

I'm sorry, but if you'll use your own naming - then it will take a long time to help you. 

I think, we all were thinking / assuming, that you're placing your text cursor in the TextFrame on purpose - not that you were "randomly clicking around". 

Unfortunately, in InDesign - you need to click "on purpose", not randomly on things.

That's why, for example, you need to use layers - and lock / hide them - if you've overlapping elements - so when you click - you'll click/select correct object. 

[Thomas_Calvin]

It's not my own naming, and nobody else seems to have been "confused." These are standard terms for GUIs that have been around since the '80s. Windows, panes, dialogs... they all have specific meanings that nobody gets to arbitrarily change on a whim. Not Adobe. Not me. Not you.

You'd do well to inform yourself of these terms so you can avoid "confusion."

And I have no idea what you're talking about with "randomly clicking around." Nobody has said anything resembling that in the slightest. One of my screen shots even has "insertion point" clearly labeled with an arrow in the "confusing" area, not to mention the use of the word "editor" in the description. So... the terminology used was irrelevant. If graphics with arrows and circles aren't enough for you, there's nothing further I can do for you.

[rob day]

These are standard terms for GUIs that have been around since the '80s. Windows, panes, dialogs...

You can search the API here:

Dialog, Window, Panel

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Dialog.html

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Window.html

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Panel.html

[Thomas_Calvin]

Thanks Rob. I'm not worried about the API at the moment. What I'm doing right now is a fairly manual process; spending the time to automate it probably wouldn't provide a net gain over just plowing through it manually.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Thomas_Calvin

And I've just checked - to be 101% sure - you can edit your text - DOUBLE CLICK on some page in the Pages panel - then start typing or just hit arrows - and InDesign will get back to your text.

And will even re-select the page where you're editing your text. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Thomas_Calvin

Even more: 

1) I was typing in a TextFrame - on page "1", 

2) I've double clicked on page "3" in the Pages panel - to "activate" it - InDesign moved me there and showed me this page as "active" / selected, 

3) I've used hamburger menu to start Section, 

4) I hit arrows - InDesign got me back to the the text like I've never stopped editing. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

This is fairly normal behavior with most programs. Just looking at a page doesn't move your editing to that page. 

[rob day]

Hi @Thomas_Calvin , You could script the Page panel selection to match the text selection’s parent page:

try {
var sp = app.documents[0].selection[0].insertionPoints[0].parentTextFrames[0].parentPage;
app.activeWindow.activePage = sp
}catch(e) {} 

A random selection of pages in the Pages panel

After run

[Thomas_Calvin]

Interesting idea, Rob, thanks!

Not sure how one would trigger this to run on every mouse-click in the editor, however. And what if nothing is selected in the editor (which is typically true when I'm trying to do something like set new-section options)?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Thomas_Calvin

You can assign keyboard shortcut. 

There is try...catch in this script - so nothing will happen if you've "wrong" selection - or no selection at all. 

But it can also be modified to react when graphic element is selected. 

[rob day]

Not sure how one would trigger this to run on every mouse-click in the editor

A script can listen for just about any UI event.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Thomas_Calvin

To add to what @rob day said - if you're interested - here is a list of all Objects and types of Events:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Event.html#d1e34352