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magical_Charm15C3
magical_Charm15C3
Inspiring
October 11, 2020
Answered

InDesign text autoflow

  • October 11, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 2805 views

In older versions of InDesign I could place a Word doc on the first page and then hold down shift as I clicked on the next page and the text would autoflow and create as many pages as needed. InDesign 2020 doesn't seem to do this.

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Correct answer Barb Binder

Here are two quick autoflow demos for you to take a look at—in both cases, page 2 is added automatically.

 

1.) No primary frames. Shift+click to autoflow the Word doc. Watch for the solid curved line cursor.

 

 

2.) Primary frames in place. Simply click to autoflow the Word doc.

 

Please take a look at these two workflows, and let us know what exactly you are doing.

 

~Barb

4 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 12, 2020

Here are two quick autoflow demos for you to take a look at—in both cases, page 2 is added automatically.

 

1.) No primary frames. Shift+click to autoflow the Word doc. Watch for the solid curved line cursor.

 

 

2.) Primary frames in place. Simply click to autoflow the Word doc.

 

Please take a look at these two workflows, and let us know what exactly you are doing.

 

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    magical_Charm15C3
    magical_Charm15C3Author
    Inspiring
    October 13, 2020

    I’ve been using InDesign since it supplanted PageMaker some 20 years ago and I’ve never noticed a primary text frame, but that solved the problem. Thanks, all.

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 12, 2020

      Are you placing the Word doc into a Master’s Primary Text frames, a Master’s threaded text flow (not Primary Text Frames), or are you not using masters and flowing the Word doc to the page margins?

      magical_Charm15C3
      magical_Charm15C3Author
      Inspiring
      October 12, 2020

      I'm thinking it might have something to do with the master pages text boxes, although I tried it with and without them witth no sucess. I'll experiment some more, thanks for all the suggestions.

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 12, 2020

      If you want the main text flow to be attached to a master, the master page threaded frames should normally be Primary.

       

      A Primary frame’s icon

       

      Primary text frames are automatically overridden on the pages when you set the document up with Primary Text Frame checked, so all you have to do is select, or click inside of the first page’s Primary frame–if you click outside the text will get placed on the page and not in the master’s Primary textflow.

       

      To get the placed text in a primary text frame to auto flow you will need Smart Text Reflow checked as Derek suggests

        Derek Cross
        Community Expert
        Derek CrossCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 12, 2020

        Ensure you have Smart Text Reflow ticked, under the Type tab, in InDesign preferences.

        jmlevy
        Community Expert
        jmlevyCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 12, 2020

        Hi Derek, it works even if the preference is unticked.

        jmlevy
        Community Expert
        jmlevyCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 12, 2020

        Nothing has changed about this. I just tested it again just now and it perfectly works. BTW, it is better to hold the shift key when you begin to import the text on the first page: the text will directly autoflow.

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