InDesign Won't Allow me to create a Primary Text Frame on Recto AND Verso Pages on Master Spread

[craftycurate]

Hi

I've run into a strange issue. I created a new Facing Pages document from scratch, as I have many times, with Primary Text Frame (PTF) on both pages.

I accidentally deleted one of the PTFs at some point, so I created a new text frame, and tried to set it to be a PTF.

However, InDesign won't let me create a PTF on both Recto and Verso pages. If I set the Recto one to be a PTF, the Verso one reverts to a normal text frame and vice versa.

If I create a new file, with Facing Pages and PTF ticked, it's fine - both recto and verso text frames are PTFs.

What is happening here? Can I repair this broken file, or is it corrupted\bugged, and should I start again?

Thanks for your help!

Richard

[Randy Hagan · Accepted solution]

You can only create one primary text frame. Though you can extend it far past the first text frame.

1. Create your first text frame on the left-hand page of a master-page spread. Go to your Arrow/Selection Tool and place the cursor over the Entry Icon near the top left corner of the text frame.
2. Right-click your mouse while the cursor is over the icon and select the Primary Text Frame menu option from the flyaway menu.
3. Move your cursor to the Exit Icon at the lower-right of the text frame, then click on it with the left mouse button. This "picks up" the Primary Text Frame.
4. Go to the right-hand page of your spread and click or drag-select to create your text frame for that page. It looks like two text frames, but you'll see that there will be a diagonal line from the two frames connecting them, and if you right-click on the Entry Icon on the right-hand page, you'll see it also is your Primary Text Frame on your master page spread in your flyaway menu.

So you're not able to create another primary text frame. But you can extend your primary text frame to entail multiple text frames. The steps above should get you past your issue.

Hope this helps,

Randy

[craftycurate]

Hi Randy ...

This explains things perfectly, and I've got it working now using your steps. I had read that each Master PAGE can only have one PTF, but hadn't clocked that this also applies to Master SPREADS.

Many thanks!
Richard

[Randy Hagan]

Glad I could help. If you get in a bind working with InDesign — or heck, any Adobe program — don't hesitate to come back here and call for help. There are lots of sharp folks around here who can lend a hand.

Hope you enjoy the weekend,

Randy

[craftycurate]

I appreciate that Randy.

I usually only post once I've exhausted my own attempts to resolve or fix my issue, but when the moment comes to reach out I've found the community here very helpful as you say 🙂

Have a good day,
Richard

[rob day]

Make sure there isn't a hidden text frame set to primary somewhere on the right master page.

There can only be one primary text frame per page, but each page of a spread can contain a primary frame-- a two page spread could have two threaded primary frames.

[craftycurate]

Hi Rob

Thanks for your reply.

However I haven't been able to replicate that setup on a two page spread - it seems I can only have one PTF per two page spread. Any attempt I've made to convert a second text frame into a PTF on the 2 page spread reverts the existing PTF to a normal text frame, which was what confused me and prompted the original post.

I may be doing something wrong of course ... but I was not able to get InDesign to do anything different from what I've described.

Thanks

Richard

[rob day]

Make sure the two frames are threaded:

[craftycurate]

Thanks Rob ... I think it's maybe terminology, as this is what was described by Randy above, but described in that case as a single PTF extended across multiple frames rather than separate PTFs, but it's the same thing in the end, described in different ways.

And now that my frames are threaded, the PTF icon appears on both frames as indicated, so I'm good to go.

Thanks everyone
Richard