lock text boxes and frames but not its content

[hendy_5450]

how can i lock all text boxes, but not the text and all frames with pictures, but not the pictures so that all pages have the same layout without having things move around

[Peter Spier]

If all pages should have the same objects in the same size and position, then putting those objects on the Parent Page is probably the best approach.

[hendy_5450]

And then how do I change them on each page without allowing them to be
moved around?

[jmlevy]

Did you try my suggestion?

[Peter Spier]

If you follow @jmlevy 's suggestion you will be able to lock the objects on the Parent page but still hover your loaded cursor over them and place content on the document page and they will not move.

[jmlevy]

Uncheck this option in the preferences.

[hendy_5450]

where by preferences do i find this?

[Peter Spier]

That's the "General" screen, the first on on the list.

[hendy_5450]

don't see it

[jmlevy]

Object editing. You have already unchecked the option.

[hendy_5450]

this doesn't work. I can't edit any objects that are from my parent pg.

[Peter Spier]

If you are using objects on the parent page they must be empty frames, and sized and positioned as they are meant to be in the final form (which is what I understood you intended). 

On the document page, use File > Place.. to ad the content into the empty frames by hovering the loaded cursor over them and clicking.

[jmlevy]

this doesn't work. I can't edit any objects that are from my parent pg.

To edit objects that are on a parent page, you must release them first. 

[jmlevy]

this doesn't work. I can't edit any objects that are from my parent pg.

[jmlevy]

To edit objects that are on a parent page, you must release them first. 

[BobLevine]

What exactly are you trying to do? It's a bit hard to point you in the right direction without a precise workflow.

[hendy_5450]

it's very simple.
I'm trying to create a cookbook with the the pictures and recipes in the
same spot on each page, I want to edit the text and place a new picture on
each page but not be able to move so that each one is in the same spot on
each page

[jmlevy]

The solution is very simple, too…

As I answered previously, create the text frames and image frames you need on a parent page. Lock them. If you have unchecked the “Prevent selection of locked objects” option, only the position will be locked, but it will not prevent you to edit the content of these frames.

Of course, like any object located on a parent page, you will have to release them first to be able to select them on the current page, but it's very easy to do: select all the pages you want to work on > right click > release all parent pages objects (or something similar, that's the translation of the french menu). The shortcut is Shift Alt Commmand L on a Mac, Shift Alt Control L on Windows.

If you don't want to use parent pages you could also create a library or a snippet with rhese elements and place them each time you need them, but I thing that it will take more time.

[BobLevine]

That is simple and so is the explanation of what you need to do. And it's been explained, but I'll try again.

• Check your general preferences and be sure that "Prevent Selection of Locked Objects in UNCHECKED!
• Create the parent page with an EMPTY graphic frame and an EMPTY text frame. 
• Lock the positions of both.
• On the live page, do not over ride anything. PLACE the text and the picture using the File>Place command. Select the graphic and the Text files and when you run your cursor of the appropriate frame you'll see the cursor change and you can drop your content in place.

If you're thinking of putting dummy text and graphics in place, don't do that. Leave the frames empty. These screen shots should help:

[jmlevy]

On the live page, do not over ride anything

I always thought that it was necessary to release the frame to be able to place an image into the frame.

[BobLevine]

You learn something new every day. 🙂