Master page text frames are ignored when using autoflow

[steveb65490047]

I am having an issue where the text frames I have created on my Master pages are being ignored when new pages are automatically created when autoflowing text. Indesign creates new text frames on the automatically created pages (based on the page margin settings) and flows the text into those, instead of using the existing text frames from the Master Page. The master page text frames are still there on the auto created pages, but they are empty.

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong please? Should I not have text frame on my master pages and just let indesign create text frames based on the margin settings, or is there a way to get indesign to use, rather than ignore them, when it creates pages and flows the text? Thanks,

[Willi Adelberger]

Do you have primary text frames or normal text frames on the parent/master page?

If you have primary text frames, click only on the page and it will automatically add pages and fill these frames. 
If you have normal text frames, you have to override the text frame and click shift to add pages. If you have added pages before you have to go to each page and link manually on each page on the frame. Otherwise you will add another frame on each page. 
If you want later change the parent/master with a primary text frame you can apply it directly and the text will reflow. With a normal text frame you have the problem as reapplying another or the same parent/master will add another text frame and you might end up with a stack of text frames on your pages. 

[steveb65490047]

Hi Will, thank you for your reply but I'm sorry, I think you have perhaps misunderstood.

I have primary text frames on the master page spread. That being the case, I know I only have to click on the page in the document to autoflow the text and have pages created automatically as required. I also know about shift clicking to 'activate' the text frames if they are normal (not primary). This is not the issue.

I have one single spread based on my master page in my document (I have not added other pages). My problem is that when I click on the primay text frame on that initial page in the document to autoflow the text, the text flows into that primary text frame on the first page and then into the one on the opposite page, but for every other spread that is then created automatically, Indesign creates new text boxes to flow the text into and ignores the primary text boxes from the master, even though the master is being applied to those new pages.

So other than the initial spread which works as expected, every other page in the document has a new text frame with the flowed text in it (based on margin settings) plus an empty primary text frame from the master page.

I'm not sure how your reply was marked as the correct answer because I'm afraid it isn't.

[Willi Adelberger · Accepted solution]

Are the primary text frames on the parent/master linked to each other?

[steveb65490047 · Accepted solution]

I'm still not quite sure what the original problem was but I solved the issue by starting from scratch with a new document and letting Indesign create the primary text frames when the new document was initialised. Now it works as expected. Before I was working on an existing template document (suppplied by a client) and had created the master pages with primary text frames myself. Anyway, the problem is now solved.

[steveb65490047]

Wil - just seen your latest reply. Yes they were linked to each other.

[steveb65490047]

Sorry Willi - I spelt your name wrong twice! but I can't see how to edit my posts...

[Robert at ID-Tasker · Accepted solution]

You should have "..." right under the contents of your reply - after "Upvote" and "Translate".