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Carolyn32257242he70
Known Participant
May 1, 2024
Answered

Newbie struggling with having page number 1 on Page 2

  • May 1, 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 4853 views

Hi there... please can someone help me?  Page 1 is my front cover I need page 2 (the first page of text) to be numbered page 1.
I have a [None] Master page applied to the front cover (page 1, that I want to show NO number) and Parent A applied to pages 2 onwards (where I want the numbering to start). I have the numbers working ok, but they start from 2, (even though there is no number on page 1, where [None] is applied).

When I go Layout > Numbering and "start new section from page 1" I am shown a box that says "A Page in this section already exists in another section. Click Cancel and specify an unique section prefix (which is NOT what I want)..." etc.  
I have followed along with various youtube videos that just say to do the above and "great job! Your page 2 now starts at Page 1!" I'd be congratulating myself if this were indeed the case, but alas NOTHING I have tried has worked and my head is itchy from scratching it in wonder.

If someone could please be kind enough to shed some light on what this newbie is doing so epically wrong, I would greatly appreciate it! Many thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer James Gifford—NitroPress

Hi Eugene, please can you tell me how you got this to be "i" and then Page 1, 2 following etc?  If you could lay out the steps for me? I'm so sorry to ask, but I'm at my wit's end and about to just let it all start from page 2 and hope nobody notices!

I have tried to do this: from page 1 (Numbering > section prefix is (but should it be automatic or start numbering from page 1?) I don't think I'm getting it right because nothing changes. Page 2 is STILL marked as page 2 and not page 1.

🙏


You control page numbering by assigning sections. Each section can have its own numbering scheme and start at any defined number, from "Continue Automatic Numbering" to "Restart at 1" or"Start at 37."

 

If you create or assign no sections, the whole document is "Section 1" and numbers from the first page.

 

The very simple solution to make your first right-hand text page start at 1 is to assign that third physical page a new section start — select the page in the Pages panel, right-click, select Numbering and Section Options, then check the New Section box and set the numbering below to 'Start Page Numbering at 1."

3 replies

rob day
Community Expert
rob dayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2024

Page 1 is my front cover I need page 2 (the first page of text) to be numbered page 1.

 

Hi @Carolyn32257242he70 , Also, if page 1 is your cover, page 2 would have to be the inside cover—not page 1 of the text:

 

 

When the book is bound, the spreads get imposed and folded at the spine—page 1 is the cover, page 2 is the inside cover, page 3 is the first text page, etc... Eugene is showing how to start the page 3 auto numbering at 1.

 

    C
    Carolyn32257242he70Author
    Known Participant
    May 1, 2024

    Hi Rob... Yes I was thinking that actually the first page of actual text would be page 3... like this is where the "table of Contents" would be. It still is impossible for me to make these numbers start in any other place though than "the cover". I am in the process of deleting the whole thing and starting again to see if I've done a step wrong. I'm sure I'll look back on this one day and laugh (though this is not that day!) Thank you!

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    May 1, 2024

    Well, InDesign doesn't allow you (typically) to start an odd page on the Left Hand Side

    That's because InDesign is primarily a tool for typesetting - and it's how it's done for books - Page 1, Page 3 etc are always right hand pages.

     

    Just because Indesign doesn't typically allow it doesn't mean it can't be done. 

     

    And I wish InDesign was a bit more flexible in this - but I can see why it's not at the same time. 

     

    I think in about 25 years experience - I've only come across a handful of times where people wanted page 1 to start on the left.

     

     


    The only way around ID's rigid numbering system is something close to manual numbering of the pages. (Actually, for shorter projects, simple manual numbering cuts through a lot of hassle and setup.)

     

    But you can also place a small text frame on each relevant Parent page and then flow in a numbering list of any kind or order, so that pages are semi-automatically assigned the next number in the list. Projects discussed here have had reversed page numbering, two (or more) page numbers on a single document page, one number on a spread, etc. — all things more or less impossible with the standard numbering system, which is very rigid about what pages and numbering are.

     

    But — again — these nonstandard appoaches need a strong justification. Just sort of choosing to do things oddly isn't always a good idea.

    Frans v.d. Geest
    Community Expert
    Frans v.d. GeestCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 1, 2024

    Please remember: we read from left to right, so a uneven numbered page can never be a left page. An uneven numbered page is always a right page and an even numbered page always a left page. You can check yourself looking at any book or magazine you have(!).

    C
    Carolyn32257242he70Author
    Known Participant
    May 1, 2024

    Hi Frans, Thanks so much for this 🙂 I'm going to have to try to figure out what it means. I do want the left page to be page 1 (currently now it reads as page 2), so yes that's how I would like it to be, odd number on left, even number on right). However I'm so new I can't imagine how confused I will be looking through my document as I'm trying to work through it, if all the A pages have "B" under them (I'm assuming this will carry on forward through the document).

     don't know why I can't just make it start from the page that I want it to. It seemed pretty easy on the video I watched. Maybe I have to delete it and start again and actually start the numbering FROM page 2.  Thank you anyway, I will try to apply what you've said and see how I go. Many thanks!

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 1, 2024

    If you get that warning you can pretty much ignore it.

     

    I would typically, out of simplicity, change the Cover page (your page 1 in the document) to a Numbering Section starting with A or something.
    So all your Parent Pages from Section A come before Page 1 
    This avoids that conflict.

    You're getting this (which is ok)


    ----------------------

    ----------------------
    Result is this

      

     

    ----------------------

    ----------------------

    For Page 1 (actual at the top do this)

     

     So it looks like this

     

     

     

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