Number Populate in text boxes

[mattg2]

I am trying to duplicate a singular text box and have a more straightforward way to have each text box's text be a number that is sequential. 

I just want about 96 text boxes to go from 1-96.  I obviously can do this manually, but I have to think there might be a secret trick to this.

Thanks,

Matt

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Use a numbered list paragraph style. I would also set style to start in the next text frame.

[mattg2]

I did that.  It worked in frame one.  But the numbering does not seem to be continuing to the following frames.  Any ideas?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

You need to link them together.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Just to clarify, the text frames don't have to be linked either on one page or across multiple pages. The options for the numbered list need to be set to continue across all text frames.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But then in what order on the page they needs to be to be counted properly?

Left-right, top-bottom = rows 

or

Top-bottom, left-right = columns

[m1b]

But then in what order on the page they needs to be to be counted properly?

It seems to number them in the text frame creation order—probably the text frame's id property. - Mark

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Then linking them together is much better option 😉

[m1b]

Hmm, you raise an nteresting question. My intuition (from experience, but never explicitly tested) is that Indesign never repeats a text frame id in the same document. If this is the case, then not-linking would be a very robust approach, and quite a bit simpler than linking 96 frames together. I'd definitely try that first. Personally.

- Mark

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yes, IDs are unique per collection of objects. With more "positive" side effects 😉 

But my point is - what, if for some reason, you need to add TF "in the middle"? With threaded TFs you just click in/out port and draw new TF...

I'm a strong believer that even with simple / one-off tasks - it's better to do things right from the beginning 😉

Even with 96 TFs - if/when most of them are on the same page - you can make linked row / column, duplicate it and then just link last with first 😉 

[m1b]

You make a good point. Still, unless you have many numbered text frames on the same page it might not matter, because page order is prioritized over frame id anyway. However, doing manual page imposition would probably ruin my list, whereas yours would be solid. I haven't tested.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

😉 with few TFs - I wouldn't bothered either - but with 96... It could be painful to reorganise them if layout needs to be changed 😉 

At least one more benefit with linked TFs - you have all the extra options offered by ParaStyle options - like where the paragraph needs to start? So you can skip some TFs and start from the next page / spread. 

Or - you can quickly replace the contents 😉 when you need something more than just the numbers 😉 import from TXT/DOC or prepare in Excel 😉

Etc. 😉 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Frames do NOT have to be linked.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

If they are on one page, you can create a large number of text boxes in seconds: 

click and drag a large text box

do not let go of the mouse button

use the arrow keys to add rows and columns

let go of mouse button when you get to the number of boxes you want.

They will be linked. When you apply a numbered-list style set to next frame keep options, you can just type returns to add numbers to boxes. I did a quick test and it took less than a minute.

[m1b]

Hi David, that sounds really cool! However I couldn't get it to work (ID 18.1, MacOS 13.2). Are you sure it isn't using a plug-in? - Mark

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Not a plug-in and it works cross-platform. Make sure you do not let go of the mouse button until the very end.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

So do they have to be linked or not? 😉 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Lists will work between either linked or unlinked text frames. The option to continue numbering across threads is on by default but it should be double-checked.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Looks like you've missed few posts 😉 

[jmlevy]

No need to link the frames, no necessary plugin:

1. create a new paragraph style, and choose a numbered list in the “bullets and numbering” options. Be sure to create a list in the List dropdown menu. 
   
   
   The first option must be ticked, the second does not matter if you don't use the book feature
   
   
   
   define the numbering style, as usual
   
2. create a text frame, apply the paragraph style and type a space to trigger the auto numbering
3. duplicate the frame to get a new numbered frame. So simple!
   
   
   Numbering order is defined chronologically: the last frame created has the higher number. If you want to renumber, you can cut the desired frame and paste it in place: it will become the latest one and all the frames of the list will be renumbered.

If I remember well, Anne-Marie Concepción gave a trick on InDesign secrets years ago in which she explained how to change the stack order in the layers panel to renumber the frames, but I can't find it any more and I am unable to make it work.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

We have already discussed it 😞

What if you want to ADD new TF in the middle ?

Or change the contents - add something more - and unique - than just numbers ?

Or start from Next Spread - skip some TFs on the current page ?

With linked / threaded TFs - not a problem - with 96 separate TFs ... on different pages ...

[jmlevy]

That's a completely different purpose. The solution given by @FRIdNGE that I have ticked as correct and that I have used many times is very useful in touristic maps, for example, when you want to number touristic areas of a city with automatic increasing, instead of manually numbering ach separate frame. I also used it in quizzes like this:

 

The grey square is a anchored text frame at the beginning of the line with auto numbering. If I copy paste this line, the second question will be numbered as 2 (or b, and so on). Of course, I could use a rule (above or below) to get the grey square on the left of the frame, but this means that I have to calculate the rule offset to properly set it up, and this is a very tiedous process if the width of the text frame changes.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yes, everything depends on the end goal - and only as long as you won't need to insert any new numbers in between... 

I'm pretty sure you can achieve your empty square using a glyph? 

[jmlevy]

I'm pretty sure you can achieve your empty square using a glyph?

Yes, sure, but not a square filled with a letter.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yes, you can 😄 almost 😉

But it works only up to 9 and numbers only 😉 and rather should be used in separate TFs 😉