Page numbering in InDesign

[cwscarbrough]

I’ve recently updated to InDesign 19.0.1 and have started experiencing odd little bugs and performace issues. Not great, but manageable until today.

My new problem involves the formatting of numerals when inserting a page number marker in a text box with a text variable for a running head. Here’s what’s happening:

Verso header reads: folio en-space bullet en-space variable

Recto header reads: variable en-space-bullet en-space folio

Both are aligned away from the spine. Folios are roman, the rest italic. All caps, proportional lining numerals – at least I hope so.

All this is something I’ve done hundreds of times in the past without trouble. This time, I’m getting differing numeral formats from Verso (lining) to Recto (non-lining) and depending on the styling, utter chaos: two-digit folios with one lining and one non-lining numeral.

I’ve tried every possible version of style sheet (paragraph & character) to format the text. I’ve even pasted in a header from a document I need to match, but it goes wrong as soon as I paste it in place. Doesn’t matter: as long as everything is in the same text box (which I need to control spacing) something goes off the rails.

I can usually troubleshoot pretty nearly anything, but I could really use some help here. Thanks!

[Peter Spier]

Does it continue to happen if you use a different font? My instinct is this may be a font problem, possibly two or  more versions of a font with the same name installed (Happens a lot with fonts available through both Google Fonts and Adobe fonts, for example).

[cwscarbrough]

Thank you – it does seem to be font-related. If I change to Minion, say, it works normally. Problem is, I need to match a previous volume, so I’m locked in with Scala & Scala Sans. I’ve turned off the fonts in RightFont and activated them in Adobe Fonts, and the problem persists. Also, weirdly, if I duplicate the Recto arrangement and move it to the Verso, the problem persists. It seems like I might be stuck placing the elements in separate boxes and ignoring the irregular spacing – not ideal, but I’m on a deadline. I’d really appreciate any further insight.

[Peter Spier]

This really does sound like you have multiple versions of the Scala fonts installed (as I recall there are at least three locations, besides a document fonts folder in the same folder as the .indd, where fonts get installed on Mac).

Doing a file search for the fonts might be useful, but perhaps just collecting one version of them and putting them into a Document Fonts (case sensitive) folder with the .indd file might solve the problem for now.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Also, a minor consideration: InDesign has the minor flaw-bug-feature that text in fields does not wrap. Is it possible you're not allowing enough room for some headings, and things are getting pushed/squashed as a result?

[cwscarbrough]

Thank you – I did check the fit issue, but it doesn’t seem to be the case here. Wondering if it has to do with the coding of the font. Proportional non-lining numerals are the dafault, rather than proportional lining.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Just in case - what platform & OS version?

If Mac - latest InDesign isn't fully compatible with Sonoma.

[cwscarbrough]

Thank you – I’m on MacOS Ventura 13.0.1 on a Mac Studio. Fully up to date on everything. I’ve done the usual restarts and even went so far as to reinstall InDesign. No dice.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

The latest Ventura is 13.6.2 - I'm not Mac user, but a lot of people recommend to update - a lot of bugs fixed so InDesign works better... 

[cwscarbrough]

Thank you again – I seem to be a little deluded about my OS. Haven’t gotten the usual notifications. I’ll update this morning.

[BobLevine]

Do not move to Sonoma!

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yeah, forgot to mention that. 

@cwscarbrough DO NOT UPGRADE TO Sonoma!

[cwscarbrough]

Thanks for the warning. I’ve done the Ventura update. Is Sonoma that big a problem?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Can't give you any specifics - e.g. you need to turn of rulers - which for me is crazy - but please use search on this forum. 

[cwscarbrough]

Thanks again to everyone who weighed in on this one. I’ve devised a little work-around. It’s ugly, but it resolves the primary issue. The folio marker has to be in a separate text box and has to have a space character after it – absolutely nothing else in the text box. I hope this is specific to Scala (and this combination of InDesign & MacOS) because I’m about to start a huge, multivolume project, and this sort of problem would become a real nightmare if it recurs with other fonts. Cheers! CWS