Primary Text Frame question

[117117117]

My first master page (A) had a primary text frame with 3 colums.

I filled 5 pages with placeholder text, so all this text was now in 3 columns on every page. 

Then I made a second master page (B) based on A, but the primary text frame from A didn't transfer. I got over this hurdle by creating my own text frame, making it 4 colums (which is what I wanted it to be) and then making it a primary text frame.

However, when I applied master page B to a page in my document, the text stayed in 3 columns, instead of four. I can see the lines of the primary text frame sitting there, but the text is still in 3 columns. What did I do wrong?

[J E L]

@117117117 Try this: instead of basing the B parent/master page on A, duplicate A to become B, change your columns to four, go back and reapply B. Is the page where this is applied still only showing three columns?

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi @117117117:

When you base a new master on a previous master with designated primary frames, the new master will also have designated primary frames. However, if you change the columns using Layout > Margins and Columns you are changing the page columns and not the frame columns. Select the 2 primary frames on B-Master and change the frame columns to 2. Then apply the B-Master to the body pages and the text will reflow. 

~Barb