Text Flow on Alternate or Adjacent Pages

[Jack]

The last time that I was editing a document in spread view, it was my recollection that there were text-flow boxes that I could connect by dragging, in order for text fo flow from one page (or text-box) to the next.

My current document is a calendar with text not on all pages, and laid out in pages, not spreads. I am not seeing the usual text-flow boxes on my pages, to allow an orderly flow of text from one page to the next.

Please advise if I first need to create a page master, in order to have access to those flow boxes, or is there another way to achieve my goal? Or do I need to create my calendar in spread view (see below)?

All of my calendar pages are laid out at 11" x 8.5". In the past, calendars have been simpler, and were successfully published without use of spreads. Spreads, if needed, would then be facing pages of that size, with each spread measuring 11" x 17".

Title was edited by: Barb Binder

[Jack]

Before posting, I meant to change the title of the post to 'Text Flow on Alternate or Adjacent Pages'.

[Gusgsm · Accepted solution]

Please advise if I first need to create a page master, in order to have access to those flow boxes, or is there another way to achieve my goal?

Excuse me, but I am not very sure what is your exact goal, because you have described some troubles but not exactly what you want to achieve. So, I apologize if I have misunderstood you:

1. Yes, The best way to work long documents with ID in a coherent and repetitive way (pages) is using master pages.

2. Automatic flow of text frames is set in master pages by placing text frames there and checking the little rectangle they have in the upper left corner.

3. The automatic flow is set then in "Preferences - Text" checking the options in "Smart text reflow".

4. However, at least in some versions, the smart text reflow of a master spread (two pages or more) of a document with facing pages is... difficult, and here may be your trouble:

If you want the text to flow only in even pages and not in odd ones, the logic would say that you should place text frames with smart reflow only in the even pages of the master spreads, right? Well... Not quite. In some versions (stuck in CS6 at my job place), that does not work. You need to work with "not facing pages" document OR you need to have text frames with smart reflow in all the pages of the master spread.

So, if you want to work with smart reflow in that kind of alternate layout, you need to work with not facing pages document or... (here is the "trick"): you flow a text frame as well in the odd pages of your master spread and then render it "useless" by placing something with text wrap over it.

So, InDesign will think that the text flows in all the pages of the facing pages spread and it will add the needed pages automatically, but the text will flow only in those pages that you want it to.

Not sure if this is what you need.

Best regards

[Jack]

Thanks, very helpful.

jwc