Trying to save a book

Thank you for the screen shot, @Grundoon Groundhog. 

When I have chapters 2-infinity set up for Automatic Page Numbering as shown below for the last chapter:

–and–

The same book page numbering options that you do, it starts the next chapter on the next page (in the case of chapter 3, on page 10) and doesn't add extra pages in InDesign or in the PDF.

I normally follow printing conventions, so "in real life" I would enable auto page numbering for chapters 2-infinity, but I would change the book page numbering as follows:

This adds a blank page (page 10) to the end of chapter 2 in InDesign (and in the PDF) to allow chapter three to begin on a right page (page 11), because in print, chapters typically begin on a right page. 

Is your experience different?

~Barb

That setting will continue pagination/numbering from chapter [file] to chapter. If Chapter One ends on page 47, an odd/right-hand page, Chapter Two will then begin on page 48. an even/left-hand page. If that's what you want — and this would be correct if you split up a book chapter into multiple consecutive files — all good. If you want the more standard format of each chapter beginning on an odd/right-hand page, you'd set the choice to that. In the above case, Chapter One would end on p47, have a blank p48 following (inserted by the Book/export process) and then Chapter Two would begin on p49.

If you are using sectional numbering (1-1, 1-20, 1-100 etc.) you almost certainly don't want your chapter/section to start on a left hand page. The continual mode should only be used to "stitch together" components of a single chapter/section.

Hi @Grundoon Groundhog:

It sounds like you already have the PDF taken care of, but if you have to re-export it because of edits that come in down the road, it might be nice to be able to figure this out.

Would you mind sharing your book page numbering options dialog box? (The same screen shot that @Scott Falkner included, I'd just like to see your settings.) And I'm assuming you have Facing Pages enabled?

~Barb

Hi @Grundoon Groundhog:

In a book, InDesign can add pages between chapters that are set to double-sided.. For example, if one chapter ends on a right page and you set the next chapter to begin on a right page, InDesign will add a blank left page at the end of the first chapter. Is that what's happening?

~Barb

Okay — the goalposts seem to be moving all over the field here, in this post. To clarify, is your problem —

• An object error when you try to export the whole Book;
• Errors or faults when you try to export the whole Book; or
• That the explanations of how to use the Book panel and select all component chapters for export/print haven't been sufficient?

These situations are a good place to search for help and tutorial pages that will take you through a process in a fully step-by-step, explained manner. Here's a fairly good page on how the Book pane/menu/functions works; it may give you better comprehensive answers than this beanbag toss:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creating-book-files.html

Hi @Grundoon Groundhog:

Hope you are doing well. 😊

I work primarily with long documents and therefore with a lot of InDesign .indb files. They work great for me.

The key to exporting the entire list of InDesign files to a single PDF is to have nothing selected in the book window (click underneath the list) and then choose Export Book to PDF from the book panel menu. Robert has a screenshot showing this.

Can you give that a shot and get back to us with the results?

~Barb 

@Grundoon Groundhog 

Are you able to locate this object?

If not - can you share your document - on priv of course.

Don't use the Book feature for relatively simple books. It's a worthwhile structure when you have many chapters. or large ones, or ones that need to be able to be edited and developed separately. It's just excess hassle and scaffolding when a book is of more or less normal length and size, and largely by one author.

That you have front matter in a single chapter tells me you're splitting it up too much.

Combine all the files in one INDD file and use structural elements like page breaks and sections to manage the book. That will remove an entire layer of unneeded cmplexity and management from the project.

1. Save each chapter as its own INDD file.
2. Create a new INDB Book file File > New  > InDesign Book
3. Add all INDD files to the book into the book panel.

Take care, when you use images, place them as linked file, do not embed them as this causes often damaged files.

This is what the Book feature is for. It lets you connect multiple InDeisgn documents into a series of chapters, wheich can then be exported or printed as one file. Make a new Book file from the File menu then add the documents you have in order. I suggest turing off Automatically Update Page & Section Numbers (in the Book panel flyout menu select Book Page Numbering Options….