Unlink child text frames from parent text frames in alternate layout

[lenasal]

We start with one layout (parent), 40 2-page spreads, and from that create an alternate layout (child). In the main body copy, there is a single paragraph that needs to be changed in the child layout. I can can copy/paste with no problem, but that gets old after about 20 spreads. I am writing an applescript that will do it automatically, but no matter what I do, whenever I automate changing the text, it changes it in both the parent and child spreads. The applescript will let me make all kinds of changes to the frame itself: fill color, font, size, etc. to the child spread without affecting the corresponding parent spread. So I know I'm targeting the correct text in the correct frames, it just won't let me change the copy content in the child layout independently from the parent layout. Is it possible to even do this manually? The document is set up for print, and we use the alternate layouts for copy variations - and I know, this is not what they were made for, but it works really well for our needs. 

[Eugene Tyson]

Can you post your script to the forum - perhaps one of the legendary scripters here on the forums can help you out.

[rob day]

Hi @lenasal   You should be able to get a specified alternate layout’s pages like this:

--the name of your alternate "child" layout
set al to "My Alternate"

tell application id "com.adobe.indesign"
	tell active document
		set pgs to every page
		repeat with x in pgs
			if alternate layout of applied alternate layout of x is al then
				
				--code to change text in the alternate layout pages here
				set tf to every text frame of x
				
			end if
		end repeat
	end tell
end tell

[Willi Adelberger]

Did you consider to use Primary Text Frames. These will reflow the text automatically when another Parent Page with Primary Text Frames is applied.