Unlinking and Relinking Primary Text on Few Pages in 20-Page Project

[K-Ten]

Hello there. I have a 20-page project, and I started with the primary text option ON so that I don't have to keep shifting the text back and forth every time.

Here's what I need:

• I want one of the few pages to be unlinked from the primary text without changing / disturbing the layout of the other pages without disturbing any text/content.

• After working on those pages individually, I need to be able to restore the primary text to its original state, including any new changes made after unlinking.
  
  I hope I am able to articulate myself better.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What kind of "work" do you need to do on those pages?

Do you have on those pages - that you want to "unlink" - text frames that are linked to other pages?

[K-Ten]

I think I was able to find the solution, which is link breaking, but unfortunately, it's not working, and my project is getting crashed.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

I think I was able to find the solution, which is link breaking, but unfortunately, it's not working, and my project is getting crashed.

By @K-Ten

Please let us know what is your workflow / what do you have to do on those pages? 

[K-Ten]

There is a Hero page with text, a Table of contents, another continuation of the text, and another and another and another with loads of images and text layouts of up to 20 pages. All of this is connected because I used the Primary Text feature.

I have found another solution: "which is "Script: SplitStory.jsx". It worked, but it splits all the text frames from all the 20 pages, and I have to link back again one by one, and then the file crashes.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@K-Ten

I'm sorry but you are still haven't explained what you need to do on those pages??

Add a new, unrelated text on the page, add new text in the middle of the Story, re-arrange texts in the middle of the Story, re-arrange objects??

[K-Ten]

Yes, you got it right! I have to do all this—add a new, unrelated text on the page, add new text in the middle of the Story, re-arrange texts in the middle, and re-arrange objects (but on the pages in between). That is why I want to unlink the primary text on a few of the pages I want and relink it after that if necessary.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@K-Ten

You don't have to "unlink" anything.

You have two options when editing text:

1) select text directly in TextFrames, 

2) use Story Editor. 

In either case - you just edit text like you would in WORD - TextFrames are just containers that hold and display the text. 

If you need to add a new Text - as a separate Story - just create a new TextFrame and add your text in it, if there is too much text - overset / red "+" in the bottom-right corner - click on it and draw a new TextFrame.

If you need to add a new Object(s) - just add them. 

If you need to add new pages - just add them - by dragging on the Pages panel or from the menu - but be careful and rather add two at the time. 

Then, if you need to continue main text on those newly added pages - just click on an "outport" of the TextFrame of the main story on the previous page and draw new TextFrame on the newly added page(s).

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@K-Ten

Forgot to mention - as you are using Primary Text Frames - you don't have to draw new TFs when reflowing main story - just use the ones that will be available on newly added pages.

But don't use PTFs them for newly added stories. 

[K-Ten · Accepted solution]

This process has still not helped me, but thanks for your reply.

Here's the fastest solution I found:
I used the break-frame script to solve the problem. It worked without disturbing the other pages, content, layout and images.

I found the solution on Youtube Link >> - Unlink InDesign Text Boxes without Changing Layout (Script: SplitStory.jsx)

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@K-Ten 

Unfortunately, It's not exactly the "right" way to do it, because, as you want to work with PTFs - at some point you'll want to link those TFs back together as the same Story - and if in the mean time you'll do something "wrong" - you might not be able to link them back together correctly as they no longer will be recognised as descendants of PTFs... 

I mean, they'll link together to other TFs - but when you'll try to apply a different Parent / Master Page - InDesign won't replace them with PTFs. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Not sure, but it sounds as if you should put the PTFs that you want to get out of the way on a separate layer and then hide the layer. 

[K-Ten]

Sorry, I am new to the Indesign slangs. What are PTFs?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Sorry, I am new to the Indesign slangs. What are PTFs?

By @K-Ten

Primary Text Frames. 

[rob day]

Hi @K-Ten , I might be misunderstanding, but can’t you simply delete the Primary Text Frame on the page you want to skip? Like this:

The threaded primary text flow:

Delete the frame on page 5 and the text flows to page 6

Make a new text frame on page 5:

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

That was my initial thought too, Rob--but this line threw me off...

"After working on those pages individually, I need to be able to restore the primary text to its original state, including any new changes made after unlinking.'

[rob day]

After working on those pages individually,

Then it sounds like what‘s needed is an alternate Parent/Master Spread with Primary Text frames and the changes?