Why if I change elements in master pages, the changes are not applied?

[Marcello27490397eafs]

Hello everybody. Why if I change elements in master pages, the changes are not applied to the corresponding pages of the document? If I try to use the "apply master to pages" function again, 2 masters appear on the document: the old one with no changes and the new one with the changes. This is only happening to me on the last created document; in the other documents everything works fine. Thanks to anyone who wants to help me.

[Steve Werner]

The fact that it only happens with one document suggests that there may be corruption in the document. Try saving as IDML (File > Save As > InDesign CS4 or Later [IDML]). Open the IDML file into InDesign to see if it solves the problem. This can often fix corruption.

[Marcello27490397eafs]

Unfortunately, even if I did that, I didn't solve it. Thanks anyway for the help.

[Marcello27490397eafs]

I noticed that the problem occurs after changing the document size (I increased the pages by 1cm). If I go back to the orignal size, everything works. Strange: it's a change that even a trivial Word would be unable to handle. It almost feels like I'm working on a Commodore 64

[Eugene Tyson]

One of the reasons is because the objects have been unlocked and changed from the page in question. Then it loses the relationship to the Parent Page. 

Delete the items that should be master page items on hte pages - and reapply the master pages. 

[Marcello27490397eafs]

Thank you. However, this is a document of crca 1000 pages with 90 master pages. Like a dictionary. It's a huge job. Time, effort and money. I'm thinking of going back to good old Word.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

I think it should be easier - and safer - if you split your document into smaller portions and use Book feature?

Because 90 Masters... 

[rob day]

Hi @Marcello27490397eafs , If you override a master page item on a page, and make a change, the changed property is no longer linked to the master. So if you override a rectangle, move it on the page, and go back to the master page and move the master page item, the overridden page item will not respond because its x,y position property has been unlinked from the master.

[Marcello27490397eafs]

I understand, thank you... and I appreciate your explanation of how Indesign works. However, this doesn't make my job easier. I've been working for over 5 hours, one master page after another, all "by hand" and I've done a third of the work. With another program I would have done it in a few seconds... But that's the way it is now.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

Maybe the problem is not with the InDesign - but with the way you are using it?

If you describe what you want to achieve - we can tell you how to do it correctly - or if it can't be done...

[Eugene Tyson]

How many master pages do you have?

Seems excessive amount of time

[Robert Tkaczyk]

90.

[Marcello27490397eafs]

This is a novel of almost 1000 pages: imagine something like "War and Peace" or "The Brothers Karamazov". There are 90 chapters, each chapter has a header on each page, with the chapter title on the right and the novel title on the left. For each header title there is a master page with 2 facing pages. There is also the master page for page numbers. The file was delivered to me already paged properly by the publisher, in Indesign document format. Everything was ready: I just had to increase the file size by 1cm on each side for a new edition. Unfortunately, in doing so, everything has gone, even the page numbers and the centering of the text frames and I had to redo everything manually, page by page. I finished working on it a few minutes ago. I have to double check. It was really hard work, but it had to be delivered by today. If anyone has a solution to avoid this the next time I'm dealing with a similar situation, I'll be very grateful.

[Eugene Tyson]

I've created books up to 3,200 pages. With Six Running Heads per page, 3 on left page aligned left margin and another 3 aligned right margin. Same for right page. 

12 running heads per spread. 

Page numbers - section numbers - chapter numbers - you name it. 

Floating section references in the margins.

I've been where you are right now 🙂 

If they wanted it increased in size that can be done at imposition - by scaling it slightly to accomadte the 1cm increase.

Or by imposing them on slightly larger pages in the imposition software.

-----------------

What's happened to you is bizarre - I'd like to see the file if possible. 

[Marcello27490397eafs]

For 3200 pages with so many heads, I think a week of assiduous work would not have been enough for me... at least proceeding in this way! I can't send you the whole file because there are copyrights on the book, but I am sending you a screenshot. I hope it can help...

[rob day]

If the masters were setup correctly—Primary Text frames for the body text with the other master page items not overridden on the pages—a change in page size from Document Setup should work.

If that’s not the case, and you simply need to increase the page size, placing ID or exported PDF pages in a new document with a larger page size as Eugene suggested would be the easiest solution. If you look in your InDesign Scripts panel there should be a script in the Application>Samples>JavaScript directory named PlaceMultipagePDF.jsx which places multipage PDFs in an InDesign document.

[Marcello27490397eafs]

Thank you very much. I will try your advice. I hope I can fix and work with ease.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Use the '(re)-Apply Master/Parent to (number) pages' from the Pages Panel fly-out menu (to get rid over overrides).