Add Absolute Number Pages instead of Section Numbering

[Suripanta]

Hello!

- I am using Numbering & Section Options on my INDD doc.

- Due to this, (Absolute) Page 15 is displayed as HAT.01 (this is fine, I need this identification).

BUT...

- When I try to add Special Characters >> Markers >> Current Page Number, it inserts the Section Prefix and Number (HAT.01).

Simply as is: I want to Insert the Absolute Number Page (15), regardless of what Section it uses.

So far I found this impossible to do. The only solution I found so far is to create a continuos Numbered list, and insert the text box containing it on each of my pages. It is silly but still a workaround.

Any simpler way to use Absolute Page Numbers? Thanks!

---

BTW, if you know a bit or two about interactive Buttons in ePub, maybe you can help me with this? ^_^

Connecting a Button to another INDD Page: "External Anchor not found"

[Jeffrey_Smith]

Could you do this setup, where the document is divided with sections, use a section marker symbol, and use auto page numbering?

[Suripanta]

Jeffrey_Smith  wrote

Could you do this setup, where the document is divided with sections, use a section marker symbol, and use auto page numbering?

Hey Jeffrey, thanks for getting involved!

Unfortunately, I can't do that - I need to use Start Page Numbering, Prefix and Style in order to keep the flow needed.

[boots_n_patches]

obviously,  i  must  be  missing  the  issue … my  setup  looks  fine.  the  type/special-char/current-page  variable  resides  on  the  master-pages … designated  pg15-20  as  separate  section … the  'absolute'  pg#'s  you  mention  appear  as  they  should (15-20).  if  my  screen-cap  is  not  correct … pls  describe  why  it's  wrong.  also  might  be  helpful  garnering  your  own  screen-cap(s).

a  second  variant  would  be  adding  the  prefix  to  the  'absolute'  numbering … for  that  you'd  simply  tick  "include prefix".

[vinny38]

If I understand correctly (if not, please provide more details, including screenshots), using a numbered list is definitely not a silly idea.

That's what I would do ^^

However, there's an alternative.

You can use Acrobat footer utility.

Tools > Pages > Headers & footers.

[Suripanta · Accepted solution]

Thank you all for your contributions. Unfortunately, they might work for some other kinda project but not for mine.

However I found a solution by adding a text box with a Numbering List that grows across all pages. Each page has one of these text boxes, thus it recreates the ascending list

[Laubender]

Hi Suripanta ,

good you found a solution!

You could also use ExtendScript ( JavaScript ) code like the one below to insert the absolute page name.

Select an insertion point in a text frame and run this code:

app.selection[0].contents = ( app.selection[0].parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.documentOffset + 1 ).toString();

Note: If you move pages around in your document or if you add or remove pages before you have to update the contents.

It's not dynamic. It could be made dynamic, but this would require a more complex script with an event listening mechanism.

Regards,
Uwe

[Suripanta]

Laubender  wrote
Hi Suripanta  ,
good you found a solution!
You could also use ExtendScript ( JavaScript ) code like the one below to insert the absolute page name.
Select an insertion point in a text frame and run this code:
app.selection[0].contents = ( app.selection[0].parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.documentOffset + 1 ).toString();

Note: If you move pages around in your document or if you add or remove pages before you have to update the contents.

It's not dynamic. It could be made dynamic, but this would require a more complex script with an event listening mechanism.

Regards,
Uwe

Hey Laubender​, thanks for your reply!

I tried to create a Script with the code provided, but I get an error message. I think I might be doing something wrong. Could you please provide me with more detailed instructions?

Thanks!

[Laubender]

Hi, do you need some help how to store code and install a script?

Then read into: Indiscripts :: Indiscripts for Dummies

Two things that this script will work:

1. You have to select an insertion point.

2. The text frame is positioned on a page and not on the pasteboard.

Regards,
Uwe

[Suripanta]

Laubender  wrote

Hi, do you need some help how to store code and install a script?

Then read into: Indiscripts :: Indiscripts for Dummies

Two things that this script will work:

1. You have to select an insertion point.

2. The text frame is positioned on a page and not on the pasteboard.

Regards,
Uwe

Hi again Laubender​,

now the script does work, but the numbering is wrong (e.g. Page 1 is shown as 012, Page 2 = 022, Page 3 = 032, and so on...)

[Laubender]

Interesting. The script inserts a number, the position of the page in the document.

In ExtendScript code that is the value of property documentOffset of a given page. ExtendScript starts counting with 0 so I add 1 to the result before the script assigns the result of this to the selected insertion point. For the first page in the document the number is 1, the second page the number is 2 and so forth. The script will, by defnition, not add a name like 012 or 022.

Regards,
Uwe

[Suripanta]

Hey again Laubender​ and thanks for your help.

1 = 012

2 = 022

3 = 032

4 = 042

etc

Why is the Script adding a "2" at the end of the numbering? Any diagnosis? I am less worry about the "0" at the beginning, anyways.

Thanks!

[Laubender]

I cannot tell you this. With my document all is working as expected.

Hm. What exactly did you select before running the script?

Regards,
Uwe

[Laubender]

Are you perhaps using auto numbering with the applied paragraph style?
Don't do this.

Regards,
Uwe

[Suripanta]

Laubender  wrote

Hm. What exactly did you select before running the script?
Are you perhaps using auto numbering with the applied paragraph style?

Nothing. I added a new text box with no style nor numbering.

However, I closed the doc after trying and now re-opened, tried again and now your Script works just fine. Thanks for your support!

[Laubender]

Thanks for this observation.

Where did you install the script?

In InDesign's Scripts folder or was it the Scripts folder of the user account?

Regards,
Uwe

[Suripanta]

In the User folder

[Laubender]

Hm. The script should work also with the User folder.

You could add the following statement as an additional line at the end of the script:

alert( "Script executed. Done." );

It will show an alert you have to answer with an OK before you can work on.

I really cannot tell what happened wrong before you restarted InDesign.

Regards,

Uwe