Cardinal Chapter Numbers as Fields

[CylonRaven]

I created a text box for headers at the top of my pages.

I want the headers on even (left) pages to say "Chapter One", "Chapter Two", etc. while the headers on the odd (right) pages contain the name of the chapter.

So I know I need to make each chapter a Section, and I inserted the Section Name as a field for the odd page header. But how can I create an automatically incrementing field for the chapter number as a word?

 

[GarryP]

I’m fairly sure that you cannot automatically generate the chapter number as a word.
I’d be happy to be proved wrong though.

[Old Bruce]

As you are already typing in the name of the chapter into the Section Name you could try using a pair of connected Text Frames and then have "One [frame break character] The Beginning Title" as the Section Name then just have the word "Chapter <Section Name>" in the Master Page.

[CylonRaven]

 

Quote

 

As you are already typing in the name of the chapter into the Section Name you could try using a pair of connected Text Frames and then have "One [frame break character] The Beginning Title" as the Section Name then just have the word "Chapter <Section Name>" in the Master Page.

 

How do I insert a Frame Break character into the Section Name field? It doesn't seem to let me do that, only into Text Boxes.

[Old Bruce]

20 hours ago, CylonRaven said:

 

How do I insert a Frame Break character into the Section Name field? It doesn't seem to let me do that, only into Text Boxes.

Good grief I am sorry that I didn't say you have to copy paste that one. Kind of an essential piece of information. I turn on the Show Special Characters in order to see these sort of breaks then just select it by using the Shift key and the arrow keys.

I should also say that I wish the Sections was a bit more robust regarding Navigation, Dynamic use, Search and Destroy Find and Replace and many other things such as this case you have.

[CylonRaven]

Forgive me for being dense, but I still don't understand how you're making that work.

I created two text boxes, one flowing to the other (because otherwise the text after the frame break disappears). Here you can see where I inserted the Frame Break. But afterwards, I cannot find the Frame Break character even with Show Special Characters enabled. And when I copy all of the text (in both frames) and paste it into the Section Title, no Frame Break.

 

 

[Old Bruce]

It is right there after the 'e' in One

[CylonRaven]

Okay, I see it. But I still cannot copy-paste it into the Section Title. I just get OneChapter Title. The Frame Break character does not copy over.

[Old Bruce]

48 minutes ago, CylonRaven said:

Okay, I see it. But I still cannot copy-paste it into the Section Title. I just get OneChapter Title. The Frame Break character does not copy over.

This is driving me nuts, could have sworn it worked with copy paste of Frame Break. Here I can get it to work with Page Break via copy and paste. I include a file which may help you more than my previous useless advice.

Untitled.afpub

[walt.farrell]

53 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

This is driving me nuts, could have sworn it worked with copy paste of Frame Break.

Another alternative to the copy/paste, in case it helps:

1. Make the Section Name something like: One:::Chapter Title
2. Later, after all the pages are in place, use Find/Replace:
3. Find :::
4. Replace with a Frame Break from the Replace "Special Characters" pulldown menu.

[CylonRaven]

I appreciate all these tips. I wish I could figure out if my inability to implement them is because my app just isn't behaving the same way as yours, or because I am missing a key step.

 

I tried Old Bruce's way. While I can see the Page Break in his sample template, it does not work when I try copy-pasting a Frame Break into my Section Names.

 

Next I tried walt's idea. Find/Replace does not seem to work on text that is in a field (i.e. inserted via the Section Name field). But I did see the little down arrow in the Special Characters box (see screenshot), and I was actually able to copy paste that into my Section Name field! But -- it did act as a Frame Break, but I also get the literal "<Frame Break>" text.

[walt.farrell]

57 minutes ago, CylonRaven said:

Next I tried walt's idea. Find/Replace does not seem to work on text that is in a field

Sorry; I neglected to try it with a Field.