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Publisher : Unlinking text box in a book


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Hello,

This is going to be tricky to describe, but here goes.

I recently took a course on Publisher, but am running into little things that I am not sure how to fix, do, etc. that were not addressed in the course (maybe I just missed)

Here's my latest challenge

The issue that I’m experiencing involves an empty text box that I think I need to delete. Basically, I'm trying to keep the leftmost page of each new chapter blank so that I can use it for an illustration. So I put my text in, then began linking the text boxes so things would flow. I want each NEW chapter page to begin on the right, and then have an image on the left. But, when I added some chapter headings, additional text, the whole layout goes weird.

For example, In the attached screenshot, you can see that the page in the upper left is linked to the blank text box below it. I just wanted that page to be blank so I can add a photo later, and to link to the section labeled Safety Pin Ring on the bottom right. 

I tried selecting the empty text box on the left using the move tool and clicking delete, but then all the text from "Safety Pin" chapter and down also gets deleted. I don't know how fix this. Unless I create my entire book in Word, and then once it's perfect, then create the book layout in Publisher. I was just thinking that I could use Publisher for both writing and layout. 

For certain,  I will be adding additional chapters somewhere in the middle of this book and experimenting with font sizes, etc. which will I assume will also cause my layout to break. But I'm not sure how to delete a text box from the left, and then re-link the text to the right.  Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much,
Chris

Screen Shot 2020-09-15 at 8.19.40 PM.png

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My guess is that you have two page breaks at the end of the chapter. In the Text menu, select Show Special Characters and check to see if there are two downward-pointing arrows, one at the bottom of the chapter and one at the top of the empty box. If so, delete one of them. This will remove the empty box from the flow.

 

 

103760309_Screenshot2020-09-18at07_50_13.thumb.png.963eef9639963d27f0d6ee2e59767cdc.png

(Personally I would use Sections to split the work into separate paragraphs. Managing a book as a single flow of text would seem a bit cumbersome to me.)

Cheers,

H

Affinity Photo 2.0.3,  Affinity Designer 2.0.3, Affinity Publisher 2.0.3, Mac OSX 13, 2018 MacBook Pro 15" Intel.

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Thank you for the help. So I clicked on Special Characters and have attached a screenshot of what I see. It doesn't appear to have any downward pointing arrows. Maybe I'm supposed to click on something?

I think the idea of doing sections sounds like a plan. I was just doing it this way because the tutorial that I bought shows this method. But it certainly does seem cumbersome.

Thanks again,

Chris

 

Screen_Shot_2020-09-18_at_12_16.45_AM.png

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My guess was half right. You've got two paragraph marks at the end of the chapter followed by a page break (in the blank frame). They are forcing the next chapter over. Delete one of the paragraph breaks (¶ character) and see if that helps.

 

PS: this is your page break, with a paragraph break just above it:

411945373_Screenshot2020-09-18at08_36_33.thumb.png.7542d400e3a907567d64264b757422c0.png

Affinity Photo 2.0.3,  Affinity Designer 2.0.3, Affinity Publisher 2.0.3, Mac OSX 13, 2018 MacBook Pro 15" Intel.

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Thank you! So, I deleted the paragraph mark (I didn't even see that mark originally on my laptop), and this is what I have now (screenshot). But I'm not sure how I move SAFETY PIN to the right, so that page on the left is empty for later insertion of a picture? I tried inserting a Page Break before the words SAFETY PIN, but then I noticed that the text box on the left was then relinked. 

I really appreciate your help.

 

Screen Shot 2020-09-18 at 12.36.50 AM.png

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If you delete the page break on page 76 then the chapter "Safety pin" will move from page 77 to 76 (which you don't want, right?).

There are various ways to achieve your approach. When you delete the frame on page 76 then you interrupt the chain of linked text frames. So the text on page 77 is not deleted but moved back (with all following text) to the end of the last frame of the chain (currently page 74) and is waiting to be linked again to continue the text flow. Then you can re-link the frame on page 74 with 76 again.

Deleting this text frame is not the best option because it unnecessarily disturbs the structure of the linked text frame chain, which might disturb the text flow at a later moment undesirable, for instance if you add an image on a page before 74.

Working with page breaks is one way to maintain empty frames. Using sections as recommended by @h_d is another and a quite useful workflow. Another method would be to place on page 76 a picture frame (for your later illustration) and activate Text Wrap for this frame.

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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1 minute ago, chriscaldwell said:

I tried inserting a Page Break before the words SAFETY PIN, but then I noticed that the text box on the left was then relinked. 

This sounds odd, are you sure you just typed the page break? – Can you upload a screencast showing this action?

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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10 minutes ago, chriscaldwell said:

But I'm not sure how I move SAFETY PIN to the right, so that page on the left is empty for later insertion of a picture?

Delete the text frame on page 76. The text will then flow from 75 to 77.

Affinity Photo 2.0.3,  Affinity Designer 2.0.3, Affinity Publisher 2.0.3, Mac OSX 13, 2018 MacBook Pro 15" Intel.

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48 minutes ago, chriscaldwell said:

attached a screencast of inserting the page break.

It doesn't appear to cause "that the text box on the left was then relinked".

Isn't the result in this screencast exactly what you want to achieve: empty frame on page 76 (for the later illustration) + chapter start on a right page (77) ?

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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1 hour ago, chriscaldwell said:

I tried deleting the text frame on 76 but as in the screenshot attached, that now puts an empty text frame on page 77.

Remove the Page Break (?) shown below

 

pagebreak.png

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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14 hours ago, chriscaldwell said:

The issue that I’m experiencing involves an empty text box that I think I need to delete. Basically, I'm trying to keep the leftmost page of each new chapter blank so that I can use it for an illustration. So I put my text in, then began linking the text boxes so things would flow. I want each NEW chapter page to begin on the right, and then have an image on the left. But, when I added some chapter headings, additional text, the whole layout goes weird.

You could try using a Paragraph Style for the Chapter Heading with the Flow option set to Start on Next Righthand page. You may still need to add a Page/Frame break once in a while to get the flow to work out so you have a blank page on the left. But you should be able to do a Find/Replace for "Frame Break + Chapter Heading Style" to locate those later on.

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.4 
Affinity Designer 2.4.0 | Affinity Photo 2.4.0 | Affinity Publisher 2.4.0 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

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9 minutes ago, chriscaldwell said:

Thank you all so much. Removing the page break worked.

...and if I understand your document layout correctly

For next time (as per your original screenshot) you should simply be able to unlink the text frame on page 74 which went to page 76 and then relink it directly to page 77 - to bypass that text frame on page 76

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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On 9/18/2020 at 5:37 AM, Old Bruce said:

You could try using a Paragraph Style for the Chapter Heading with the Flow option set to Start on Next Righthand page. You may still need to add a Page/Frame break once in a while to get the flow to work out so you have a blank page on the left. But you should be able to do a Find/Replace for "Frame Break + Chapter Heading Style" to locate those later on.

Hi Bruce and everyone, 

I have some more challenges with this project as I learn the Publisher software. Was hoping for some suggestions, thank you.

1. Per Bruce's quote above, I don't see a place to choose Start on Next Righthand page? I like this idea though, seems very efficient.

2. Also, how do I adjust the spacing before the chapter titles so they are not so close to the page number and line at the top of the page (as in the attached screenshot). I've tried to click in the Text Styles panel, and then Heading 1, then Edit heading 1, and increasing Space Before, and then clicking OK, but nothing happens. I'm just thinking some breathing room/white space before the chapter heading would be good.

3. Is it possible to create a style that would specify not to indent a paragraph, for example where the first paragraph is not indented? 

Thank you,

Chris

 

 

Screen Shot 2020-09-21 at 1.29.45 PM.png

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17 minutes ago, chriscaldwell said:

I have some more challenges with this project as I learn the Publisher software. Was hoping for some suggestions, thank you.

1. Per Bruce's quote above, I don't see a place to choose Start on Next Righthand page? I like this idea though, seems very efficient.

2. Also, how do I adjust the spacing before the chapter titles so they are not so close to the page number and line at the top of the page (as in the attached screenshot). I've tried to click in the Text Styles panel, and then Heading 1, then Edit heading 1, and increasing Space Before, and then clicking OK, but nothing happens. I'm just thinking some breathing room/white space before the chapter heading would be good.

3. Is it possible to create a style that would specify not to indent a paragraph, for example where the first paragraph is not indented? 

 

Take the last one first, I make a style Based On the basic text style so that the only thing I have to change is the first line indent.

445376766_ScreenShot2020-09-21at2_02_59PM.png.c6b19708b1f69c03de3af9a7de177859.png

For 1 and 2 the answer is in the Text Styles panel in the Flow (1) and the Spacing (2)

 

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.4 
Affinity Designer 2.4.0 | Affinity Photo 2.4.0 | Affinity Publisher 2.4.0 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

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That is very helpful Old Bruce! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to help. I'm going to try this right now.

Okay, I was able to successfully duplicate what you did in the screencast, thank you so much! 

What I'm not quite understanding is how to "make a style Based On the basic text style."

In my text style panel I see Base, is that what you mean by basic text style? Not sure what is the difference between Base and Normal or Body. Sorry not understanding more clearly.

Thank you,

Chris

Screen Shot 2020-09-21 at 10.21.01 PM.png

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8 hours ago, chriscaldwell said:

In my text style panel I see Base, is that what you mean by basic text style? Not sure what is the difference between Base and Normal or Body. Sorry not understanding more clearly.

I would guess that you want the Paragraph Style called Body for most of the text in your document, AKA as "basic text style".

Base the "No Indent" Paragraph style on that one.

Most of the text will be the style in the blue box and the "No Indent" style will be based on that style and is in the red box.

1604280719_ScreenShot2020-09-22at6_05_00AM.png.f4bba725b960e3ec91d900ec3a523913.png

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.4 
Affinity Designer 2.4.0 | Affinity Photo 2.4.0 | Affinity Publisher 2.4.0 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

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13 hours ago, chriscaldwell said:

how to "make a style Based On the basic text style."

"Based On" gets set in a style's Editor window (double click a style name or create a new style).
To make use of a "Based On" style it should have set its parameters to "[No change]" – excepted those properties you want to have different from its basic style.
The advantage of a "Based On" style: Once you alter a parameter in its basic style then the change will auto-apply to all its based-on-styles, without the need to define the change there again.

297209306_textstyle-NoChange.jpg.88f53a9ee956de88cb617e6d4c98a31a.jpg


If you use additionally "Next Style" then the formatting of an entire chapter may be easier: you can assign them all with 1-click.

v184 text styles - based & next.afpub

In this example I supposed you want...
1. A Chapter title (Headline)
2. Exactly 1 paragraph with No Indent
3. Followed by several My Basic paragraphs with indent

Edited by thomaso
afpub + video updated

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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Hi Thomaso,

I have been able to finally get back to this project and I appreciate the video tutorial very much indeed!

Question, In my text styles panel by default it has only Base, Normal, Body, etc. I'm assuming that when you created "My Basic" is is made from Base, Normal, or Body, but does it matter which of those I choose? In my case, I just chose Body, and created a new style based on body, and then named it First Paragraph and set the first line indent to 0mm. Hope that is correct.

Thank you so much for this help,

Chris

 

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3 hours ago, chriscaldwell said:

Question, In my text styles panel by default it has only Base, Normal, Body, etc. I'm assuming that when you created "My Basic" is is made from Base, Normal, or Body, but does it matter which of those I choose? In my case, I just chose Body, and created a new style based on body, and then named it First Paragraph and set the first line indent to 0mm. Hope that is correct.

To avoid confusion by the default APub styles like Base, Normal or Body I had deleted all styles and selected both "[No style]" options before I created mine. (see in the uploaded .afpup). Both "My Basic" and "Headline" have in their editor window no style set as "Based on" – although they probably do base on any preset attributes, e.g. "Arial". Note: A text can not have no attribut, even "[No style]" must use a certain setting of course. In this way every style must base on something – but it doesn't have to be set as "Based on" and link a style to its base this way.

With other words, yes it doesn't matter – but keep in mind which styles you have set as style to be "Based on" another. Note that it also works fine if none of your styles is set as "Based on" another. So, if your "First Paragraph" is set to be "Based on: body" means if you alter a property in "body" this change will also occur in "First Paragraph" (see the end of the video above) – assumed that this changed attribute was not already set in "First Paragraph" differently to "[No change]".

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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