text in three independant columns

[Claude Belcourt]

Hello,

I would like to place a text in three columns where I could manage each separately. If I put the text in three columns, the text area links from page to page and not from column to column (image 1). If I play smart and put three text boxes on my page where I inserted column guides, when I extend the text in automatic placement, it refuses to follow to three columns per page; I end up with one column per page (image 2).

Is there a way to have three independent columns per page?

[walt.farrell]

I'm not completely sure I understand what you're trying to do but if you set up your 3-column text frames on your left- and right-side facing master pages, and link the frame on the left page to the frame on the right page, it should work. You'll automatically flow from column 1 to 2 to 3 on one page, then to the next page. Perhaps you did not link the frames on the Master Page?

Here's a sample document you can examine to see the Master Page setup, @Claude Belcourt.

3-column-text.afpub

Edit: But if you're saying that you want 3 independent columns on each page, such that column 1 on page 1 flows to column 1 on page 2, and column 2 on page 1 flows to column 2 on page 2, etc. that is more complex and will (I think) involve some manual linking.

[lacerto]

(...)

[Claude Belcourt]

Hello to both of you,

Thank you for getting back to me quickly. You helped me find a solution. . I realize that with Publisher, we are far from the possibilities of InDesing. So far, I haven't figured out how to link all the pages from the Layouts yet. I solved my problem by linking the text boxes column by column on the Master pages, then linking the pages two by two manually. Disappointing.

[lacerto]

(...)

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Claude Belcourt said:

So far, I haven't figured out how to link all the pages from the Layouts yet

It sounds as though you created the document pages, and after that are trying to get the text frames setup properly.

Generally in Publisher the better approach is to create the master, with properly linked frames on the left and right sides of the master page. Then you create 1 document page from the master, and put the text into the appropriate frames on the document page, letting it overflow. Then Shift+click on the linking triangle on the lower right of a text frame, and Publisher will create additional document pages as needed.

This will even work if the text frames on the master are independent. You can shift+click on the red triangle at the bottom of the first column, and Publisher will create additiona document pages and flow that column's text into the first column on those pages. You can then shift+click on the red triangle at the bottom of the second column, and the overflow text will flow into the second column on the subsequent pages. And then you can do the same with the third column.

[Claude Belcourt]

Yes, this is the first thing I tried, but the links on the subsequent pages weren't tracking correctly. I will try again and it will work or I will be more specific in the problems I encounter.
If ever my difficulties interest you, I will open a new topic about importing styles ...
Thank you anyway.

[Claude Belcourt]

Hi, from your suggestion I Option-click on the red button at the bottom of the 3rd column of the 1st page and I get the next two pages. I start again at the bottom of the 3rd page 3rd column and I get the next two pages. It works, but I would have liked all of the text to go in one flow from the first Option-click like the user manual says the software does. Thank you anyway.

[Old Bruce]

1 minute ago, Claude Belcourt said:

Hi, from your suggestion I Option-click on the red button at the bottom of the 3rd column of the 1st page and I get the next two pages. I start again at the bottom of the 3rd page 3rd column and I get the next two pages. It works, but I would have liked all of the text to go in one flow from the first Option-click like the user manual says the software does. Thank you anyway.

Shift-click should give you all the potential pages (four or four hundred).

[walt.farrell]

28 minutes ago, Claude Belcourt said:

from your suggestion I Option-click

My suggestion was Shift+Click.