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Is it possible to change margins and auto flow a word.docx?


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I'm working on an ~170pg book for an author. I'm new to Affinity Publisher. I auto flowed the word.docx following a YT tutorial. Great, however:

Here's my question:

I discovered I really need to tweak the margins to take into account headers and footers, pagination, etc. Is there a way to change the margins so I don't have to fix each page individually? I need to be able to see how large the book is in two book sizes as well, (ie 5 x 8 and 6 x 9).  I created two master pages, am planning on doing sections and such, heading styles - and I don't want to proceed yet until I know if I have to make separate sizes or whether I can duplicate with different margins. 

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I thought I did this. And when I go back to the auto flowed text box it isn't in the margins. I have to manually manipulate it to get inside. I'd send you the sample, but it became such a mess, I deleted the text. I'll try again, and start over, and I'll send a pic if I can't get it to work. Thank you for the quick response. 

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Still not finding how to "just simply" to this? Drag and resize in pages? I changed the size from 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 to 5 x 7. It appears the master page  kept the original settings for the margins. Terrific, however, the book information that is flowed now is offset. How do I get it to appear within the new margins? And, for future reference, where is this? Under Help:  
 

  1. In the pop-up dialog, change margin values in the Margins tab.

What is the pop up dialog and where is it? I've clicked on practically anything that relates. I did go to "Spread properties, but that doesn't show the margin settings. Does show the margins however. 

Here's what is happening with the new size and margins: 

1637251814_ScreenShot2021-07-21at11_50.49AMEDT.png.90bce51dee9e74f1e22199a683ffccfc.png

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So, each spread has to be fixed individually? I guess that's the question. There are 178 pages in this one. I have another book in the hopper that has 300 pages. I better make sure I pick the right size from the beginning. 

I was thinking, though, if I could get the "select all" to work... couldn't I copy the text, then delete the current text box and create a new one to fit the new margins? I'm trying to do a "Select all" but all I get is one spread rather than all... 

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8 minutes ago, jamesgangcreative said:

So, each spread has to be fixed individually?

IIf you used Master Pages just change the text frame on the Master and all the document pages will adjust.

If you didn't use Master Pages, then yes, you'll need to adjust each page individually.

8 minutes ago, jamesgangcreative said:

I was thinking, though, if I could get the "select all" to work... couldn't I copy the text, then delete the current text box and create a new one to fit the new margins? I'm trying to do a "Select all" but all I get is one spread rather than all... 

If all the text frames are linked:

  1. Click in the first text frame, at the beginning of the text.
  2. Windows: Ctrl+Shift+End to select all the text to the end of the set of linked text frames.
    or
    Mac: Cmd+Shift+DownArrow to select all that text.
  3. Copy.

That should give you all the text. You can then Paste back into a properly constructed text frame (Ideally using a Master page), and reflow onto a new set of pages by Shift+Clicking the linking triangle.

(Whatever you try, though, make sure you make a copy of your current document to work on, so you have a backup.)

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

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1 minute ago, jamesgangcreative said:

I have all the sections done as well. If that makes a difference in selecting. 

The selection method I described will copy a complete "Story" (official technical term for a set of linked text frames). So exactly what it will do depends on exactly how you've set up your text.

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

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I followed a tutorial on placing a word.docx into text boxes then shift-clicking to flow the text. I created my masters pages. Then I created my headers/footers, the heading 1, heading 2, quote, first graph, second graph indents, etc. The book looked terrific at 4 1/2 x 6 1/2. We decided to 'see" what it would look like at 5 x 7 with maybe a little different leading and so forth. I set it up following a couple tutorials. 

On this test document, I have now managed to create the new master pages with the correct margins, but I can't seem to figure out how to copy the current text in the 178 pages, delete it, delete the current text boxes, then create a new text box and place the formatted text back in. Doesn't make sense I have to go back to the original word.docx without formatting, or go to each page one at a time, to reflow the text. 

I can't seem to copy anything, to cut as well. Quite simply, it seems I should be able to copy all the text, delete the text,

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Just now, jamesgangcreative said:

n this test document, I have now managed to create the new master pages with the correct margins, but I can't seem to figure out how to copy the current text in the 178 pages, delete it, delete the current text boxes, then create a new text box and place the formatted text back in. Doesn't make sense I have to go back to the original word.docx without formatting, or go to each page one at a time, to reflow the text. 

I would suggest starting over with a one page document. Apply the master page to it.

On your master page use text frames which will contain the text on the pages. Make sure they are linked on the master page. Now go to page one and using the text caret click in the text frame (from the master page) now paste or place the text. You'll see there is an over flow red-eye in the bottom right, shift click on that and the text will flow into newly created pages.

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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24 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

IIf you used Master Pages just change the text frame on the Master and all the document pages will adjust.

If you didn't use Master Pages, then yes, you'll need to adjust each page individually.

If all the text frames are linked:

  1. Click in the first text frame, at the beginning of the text.
  2. Windows: Ctrl+Shift+End to select all the text to the end of the set of linked text frames.
    or
    Mac: Cmd+Shift+DownArrow to select all that text.
  3. Copy.

That should give you all the text. You can then Paste back into a properly constructed text frame (Ideally using a Master page), and reflow onto a new set of pages by Shift+Clicking the linking triangle.

(Whatever you try, though, make sure you make a copy of your current document to work on, so you have a backup.)

On a Mac; Have tried downarrow, page down, shift highlight.... in both the left side window of "pages" and the document itself. I can highlight one page and copy possibly, but I don't get all the text. I'm missing something simple. 

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1 minute ago, jamesgangcreative said:

But how to I copy the formatted text into this new master page? I cannot copy it. Grey. 

Use the Text Caret from the Text tool, it looks like this outside of the text 

2126371414_ScreenShot2021-07-21at1_16_59PM.png.2f1253b82ed7680e8336b2cf2b642691.png

And like this inside the frame 

1472248833_ScreenShot2021-07-21at1_17_43PM.png.64e87532d66f7e7ea4199626e6197a1a.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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Let's try this. How do I save as a template the entire template, with all the heading styles all set up without text in it. I'll reflow the word.docx into it and then do the styles. This is a train wreck. Thanks for all your help, everyone ... btw... I appreciate it. 

So, how do I remove all the content and keep all the style settings and master pages? 

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I would just delete all the pages (except Page one, you need one page) then I would add one page before Page One making sure I have no masters applied to it and delete page two. Now I would have all the masters and all the text styles but no content.

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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Well, that turned out to be the easiest. I deleted all the pages except the title page and copyright. Kept the masters. Will have to redo the sections anyway. And placed the word.docx back in. Less time then screwing around with it. Was able to change the font and leading as well without any hassle. Onward. Thanks for the suggestions all. 

 

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