Publisher Sections Adjusting with Changes to Content

[mnp]

Maybe I'm doing this wrong or misunderstanding the way that Publisher works, but according to the help, you assign sections to page ranges.  Can I not set a section in the document to the content and if I add or subtract content anywhere in the document causing the sections to shift pages have the software automatically update the page ranges for the sections?  Seems like this should happen automatically to me, or maybe I'm dense or missing something.  I tried to search for anyone else having this problem and didn't find anyone else having the same problem (found similar, but not the same).
Would anyone else benefit from it working how I believe it should?  I figured I'd get some feedback before suggesting a change to the way the software works.
 

[Dan C]

Hi @mnp,

18 hours ago, mnp said:

Can I not set a section in the document to the content and if I add or subtract content anywhere in the document causing the sections to shift pages have the software automatically update the page ranges for the sections? 

Unfortunately I don't believe this is possible currently using Sections in Publisher, my apologies.

I'll move this thread to the Feedback section of our forums for our devs to see and consider adding this in a future update.

I hope this helps

[mnp]

Thanks @Dan C, absolutely no reason to apologize.  To put this into perspective, this software only costs $50.  So, if it has a few shortcomings, I can work around them if I have to.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that they can implement it as above.  But, I'm sure they would've if they could have easily done it that way.

Bonus points if they add section level total page counts as text fields.  That way they can be included in the TOC.
  

[MikeTO]

On 3/24/2022 at 1:46 PM, mnp said:

Maybe I'm doing this wrong or misunderstanding the way that Publisher works, but according to the help, you assign sections to page ranges.  Can I not set a section in the document to the content and if I add or subtract content anywhere in the document causing the sections to shift pages have the software automatically update the page ranges for the sections?  Seems like this should happen automatically to me, or maybe I'm dense or missing something.  I tried to search for anyone else having this problem and didn't find anyone else having the same problem (found similar, but not the same).
Would anyone else benefit from it working how I believe it should?  I figured I'd get some feedback before suggesting a change to the way the software works.
 

If you're just trying to get your chapter headings on the right pages there are easy workarounds. I create each chapter as a separate story (series of linked frames) and apply a separate master page that includes the chapter name to its pages. Then if I add or remove pages from a chapter, it doesn't impact the chapter headings for any other page.

[mnp]

1 hour ago, MikeTO said:

If you're just trying to get your chapter headings on the right pages there are easy workarounds. I create each chapter as a separate story (series of linked frames) and apply a separate master page that includes the chapter name to its pages. Then if I add or remove pages from a chapter, it doesn't impact the chapter headings for any other page.

Interesting.  So the master page includes the chapter name?  But then it's not available to the TOC? 

I'm not sure I understand the terminology or how a "story" works...Time to do some research.  If you've got a minimal working environment you can post, I'd appreciate it.  My initial guess is that you flow each chapter, but the chapters aren't linked.  I guess that could work, but again I'm not sure how the TOC would work.
This program is pretty foreign to me and I'm learning as I go. So far, it's pretty impressive for how inexpensive it is.

[MikeTO]

You can apply more than one master to a page so I apply one master to control the layout (one column, two column...) and a second master to display the chapter name in the footer. It has no impact on the TOC since the TOC comes from the chapter title which is Heading 1 in the body of the page.

[mnp]

@MikeTO,
Okay I think I see what you may be doing. I created separate master pages for the chapters and manually put the chapter title in the footer.  But, that means the actual chapter name that appears in the TOC isn't linked to the master page footer chapter name.

Overall, I think this is a better solution than using sections, but I'm now thinking the best solution would be to add more text fields such as chapter names?

If anyone wants to see how Mike's solution works, see attached file and cut and paste text to see how the pages update within the chapters correctly.

Chapter Test.afpub

[mnp]

Sorry, you posted while I was typing.  I didn't know you could apply two master pages. Interesting.

Just to be clear, though, your chapter titles aren't linked to the text in the footer, correct?

With all this being said, what is the use of sections?  Seems like they may be more trouble than they're worth.

Thanks for the help, and I think I have a better workflow going forward.  Have a great weekend!

[MikeTO]

17 minutes ago, mnp said:

Sorry, you posted while I was typing.  I didn't know you could apply two master pages. Interesting.

Just to be clear, though, your chapter titles aren't linked to the text in the footer, correct?

With all this being said, what is the use of sections?  Seems like they may be more trouble than they're worth.

Thanks for the help, and I think I have a better workflow going forward.  Have a great weekend!

My layout master contains nothing but a text frame. My "Two Column" master has a single text frame on the left page linked to a single text frame on the right page, both with two columns.

My chapter master contains nothing but the page number and the chapter name in the footer (I have no headers). Yes, I could apply the chapter 2 master to a chapter 3 page which would be confusing but I don't do that.

After adding your front matter (which is a separate topic), add the first page for chapter 1. Apply your layout master to it if it's not already applied which by default will replace whatever was applied. Then apply the chapter master but uncheck the replace checkbox. Once you have that set up the way you like paste the text for chapter 1 into that first page's frame. Then shift click the red overset icon and Publisher will automatically create the rest of the pages for that chapter using the same masters. All of the text in that chapter will be a single story, a series of linked text frames.

Now manually add a page to the end for chapter 2. It's not linked to the chapter 1 frames. The apply master feature doesn't let you replace just one master so the easiest thing to do is just do what you did for chapter 1. One you have it set up the way you like then paste the text in and click the overset icon again. Once the document is finished if you add lots more text in the middle of chapter 1 you'll get an overset icon on the last frame in the chapter - shift click it and Publisher will insert more pages with the correct masters applied. If you later delete lots of text you'll wind up with blank pages which you can remove manually.

Sections: they don't do a whole lot given the limits of the feature. I have two sections in my book, front matter and body. Front matter has pages numbered i, ii, iii and the body restarts at page 1 for the start of chapter 1. That's easy enough to manage.

[mnp]

@MikeTO,
I think I get what you are doing. I can definitely improve my workflow from what you've given me.  But, we've identified at least two areas for improvement with the software:

1. More text fields would be helpful, such as Chapters.
2. Sections need some work to be useful. (Or, if chapters work for this, should sections just be eliminated?)

Now it's arguable that those two things need to be addressed, because as posted above this software is only $50.  But, if it's easy maybe they'll fix it?

[sfriedberg]

@mnpIf you select "Continue page numbering" in the Section Manager dialog, then pages from adjacent sections get numbered sensibly, even if you add or remove pages from one or more of the sections.  I have a document in progress with three sections.  I have added pages to each of the three sections.  And I still have consecutively numbered pages from 1 to last without doing anything about it manually.