I can't make modifications to a text box, like number of columns, inset, etc.

[Chicagoartistjon]

When I make a new text frame, it defaults to 1 column. If I try to change it to 2, or any number of columns, Publisher doesn't accept the change. The setting just reverts back to 1. If I open a tutorial template that has a text box with multiple columns, I cannot change the number of columns or dimensions of the gutters within the text box. The same for most of the other features of the text frame palette window. The only attribute I can add or modify is the fill and stroke of the text frame.

Publisher 1.10.5

Mac, 10.9.4

[Pšenda]

You mean this?

 

3 minutes ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

If I open a tutorial template

And in new document?

[Chicagoartistjon]

In any document. New, tutorial, saved, it doesn't matter. I can't make any modifications to a text frame.

[Old Bruce]

36 minutes ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

In any document. New, tutorial, saved, it doesn't matter. I can't make any modifications to a text frame.

Are you using Publisher? That is the only one of the three applications which has the Text Frame panel.

[Chicagoartistjon]

Yes. Publisher. Sorry I wasn't more specific.

[Old Bruce]

Is the text frame on a Master Page perhaps?

[Chicagoartistjon]

Text boxes were not on master pages and I can manipulate them in other ways. I'm thinking it may be a bug possibly related to running on MacOS 10.9 (Mavericks). These functions all work perfectly on my home workstation which runs MacOS 12 (Monterey).

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

Text boxes were not on master pages and I can manipulate them in other ways.

Is it possible you are on an Artistic Text layer instead of a Frame Text layer? If so, everything in the Text Frame panel should be greyed out & unchangeable except for the Fill & Stroke properties.

[Chicagoartistjon]

I experimented with the text tools and layers and that was not the issue. You can see in the attached image that I have my text frame selected, I've entered 2 in the columns box and nothing happens. If I click off the number returns to 1.

[R C-R]

Is it possible for you to attach a sample file showing this issue? (As a new forum user you may not yet have that option enabled.)

I ask because I am unable to duplicate this odd behavior with any file I have created on my iMac running Catalina 10.15.7.

[Chicagoartistjon]

Sample file.

sample_file_text_column.afpub

[R C-R]

3 minutes ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

Sample file.

It works as expected for me on my Mac, immediately changing to 3 columns when I change the Columns value:. 

sample file text 3 column.afpub

[Chicagoartistjon]

OK. Thanks for checking. I think it's going to prove to be the result of Publisher not playing well with the antiquated OS's we have at the office and won't be resolved until we finally update.

[R C-R]

What happens if you open my "sample file text 3 column.afpub" file & try to change the column count to something other than 3?

[Chicagoartistjon]

Same problem. It won't accept the input. I just ignores whatever I type in and reverts back to 3.

[R C-R]

6 minutes ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

Same problem. It won't accept the input. I just ignores whatever I type in and reverts back to 3.

Possibly resetting something to factory defaults via the CTRL key startup might help but I don't know which of them might do that. None of them look particularly relevant to the column count of text frames.

[Old Bruce]

20 hours ago, Chicagoartistjon said:

If I click off the number returns to 1.

Try hitting the tab or return key. If you click off of the number by clicking on the page then it will revert to the earlier number, same as if you hit the Escape key. You are not entering a value until you hit enter or tab.

[Nighty]

Had the same problem, except i couldnt even edit the number of colums, only with the up arrow and it would immediately revert to one.

Copying the content of the field, deleting it and pasting it into a new one fixed it for me.