Publisher: Tricky situation with Master Pages & double column breaks

[Louisk]

Hi folks,

 

I have a problem, I've found a solution while experimenting but wondering if there's a better one.

 

I'm using Affinity Publisher v1. Trying to create a set of master pages for an upcoming book. The text will be in double columns, and I'd like the textboxes to be in the master page in case of edits to margins, layout etc.

 

However, one thing I'd like to do is have minor chapters break the text in BOTH columns, i.e. the previous minor chapter left col text would get halfway down the page or wherever, wrap back to the right col top. Then the minor chapter heading spanning both columns, and the next minor chapter text start below it, reach the bottom of the page, then wrap to the right column. The chapter heading would want to be anywhere down the page, given its y will depend on how much leftover text there is from the previous chapter.

 

You can't do this by having 2 sets of text frames in the master and resizing the text frames unlinked in the instance, as this permanently detatches all transforms from the master, so changes to margin etc. would need to be done manually.

 

I've found two methods for preserving with disadvantages and advantages of each. Are there other better ways, or tricks I've missed?

 

Method 1: Use text frame settings to set columns. 

1. Set up a master page just for these minor chapter breaks.
2. Using a text frame with double columns rather than a separate frame for each column, create two overlapping copies of the main text frame, one for the top previous chapter, one for the bottom next chapter. Maybe resize the top to not go all down the page and the bottom to start some % down the page for easier selecting.
3. For each, select 'Balance text in columns' in the Text Frame window.
4. Now in the instance of the master page for a new minor chapter break, flow the end of the last chapter into the top text box and it will balance across the two columns automatically
5. Add in the chapter heading text box across both columns manually (perhaps using some system to get the spacing right).
6. Select the bottom text box and detatch from the master with Ctrl+Shift+D.
7. Make the next chapter skip down to below the heading by using Text Frame --> Inset --> Top. When aligned correctly, finish editing master and you're done.

 

The advantage of this method is the nice 'Balance text in columns' feature (and fewer text boxes = simpler life?). This method preserves linking transformation changes to the text box master, but permanently detatches the text frame settings for that text box, meaning no changes to column layout or anything else can be made. If general text frame changes do need to be made, re-applying the master then re-doing steps 4 & 5 would seem the solution.

 

Method 2: Use separate text frames for each column.

1. Set up as in steps 1 and 2 of Method 1, just with two flowed frames per set of columns.
2. Now in the instance of the master page, flow in your text for the previous chapter, then select the top set of two text boxes. Detatch from the master.
3. Use Text Frame --> Inset --> Bottom and increase this until left column text is pushed into the right column, and the columns look even.
4. Manually add in your chapter heading text box across the columns below the top text.
5. Now use Text Frame --> Inset --> Top and increase until this is nicely spaced below your chapter heading. Finish editing master, done.

This method also permanently unlinks text frame properties. But the advantage of method 2 over method 1 is that you're able to resize the margin between columns linked with the master just by resizing or moving the column text frames. Though if you actually do change anything in the master, even more manual work will be required on these pages to get everything to line up correctly again 😅.

Thoughts and suggestions please. I'm hoping someone will tell me I'm being an idiot and there's a simpler, better way to achieve what I'm aiming for.

Thanks!

[MikeTO]

I don't think there's an automated way to do what you want. I would the story (text in a series of linked frames) for each chapter that breaks this way at the break. Then I'd apply the special master for that page, edit it detached, and adjust the frame heights to balance the columns.

I do this for my own book although at the start of each chapter. I want the first page of each chapter to start with a full-width column and then after the intro text is done to split into two columns. I apply the chapter start master to that first page, edit it detached, and adjust the bottom of the 1-column top frame and the top of the 2-column bottom frame to properly accommodate the text. It takes just a few seconds to do this so it's easy once you figure out the "Edit Detached" feature. The downside is that each time I edit the text in the intro I have to repeat this process to balance the columns again but it's not a big deal. It will be more work for you given that any change to the chapter could result in needing to re-balance the columns at the end of the chapter.

Good luck!

[GarryP]

An interesting problem.

Just to be clear, are you trying to achieve something that looks like what is in my attached image, where the text flow is shown by the purple arrows?
(Don’t get your hopes up, it’s just a mock-up.)

[thomaso]

Another variation: Apply "No break" to the headline style. – Disadvantage: it requires manual breaks in the other column.

Another variation: Add a 1-column text frame in the text frame flow as Pinned object + active Text Wrap for this frame (for the other column). – Disadvantage: it needs manual headline placement.

[Louisk]

@MikeTO Yeah, the manual way is always there... I just have traumatic memories of spending multiple hours manually moving 160 pages worth of text boxes for my last book when I needed to change margins, having misunderstood master pages early in the project 😱. 

@GarryP, That's exactly it! I'd like to do this with as much 'master page' linked properties preserved as possible. Or at least I'm seeing if others have ideas that preserve different master page links than mine! Not yet sure what I may encounter as I write this book...

@thomaso I wasn't aware of the 'No break' feature or the 'Pinning' window - both may be useful, thanks. Though unfortunately I don't see how to get the text flow correct as per GarryP's diagram.

[thomaso]

2 hours ago, Louisk said:

Though unfortunately I don't see how to get the text flow correct as per GarryP's diagram.

Since we definitely can not split an auto-text-flow within a column or frame and flow back to the same frame, the answer is easy if you made your decision how the two columns should get read: either the entire left column and then the right column – or, as Garry illustrates, both columns until a headline occurs, then the headline, then the rest of both columns. For the reader both ways can work if you layout accordingly unambiguous (e.g. with enough spaces before/after the headlines).

If you decide the reading order like Garry's example then it is no doubt that you need 3 separate text frames: top > headline > bottom frame. You can achieve this with master page objects, too, but will need to detach them on pages with a headline to move the headline frame to the required position (within the text flow) and adjust the heights of the story frames above and below accordingly.