Text Flow Fails When Starting From a Left Hand Facing Page in Publisher v2

[Hangman]

I'm unsure whether this is expected behaviour or a bug but it seems a little odd and differs from v1 behaviour.

Scenario 1

1. Create a new one-page, facing-page document starting on the right using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 1 so there is resulting overflow text
4. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 1
5. Result - new pages are automatically created and the text flows to the new pages as expected in all versions of Publisher

Scenario 2

1. Create a new two-page, facing-page document starting on the right using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 2 so there is resulting overflow text
4. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 2
5. Result in v1.10.6 - new pages are automatically created but the text only flows to page 3 resulting in another text overflow icon at the bottom right of page 3 which when clicked goes on to populate the remaining pages
6. Result in v2.1.1 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears
7. Result in v2.2.0.2005 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears

Scenario 3

1. Create a new one-page, facing-page document starting on the left using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 1 so there is resulting overflow text
4. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 1
5. Result in v1.10.6 - new pages are automatically created and the text flows to the new pages as expected
6. Result in v2.1.1 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears
7. Result in 2.2.0.2005 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears

Scenario 4

1. Create a new two-page, facing-page document starting on the left using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Insert a page break on page 1
4. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 2 so there is resulting overflow text
5. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 2
6. Result - new pages are automatically created and the text flows to the new pages as expected in all versions of Publisher

[MikeTO]

I believe there are two issues here. I'm going to ignore 1.10 and just focus on 2.1 and 2.2.0.2005 for which I got identical results. I'm unsure why you're seeing a difference. I've shared my test doc (saved from 2.1.1) below, could you share a 2.1.1 test doc that shows your results?

3 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Scenario 2

1. Create a new two-page, facing-page document starting on the right using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 2 so there is resulting overflow text
4. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 2
5. Result in v2.1.1 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears
6. Result in v2.2.0.2005 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears

2a: If you first link the frames on page 1 to 2 before using Autoflow, Publisher will create the pages but not link the frames on 2 to 3, or 3 to 4, or 5 to 6. The frames on 4 to 5 will be linked because the full spread was added at the same time. I think this is one of the known issues with adding a single page in a facing pages document. scenario 2a.afpub

2b: If you don't link the frames on page 1 to 2 before using Autoflow, the frames on page 2 to 3 will be linked and their stories merged unsuccessfully, the story in frame 2 will be lost. I think this is a new bug. scenario 2b.afpub

25 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Scenario 3

1. Create a new one-page, facing-page document starting on the left using the default master
2. Add a text frame to both the left and right master pages and link the two frames
3. Paste some lengthy text into the text frame on page 1 so there is resulting overflow text
4. Shift-Click the text-overflow icon at the bottom right on page 1
5. Result in v2.1.1 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears
6. Result in 2.2.0.2005 - new pages are automatically created but all the text disappears

I believe this is the same issue as #2b above, you're using Autoflow from a left-side frame that is the first frame in the story and the first story is lost when it's merged with the second story. scenario 3a.afpub

[Hangman]

Hi @MikeTO,

Just for clarity, I'm seeing the same results in 2.1.1 and 2.2.0.2005. The 'issue' is the differing behaviour between 1.10.6 and v2.x...

1 hour ago, MikeTO said:

2a: If you first link the frames on page 1 to 2 before using Autoflow, Publisher will create the pages but not link the frames on 2 to 3, or 3 to 4, or 5 to 6. The frames on 4 to 5 will be linked because the full spread was added at the same time.

The logic here is for page 1 to be left empty and unlinked, e.g., for the later inclusion of a TOC but yes, on the first Autoflow Shift-Click Publisher creates the required pages with only pages 4 to 5 linked and the others unlinked and with no text flow., i.e., you still only have text on Page 1 and 2 at this point.

In v2. if you Shift-Click Autoflow a second time at the bottom of Page 2 the text flows from page 2 to page 4 (despite those two text frames being unlinked prior to using Autoflow) bypassing page 3 completely. This differs from v1.10.6 where the first Autoflow Shift-Click flows text to page 3 and a second Autoflow Shift-Click on page 3 then flows text to the remainder of the document as expected.

Scenario 2 - Page 1 to 2 Linked - v1.10.6 vs v2.X

 

16 hours ago, MikeTO said:

2b: If you don't link the frames on page 1 to 2 before using Autoflow, the frames on page 2 to 3 will be linked and their stories merged unsuccessfully, the story in frame 2 will be lost. I think this is a new bug.

Here I think I'm seeing slightly different behaviour to you. In v1.10.6 the behaviour is the same as 2a, i.e., text flows to page 3 on the first Autoflow Shift-Click and then to the remainder of the document on the second Autoflow Shift-Click but in v2.x on the first Autoflow Shift-Click all the text vanishes...

Scenario 2 - Page 1 to 2 Unlinked - v1.10.6 vs v2.X

 

16 hours ago, MikeTO said:

I believe this is the same issue as #2b above, you're using Autoflow from a left-side frame that is the first frame in the story and the first story is lost when it's merged with the second story.

I think this is slightly different in as much as:

In both v1.10.6 and v2.X the first Autoflow Shift-Click flows text from 1 to 3 to 4 to 5 to 6, skipping page 2 and page 7, the second Autoflow Shift-Click on page 6 then flows text from page 6 to 7.

Scenario 3 - v1.10.6 and v2.X

scenario 2a - 1.10.6.afpub

scenario 2a - 2.2.0.afpub

scenario 2b - 1.10.6.afpub

scenario 2b - 2.2.0.afpub

scenario 3 - 1.10.6.afpub

scenario 3 - 2.2.0.afpub

 

[NathanC]

Hi @Hangman,

Thanks for providing detail along with sample files, I can't see this being as expected with it being a significant behaviour change between versions as is more likely a regression over V1. I've replicated the issue and logged it with the developers. 

[Hangman]

Hi @NathanC,

Thanks for confirming and logging...

[Maxdanger]

Just to confirm I'm seeing the same behaviour where an unlinked left page deletes text. I get around this by pasting my text again which flows to the second page and no further, then autoflowing from the second page:

 

 

[000]

Any news on this?

I'm currently starting work on a 400 page document and REALLY don't want to link the spreads one by one ... 

[GarryP]

10 minutes ago, 000 said:

Any news on this?

Serif don't usually give us timescales for, or news about, changes or fixes.

This thread has been given an official tag, which can be seen under the thread title.

When a thread has been given an official tag that means that Serif have logged it in their system to, at least, be considered for further work.

When something changes in regard to the situation as described in the thread, the Affinity Info Bot will make a posting in the thread explaining what has happened and what can be done about it (often simply upgrading to the latest version).

If you want to know when a situation mentioned in an officially-tagged thread has changed, all you need to do is follow that thread and you will get a notification if/when this happens.

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[000]

Thanks GarryP.

I did not ask for an explanation of how the forums work, but of the current status of this critical issue that has been sitting here for almost an entire year and potentially affects every single multi-page project with text flow that does not start on page one of the document.

I was hoping that I have missed an update, workaround or hotfix ...

[MikeTO]

@000 Serif has state that they're working on multi-page spreads for an upcoming release which IMO will require changes to the AutoFlow feature. If it were me, I'd fix the bug at the same time as rewriting AutoFlow. Let's cross our fingers.

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Auto text flow starting from a left hand facing page fails and clears all text" (REF: AF-242) has been fixed by the developers in the latest beta build (2.6.0.2831). The fix is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Affinity Info Bot to notify us.