Can't create columns in Publisher

[Steve Baker]

If anyone can help please... I strike a text box in publisher but cannot make multiple columns as the menu is greyed out. I have re-installled the app to no avail. What can the problem be? I am working on an older Imac running  10.9 (Mavericks). It did work when 1st installed. If anyone can help please... I strike a text box in publisher but cannot make multiple columns as the menu is greyed out. I have re-installled the app to no avail. What can the problem be? I am working on an older Imac running  10.9 (Mavericks). It did work when 1st installed.

[walt.farrell]

Can you show us a screenshot of the complete application window, including the Layers panel, with the Frame Text Tool selected and the Text Frame layer selected?

[thomaso]

Is this text frame a child layer of a Master Page layer? If yes, you need to choose "Edit detached" for the according Master layer – or edit the text frame on its master page.

[Steve Baker]

Hope this is screenshot ok.

Both menus are set to 2 columns with no luck on a new A4 page. (Not from the master).  The same app is running successfully on an Imac of similar vintage. Strange to say the least. But Walt, if you can solve the problem I will be very grateful.

Regards Steve

[walt.farrell]

Sorry, but I'm not seeing what might be wrong from that screenshot. It looks like you've set the number of columns to 2 in both the Context Toolbar and the Text Frame panel. When I do that on either Windows or macOS I get 2 columns, just as I would expect.

[thomaso]

7 hours ago, Steve Baker said:

I have re-installled the app to no avail.

Did re-installing also re-set / re-create APub's system preference files and defaults to factory settings? If not, possibly resetting helps. (Hold the CTRL-key pressed when launching APub, then confirm to reset in the following dialog).

Something in your interface appears to be corrupted. I can simulate a 2-column frame with 1 column 'invisible' but with an according display in the panel only. – How does the lower 2-column frame in the attached .afpub open in your APub?   two columns.afpub

[MEB]

Hi @Steve Baker,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Can you attach the afpub file shown in your screenshot to be inspected please?
Thanks.

[Old Bruce]

Change the width of the column in the Text Frame panel to something smaller than the total width of the Frame.

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Change the width of the column in the Text Frame panel to something smaller than the total width of the Frame.

I wondered about that, but I don't have any problems increasing the number of columns; the width is simply divided automatically.

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, Old Bruce said:

Change the width of the column in the Text Frame panel to something smaller than the total width of the Frame.

In the OP's screenshot the column width = frame width is not the culprit for the issue (as demonstrated in my example) but rather the missing entries in the Text Frame Panel for a.) the gutter and b.) the second column width.

Note, the Context Toolbar reports a gutter like "7.5 mm" whereas any entry is missing in the panel.

[Steve Baker]

Thank you everyone for your comments re: cannot set text columns.

I took advice to restart Publisher holding down CTRL key and everything now works correctly. Thank you Thomaso for your advice.

Regards Steve

[MEB]

Hi @Steve Baker,
It could be a bug/issue/state specific to that file. Have you tried to open it after the reset or did you recreated a new one from scratch to check?
If you still have the old file shown in your screenshot above please attach it here. I've seen/read similar reports that I believe where logged and would like to check the file if possible. Thanks.

[Steve Baker]

On 12/20/2023 at 3:10 AM, MEB said:

Hi @Steve Baker,
It could be a bug/issue/state specific to that file. Have you tried to open it after the reset or did you recreated a new one from scratch to check?
If you still have the old file shown in your screenshot above please attach it here. I've seen/read similar reports that I believe where logged and would like to check the file if possible. Thanks.

 

On 12/20/2023 at 3:10 AM, MEB said:

Hi @Steve Baker,
It could be a bug/issue/state specific to that file. Have you tried to open it after the reset or did you recreated a new one from scratch to check?
If you still have the old file shown in your screenshot above please attach it here. I've seen/read similar reports that I believe where logged and would like to check the file if possible. Thanks.

 

[Steve Baker]

Hello members

back to the drawing board with my problem with Publisher. I can create an A4 file from scratch, strike a text box but the 'columns' command in the menu bar doesn't allow me to select 2,3 or even 4 columns. It just remains the same. I have tried re-installing the app. Also holding down control when restarting. I am using an IMac version 10.9.5. ( Mavericks).  Can anyone shed any light on this problem?

Thanks Steve

[Oufti]

2 hours ago, Steve Baker said:

I am using an IMac version 10.9.5. ( Mavericks).

Does it mean you are using Publisher v1? 

Anyway, as asked before, it could be of interest to upload here one of your faulty documents…

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, Steve Baker said:

I can create an A4 file from scratch, strike a text box but the 'columns' command in the menu bar doesn't allow me to select 2,3 or even 4 columns. It just remains the same.

This is working as expected for me, like in this multicolumn example.afpub file. What happens if you open it & try to change the number of columns?

Or if you are using V1 & can't open the above file, what about this multicolumn V1 example.afpub version?

[thomaso]

2 hours ago, Steve Baker said:

back to the drawing board

Back to your screenshot: it seems that the frame width is the current column width. – What if you enter values in the Text Frame panel -> Columns ?

Or: what if you select the Text Frame with the Move Tool + choose menu "Edit" > "Defaults" > "Revert" ?

[Steve Baker]

6 hours ago, R C-R said:

This is working as expected for me, like in this multicolumn example.afpub file. What happens if you open it & try to change the number of columns?

Or if you are using V1 & can't open the above file, what about this multicolumn V1 example.afpub version?

Hello RC-R thank you for the 2nd file you sent it opens ok. I am using version 1 and the columns in the menu bar now behave as they should. I can select different columns perfectly. I wonder if this means my app is flawed? Thanks for your help. incidentally for some reason i cannot upload my files to the forum.