Text frames on Master Pages vs. Pages

[Martyn Folkes]

Edit: Sorry, I've posted this in the wrong forum. Not sure how to move it.

What are the pros and cons of creating the text frames for a long document on the master page versus creating them on the pages? 

I like the advantage that the text frames are in exactly the right position on every page based on the master, but I am finding text frames on master pages a little troublesome. Specifically, flowing by Shift + Clicking on the red triangle doesn't always seem to work. Might it have something to do with the "Unlinked Attributes: Text" message on the right-hand text frame layer?

Edited February 21 by Martyn Folkes

[MikeTO]

You should always create the frames on master pages for a long document, it will simplify your job if you later change the page size or margins.

Shift+clicking the red "Text Flow Out" control should always work but these controls are small and a bit finicky. There is a known issue with them if you're using footnotes - the footnote frame can overlap the control making them impossible to click. There's a workaround for that if that is what your problem is. Can you tell us more about what problem you're having?

You can ignore the "Unlinked Attributes: Text" tooltip - that's just a quirk that should probably be fixed someday. It has a meaning for something else but it really makes no sense in this case. (Steps to reproduce: Create a facing pages doc, draw a frame on either side of the master, and link them. Now they'll show the unlinked attributes tooltip in Layers. If you draw two frames on the left page or the right page and link them you won't get the tooltip or the dashed line indicator on the layer.)

Cheers

[Martyn Folkes]

Thanks @MikeTO. That clears it up for me. I'm not using footnotes. I can't pin down what is troublesome, because I tend to keep trying different things until it works and then forget what has happened, but have this vague feeling that something was bothering me. If I come across it again, I'll post it here.

[Old Bruce]

40 minutes ago, Martyn Folkes said:

What are the pros and cons of creating the text frames for a long document on the master page versus creating them on the pages? 

Pros for having them on a Master Page are many. Cons are... can't really think of any.

Pros for having them on the Actual page are few; the only one I can think of is you don't need to set up a Master Page(s). Cons are many.

[Catshill]

I don’t place text frames on master pages but use layout guides. That is because I am designing magazines that are based on a two column layout with different frame heights and stories that don’t flow into one another.

[Martyn Folkes]

Thanks all. Everything is now clear to me.

[Martyn Folkes]

On 2/22/2024 at 8:17 AM, Martyn Folkes said:

Everything is now clear to me

Turns out, it isn't.

I have a template for a paperback. I have set up master pages. One is Blank -- it has the main text frames on it. The other is Body -- it is based on Blank, and has added page number text frames on it. The idea is to apply the Blank master page on empty left pages before a new chapter, but Body is applied to the bulk of pages

When I Place a .docx file into the text frame on page 6, which has the Body master page applied, it flows into page 7, as intended, but then doesn't flow any further. I shift click on the triangle and a bunch of new pages are created, but they are empty -- the text isn't autoflowing into them. I have to link each spread manually. I don't think this is how it is supposed to work, so what have I done wrong? I haven't had problems in the past when I drew the text frames on the page -- autoflow worked flawlessly. It only seems to happen with frames on master pages.  

203x127 paperback body (8x5).aftemplate

[MikeTO]

Hi Martyn, I agree that it doesn't work in an ideal manner and there is something odd happening that I think is a bug but here's how to get it to work.

1. Select the two frames on the Body master page. Using the Text Frame panel, change their Fill from white to none. I don't know how you ended up with white backgrounds and it shouldn't matter but it seems to be causing an issue. I will report this separately.
2. Delete page 8, a single left page. Always work in full spreads when using AutoFlow.
3. Add 2 pages to the end of the document based on your Body master. Link the frame on page 7 (number page 1) to the left frame on page 8. AutoFlow likes flowing from a spread with a master applied to both sides.
4. Paste your text.
5. AutoFlow - Shift+Click the Text Flow Out control on the frame on page 9 and it will create and link the required pages.

Good luck.

[MikeTO]

Here's the bug report