Automatic master page text frames

[MikeTO]

We've talked about this several times in support and beta threads but it appears the only actual request is in the v1 archive (see link below) so here's a new feature request.

I'd like a feature similar to ID's Primary Text Frame feature (formerly known as Master Text Frame), or Quark's Automatic Text Box, or the equivalent feature in most page layout apps.

New APub users keep creating text frames on document pages instead of master pages and then struggling with adjusting their position and size (see link below). Without an automated way to create text frames on master pages, the New Document > Number of Pages feature can be a hindrance rather than a help because it creates pages with frames that won't be linked together if you later create frames on the master.

This feature would require three new controls on the New Document > Layout tab:

• Automatic Text Frames checkbox below Default Master - when selected, will create text frame(s) on the default master that match the margins. If Facing Pages is selected, the text frames should be linked together. Selecting this should auto select Include Margins if it's not already selected
• Columns and Gutter fields below this new checkbox
• If Number of Pages is greater than 1, link the frames from spread to spread

That's it, but the reason I started a feature request today was for something else which would be a nice bonus: Add a menu command to create text frames on the current page that match the margin guides. If you have a document without masters or masters without frames, it would be nice to be able to choose Document > Create Text Frame and Publisher could add frame(s) that match the margins, and link them together if it's facing pages.

V1 feature request: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/94271-primary-text-frame/

 

Example of users asking how to move their frames from document pages to master pages which is rather tedious but I've answered this question twice this week: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/213812-how-to-get-text-to-conform-to-new-margin-width/&do=findComment&comment=1266477