Page Master sizes question? (Also: I'm impressed!)

[Cooner]

I must say, I'm impressed! Another artist friend of mine asked if I could help compile a print sketchbook he'd published a few years ago as a PDF, with all single pages except for page spreads which he wanted included as larger, double-width pages to accommodate the full artwork. After tinkering about in InDesign and Acrobat for a bit, I decided, since it was a fairly simple and non-critical project, I'd give the Affinity Publisher a try … and it worked!

The only question I have: Initially I tried to create two master pages, the default "Master A" at 6x9" portrait, and "Master Spread" at 12x9" landscape to fit the wider spread images. However, when I tried to apply "Master Spread" to any document pages, it showed that was now the master page but it didn't change the size of the page itself. To do that I had to go in manually page by page (or by groups of pages) and go into "Spread Properties …" to adjust the page size by hand. It worked, but it was rather inelegant. So I was wondering … is there a reason you can create different sized Master pages but the page size doesn't carry over to document pages it's been applied to? Did I miss something or do something wrong? Or is this just something that hasn't been implemented yet or got missed somehow?

Thanks guys! Obviously this was a very simple job of dropping image files, no dealing with text or frames or any other more complex desktop publishing tools, but nonetheless I like the app so far and am looking forward to seeing where it goes. (And hopefully flushing InDesign along with the rest of the Adobe suite soon.)

[Old Bruce]

The Master Page just applies the elements on itself to the Page, it has no effect on the size of the page. You would have to change the size of the page in the Spread Setup. Make sure you have the Move tool selected and ht the Spread setup button on the Context tool bar. Or, go to the menu: File > Spread Setup...

[Petar Petrenko]

I have the same problem. I create a new master page with different size and orientation and it can't be applied on a page. I had to resize it through "Spread Setup...".

On 5/10/2019 at 7:56 PM, Old Bruce said:

The Master Page just applies the elements on itself to the Page, it has no effect on the size of the page.[...]

If so, why we are allowed to change the size when we define a new master page?

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Petar Petrenko said:

why we are allowed to change the size when we define a new master page?

My Guess: This capability saves you from having to first create the Master, then resize it using Spread Setup, before you can start filling its content.

[Petar Petrenko]

1 minute ago, walt.farrell said:

My Guess: This capability saves you from having to first create the Master, then resize it using Spread Setup, before you can start filling its content.

I know that. But I can't apply a master page with different size and orientation?

[walt.farrell]

59 minutes ago, Petar Petrenko said:

I know that. But I can't apply a master page with different size and orientation?

Probably because that could have too many effects on the existing page content. The pages that are not the same size/orientation as the new Master need human attention, by using Spread Setup followed by additional manual moving of the content. In my opinion that is best done before the new Master is applied.