Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Linking pages in Publisher to flow text from page to page


Recommended Posts

While awaiting the final release of Affinity Publisher I prepared a text document of 80 pages in Microsoft Word. With the release of Affinity Publisher I opened New Document and used Document Setup, Spread Setup and Preferences to create a Master Page involving a facing page. I then added 80 pages before opening each page in turn using the Frame Text Tool before copying text from the pre prepared Microsoft Word Document and pasting it into the highlighted Affinity page. I then adjusted the font style and size in Affinity Publisher before following the same process for 80 pages. Could someone please advise me if there is a way to link all these pages so that I can insert images into various locations of the text on different pages so that the following text will automatically adjust?   If so you please set each step I need to take to accomplish this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums, @Harry D.

The suggested approach is simpler than what you did:

  1. Prepare the Master Page(s), including a Text Frame. (There may be a trick involved here, if you use Facing Pages. So starting with non-Facing while you learn will be easier. You can convert to Facing Pages if you really need them.)
  2. Have only a single document page defined.
  3. Paste all your text into that page, or use File > Place to put it there.
  4. The text will overflow. That's OK.
  5. Notice the red link icon on the lower right side of the Text Frame. Shift-Click on it, and Publisher will create all the other pages, based on the same Master Pages as the first document page, with all the Text Frames properly linked.

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your help Walt.  After following your advice everything worked fine with no problems experienced.  I adjusted the font style and size in the Word document before pasting it to Affinity. I intend to publish the story I am writing into a book and that is why I considered using facing pages.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

... but is there any way to link the pairs of linked master pages to the next pair of linked master page created in the doc, short of manually doing this linking between each pair, and  creating an empty doc of totally linked pages and saving that as a template? Of course, one could make multiple linked pages in the doc and then keep duplicating, linking and adding the linked pages to reach any number of linked pages. This is what I have done, but I wish there were an option in the Section panel that would allow linking all new pages in that section.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jim Monson said:

... but is there any way to link the pairs of linked master pages to the next pair of linked master page created in the doc, short of manually doing this linking between each pair, and  creating an empty doc of totally linked pages and saving that as a template? Of course, one could make multiple linked pages in the doc and then keep duplicating, linking and adding the linked pages to reach any number of linked pages. This is what I have done, but I wish there were an option in the Section panel that would allow linking all new pages in that section.

Sorry, but I don't understand what you're asking. Master pages aren't linked together. Text Frames are linked, and the two Text Frames on a 2-page Master Page spread can be linked together.

And what are you trying to accomplish with your template?

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Walt. I know that one cannot link master pages.What I meant to ask is how to create a doc or section of multiple pages (say 50) in which all of the frame text boxes on the master page are linked together, from top to bottom. My work around is to make a master page with facing pages and the link them on the master page. I then add a facing page in my doc from master page. I then duplicate that doc page a number of times and link all of the text boxes in the doc. Then I copy those pages (with linked text boxes right through, from 1 to the last page), duplicate that and link my first block of text pages with my duplicated one. Sound strange but it works. My question/request is that rather than going through this process I wish I could have the option (perhaps in the Section panel) that would automatically link all text boxes in a particular section. This I couild bring over my text from my old InDesign doc and simply drop it in. For now I am making a template as per above. I hope this cleared it up for you. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Jim Monson said:

My question/request is that rather than going through this process I wish I could have the option (perhaps in the Section panel) that would automatically link all text boxes in a particular section. This I couild bring over my text from my old InDesign doc and simply drop it in. For now I am making a template as per above. I hope this cleared it up for you. 

That helps, but I still don't understand why you want all those blank document pages with linked empty text frames.

Just make one Master Page, and if it's a facing page Master create a Text Frame on each page, and link them. Then your document page will have a Text Frame on it. Just drop all your text into that single Text Frame, shift-click the red linking icon, and let Publisher make all the remaining document pages for you.

If you need them split in sections, use the Section Manager to do that later.

What do you gain by creating all the empty pages ahead of time?

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks, Walt. I'm just getting back to the forum. I want the linked blank empty text boxes in order to drop a very long text into and not go through the process of linking each one. I have many times done what you suggest (creating a master of linked facing pages and adding many of these to my doc), but then I must link each of these facing pages to each other since linking one does not link them all, nor should it. Perhaps the designers of APub already thought of this and make it possible but I have not found that as yet. It is not a huge problem, but for one who has a very long text to paste into APub, it would be nice to have a quick way (perhaps via an option in the Section) to have the added pages from my master page automatically link to either the page above or below. Not to worry. I'm beyond this with a template that I created that has what I need. Your comments are much appreciated! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jim Monson said:

Thanks, Walt. I'm just getting back to the forum. I want the linked blank empty text boxes in order to drop a very long text into and not go through the process of linking each one. I have many times done what you suggest (creating a master of linked facing pages and adding many of these to my doc), but then I must link each of these facing pages to each other since linking one does not link them all, nor should it. Perhaps the designers of APub already thought of this and make it possible but I have not found that as yet. It is not a huge problem, but for one who has a very long text to paste into APub, it would be nice to have a quick way (perhaps via an option in the Section) to have the added pages from my master page automatically link to either the page above or below. Not to worry. I'm beyond this with a template that I created that has what I need. Your comments are much appreciated! 

If you have a Facing Page document, you will have Master Page A with 2 pages. You will also have 1 document page (page 1).

Select that Master Page, and:

  1. Draw a Text Frame on the left page.
  2. Draw a Text Frame on the right page.
  3. Link them. (Click on the lower-right link triangle on the frame on the left page. Then click on the text frame on the right page.)

Select Page 1. Select the Text Frame. Place your long document into it.

It will overflow. Shift-click the red linking triangle. Publisher will create as many pages as needed to hold your Placed document, all based on Master Page A, with all Text Frames properly linked.

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@walt.farrell  you get a gold star for patience.


24" iMAC Apple M1 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16 GB unified memory, 1 TB SSD storage, Ventura 13.6.  Photo, Publisher, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.3.
MacBook Pro 13" 2020, Apple M1 chip, 16GB unified memory, 256GB  SSD storage
,  Ventura 13.6.   Publisher, Photo, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.1.1.  
 iPad Pro 12.9 2020 (4th Gen. IOS 16.6.1); Apple pencil.  
Wired and bluetooth mice and keyboards.9_9

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi @Jim Monson.  If you will go to Publisher HELP>Tutorials, you will find one a few rows down called "Linked Text Frames."  At approximately 9:17 (minutes) there is an excellent demonstration of auto flowing -- exactly what you are trying to do, and what @walt.farrell has explained above.  This does not work with a PDF file, and I don't have Word so couldn't test it, but it works like a charm with a TXT file. Just tried it.  The entire tutorial is full of excellent tips and options, and well worth viewing.  Hope it may help.


24" iMAC Apple M1 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16 GB unified memory, 1 TB SSD storage, Ventura 13.6.  Photo, Publisher, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.3.
MacBook Pro 13" 2020, Apple M1 chip, 16GB unified memory, 256GB  SSD storage
,  Ventura 13.6.   Publisher, Photo, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.1.1.  
 iPad Pro 12.9 2020 (4th Gen. IOS 16.6.1); Apple pencil.  
Wired and bluetooth mice and keyboards.9_9

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jmwellborn said:

You don't even have to link text frames in the Master Pages

In my experience, I did have to link the left- and right-hand text frames on the facing Master Pages. Otherwise the text flowed through only the right-hand document pages.

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

In my experience, I did have to link the left- and right-hand text frames on the facing Master Pages. Otherwise the text flowed through only the right-hand document pages.

Oops.  Back to the drawing boards.


24" iMAC Apple M1 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16 GB unified memory, 1 TB SSD storage, Ventura 13.6.  Photo, Publisher, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.3.
MacBook Pro 13" 2020, Apple M1 chip, 16GB unified memory, 256GB  SSD storage
,  Ventura 13.6.   Publisher, Photo, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.1.1.  
 iPad Pro 12.9 2020 (4th Gen. IOS 16.6.1); Apple pencil.  
Wired and bluetooth mice and keyboards.9_9

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much to both of you and your kind patience! As I have found in the past, the Affinity staff knew what we users needed and made it happen ... even if I don't experiment long enough to find the solution they already created. I had searched for such a link but could not find it. Thanks for including it. BTW, that is a beautiful collie you have. Long ago my family raised many litters of collie pups. Nothing like pups and a kid on a farm....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Jim Monson  Actually, she was a wonderful Australian Shepherd.  Brilliantly intelligent, funny, fiercely loyal, and unfailingly kind.  As a child I always wanted a Collie and had to make do with terriers.  Two Australian Shepherds later and its back to a smaller dog (my fault, not theirs) — this time a Lakeland Terrier.  Funny, fiercely loyal, friendly to a fault, and pretty intelligent too, although not in the Aussie range.  Nothing like dogs, wherever!


24" iMAC Apple M1 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16 GB unified memory, 1 TB SSD storage, Ventura 13.6.  Photo, Publisher, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.3.
MacBook Pro 13" 2020, Apple M1 chip, 16GB unified memory, 256GB  SSD storage
,  Ventura 13.6.   Publisher, Photo, Designer 1.10.5, and 2.1.1.  
 iPad Pro 12.9 2020 (4th Gen. IOS 16.6.1); Apple pencil.  
Wired and bluetooth mice and keyboards.9_9

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I want to add to what walt.farrel said in one of his above posts: "In my experience, I did have to link the left- and right-hand text frames on the facing Master Pages. Otherwise the text flowed through only the right-hand document pages". I had to do that too, but the first page of my document was different from all the remaining ones (the first had only text, the following pages had text and image frames). So I had to manually flow the text from the first (text only page) to the following spread (that had text and image frames, master already flowed), and from there, shift click to flow all the text in the created pages (which were like the first spread, all with text and image frames). It looks to me as if you can't auto-flow text between pages that are not exactly the same. Is that so, or am I missing something? Buy the way, the video on this subject flows text onto the same type of pages, it does not show how to do it with mixed/different pages.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Please help. I'm using Office 2019 and this solution doesn't work.

There is no "red linking triangle" on my document page. (There is a triangle on the Master page but it's black.) There are 3 little dots at the lower right of the text box that, when I shift-click (or simply click) on it, turns the cursor into the pitcher icon but there's no linked pages magically appearing. 

There are no tutorials in Publisher > Help called "Linked Text Frames".

I'm trying to flow a 100K-word book from Word into Publisher. I've created a facing page document, and linked left and right text boxes on the Master Page. Back to the document itself - I have one page and a text box, I paste in the text which is 99.5% overflow of course... what next? Adding new pages simply duplicates the first page (even though I'm not selecting "duplicate page"). The overflow is not creating new linked pages.

I can't find anything in Publisher Help that talks about this - all it talks about is manually linking text boxes to deal with overflow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Calista said:

what next?

If @Fixx's screenshot doesn't help you, can you give us a screenshot of the application window so we can see what you have?

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.