Section options

[Mike Gondek]

You probably could have done your majority (the number sections) first then go back to the beginning of your book and do your (roman numer section).

You also with the numbering sectiosn window open, hold down alt/opt and the cancel button will go to reset, if you ever need to.

[Dominick Santise]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the reply. I am not quite sure what you mean though. I am working with a pre-existing template. Are you saying that the SECTION OPTIONS are picking up the roman style from the first few pages and are therefore using it as a default? If so, does it always pick up the first few pages, or should it be picking up the section previous to the one I am marking (Section One follows the roman forward, and therefore makes sense to pick up the previous styling, but sections two through 30 still pick up the roman and not the previous styling, is this correct?)

And in terms of the prefix, is there anyway to clear that field as a default and not have to do it each time?

The RESET works, but still kind of leaves me in the same position, having to make the same changes each time.

Thanks again,
Dominick

[Mike Gondek]

When you insert pages from flyout menu or if you alt click on thje insert page icon, you will get a menu asking where you want to put the pages.

The choices are (before, after, start , end). The new pages you insert will pick up the sectioning of the section you insert into. So you make the choice then of what is shal pick up.

For example if you have a 6 page document, the first 3 pages are (i, ii, iii) and the last 3 are (1,2,3). If when you choose insert pages you choose after page iii you will add roman numeral pages (iv, v, vi). If you choopse before 1, then you will insert standard numeric pages (1,2,3) before your original page 1(page 4 out of 6).

[Dominick Santise]

Thanks Mike, I think we are getting farther away from the problem at hand. Overall, I am working with a supplied template that in the end I need to merge with supplied copy in the most efficient (least timely) manner. The template I have is set up with between 6 and 8 master pages, all facing pages. The template typically contains 10 pages of front matter that is tweaked for each book, followed by two dummy chapters. The main text starts around the 11th page and is the first SECTION. I usually delete the second dummy chapter and typically get the text and insert it into the first text string. I then auto flow the text in after the third or forth page of the main body style (to pick up the predominant master page styling), since the text file I am given is typically sent as one long file and not pre-sectioned, also making it more efficient to style the text. My problem comes in when breaking the text up after it is flowed and styled. Lets say I have 30 sections(chapters) to designate, each time I go to NUMBER AND SECTION OPTIONS I am presented with the problem that I mentioned, the default is set to roman styling and the section prefix is always filled in with the indesign sect: prefix. It would be vastly more efficient to be able to tab through this window and hit enter then to have to click and drop down the menus to select new styling. Basically anything to make it take less time.

Thanks again for the help.

Dominick

[Mike Gondek]

First remove any roman numeral section numbering within your document (use the pages palette), then create all your standard number sections, and at the end and add your roman numeral section.

The other tip that can help you is that you can hit tab to enter the style box and use the up and down cursor keys to change the value, rather than using the mouse to choosing the drop down.