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Mattaton
Mattaton
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Cannot edit text in Master Page

Jul 23, 2012 8:38 AM

I don't work in InDesign often.  I had created a template file for a book back in December of 2011 (originally created in CS3).  I opened this file in CS6 today and did a Save As.  Now it's time to edit a few things to customize it for this new book.  So, I went into the Master Pages to tweak some things.  But, I can't edit any text.  I can click on some photos (not all), but no text is selectable or editable.  What in the world has happened to my file?

 

I also went back to the final files for the book I did in December (not the template file, the actual working files).  Those give me the same behavior.  Text that should have been editable is not even selectable.  Again, some photos can be selected and moved, etc. but no text/text boxes.

 

Is there some conversion that takes place opening a CS3 file in CS6 that is causing this to happen?  How do I fix it?

 

Thanks,

Matt Tyree

1584 Views   11 Replies   Latest reply: Peter Spier, Jul 23, 2012 2:06 PM
 
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  • Peter Spier
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    1. Peter Spier,
    Jul 23, 2012 8:44 AM   in reply to Mattaton
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    Open the layers panel and check to see if the text frames are locked. Locking behavior changed since CS3 and by default locked frames are no longer selectable, which reduces functionality on some older templates. If the frames are locked you can either unlock them or go to the preferences and change the setting to allow selection of locked frames.

     
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  • Mattaton
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    2. Mattaton,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:02 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Okay, so it turns out there's this new (to me) item under the Object menu to "Unlock All on Spread."  If I select that, everything on the Master Page is then editable.  So, I guess I have it working....somewhat.

     

    From what I can recall when I created these templates in CS3, I could "lock" items that I didn't want to move, etc. but I could still select it and unlock it.  This functionality seems to be gone.  So, if I lock something, I have to go back and click "Unlock All on Spread."  That unlocks EVERYTHING even if I only want one item unlocked.  Is there something I'm missing that'll give me back some of that old functionality?

     

    Some things I want to be locked both ont he master and reg page.  Other things I want to be able to override on the page, so I select that option for each object.  But I guess I'd see all objects on the Mater Page as at least selectable whether locked or not.

     

    Confused! :-D

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    3. Peter Spier,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:11 AM   in reply to Mattaton
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    You can still unlock objects individually using either the layers panel (that's been updated, too), or by clicking the lock icon on the object itself (near the upper left corner).

     

    That said, you will be happier if you cahng eyour preferences to allow selection of locked objects. This essentially restores the beahvior you are used to seeing -- position is locked but you can still select and put content into a frame.

     
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  • Joel Cherney
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    4. Joel Cherney,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:12 AM   in reply to Mattaton
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    Mmm, kinda. If you are working in View -> Screen Mode -> Normal and have View -> Extras -> Show Frame Edges on, then a little lock icon appears on each locked frame. Click on it once, and it unlocks. If you don't work with all of that stuff turned on, then I know of no way to unlock a single item on a page.

     
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  • Joel Cherney
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    5. Joel Cherney,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:12 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    I knew that our posts would collide, Peter, and that I'd learn a new way to unlock a single item without having all of the invisible stuff turned on.

     
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  • Mattaton
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    6. Mattaton,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:27 AM   in reply to Joel Cherney
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    I see lock icons on some things and not others.  I think it's because two of my text boxes are only a single line in height and there's no room for the lock icon to show up.  So, some objects I can't unlock at all without unlocking EVERYTHING.  Definitely a different and more inconvenient behavior than I'm used to.  But, I guess I'll get used to it.

     

    Okay, so I found the preference that lets me still select locked objects.  Unfortunately there's still no "unlock" when I right-click.  So, without the lock icon showing, there's no way to unlock some objects without unlocking everything else.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    7. Peter Spier,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:25 AM   in reply to Joel Cherney
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    Joel Cherney wrote:

     

    I knew that our posts would collide, Peter, and that I'd learn a new way to unlock a single item without having all of the invisible stuff turned on.

    I'm actually partial to using the layers panel (it was a long-time request of mine to have it work like Illustrator) but was a bit shocked when the other behavior changed and had to lobby pretty hard to get that preference option added.

     
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  • Mattaton
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    8. Mattaton,
    Jul 23, 2012 9:30 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Well thanks for the lobbying for that option

     

    I have NOTHING on layers.  So, it looks like at some point I'll need to go back and do that.  Right now it's all on one layer.  Layers make a lot of sense though.  I use layers like a mad man in Photoshop! :-D

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    9. Peter Spier,
    Jul 23, 2012 1:46 PM   in reply to Mattaton
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    Mattaton wrote:

    I have NOTHING on layers. 

    Well, of course you do. It's just that you don't have things on MULTIPLE layers, but there's no requirement other than your own sense of organization to use more than one layer.

     

    Now, though, that you can actually see all the objects and work them on the layers panel you might want to spend more time there. It's a HUGE improvement over CS3.

     
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  • Mattaton
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    10. Mattaton,
    Jul 23, 2012 1:55 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Well, yeah....you know what I mean. :-)  It's all on one layer.  I had never touched the layers in CS3.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    11. Peter Spier,
    Jul 23, 2012 2:06 PM   in reply to Mattaton
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    And in CS3 there would not have been much reason to ever open the layers panel unless you needed to use more than one. It wouldn't show you the individual obejcts or allow you to work with them in the panel. Now you can.

     
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