Link two existing text frames together (both have text)

[jeremyr69734243]

Hello,

I need to link two existing text frames together, but InDesign appears to not handle this correctly.  If I have a text frame with existing text in it and then I have a second text frame with text in it and I try to link them together by clicking the arrow and selecting the box which gives me the text icon to drag to the second text frame it does not work.  It actually appears to place a second text frame on top of the first rather than linking them.  If the second text frame is empty it works fine (just line examples I've seen), but if there is text in the second frame it does not work correctly.  Has anyone else experienced this?

[Steve Werner]

No problems here. (1) Choose black arrow (Selection) tool and click out port of first frame.

(2) Cursor indicates ready to connect to another frame. Out port of first frame show text continuing. (Screen capture software makes the cursor looked duplicated; didn't look that way on screen.)

(3) You can hold down the Command/Ctrl key to select the second frame. With your cursor, click the In Port (upper left corner) of second frame. Here's the result:

You're not "dragging to the other box". You're clicking the little square (black arrow is over it above).

[Laubender]

Hi Jeremy,

turn on "Show Text Threads" option and select the text frames.

Is the first text frame already threaded to another one?
(Maybe on a different page or on the pasteboard)

Then:

Make sure there is a paragraph sign at the end of the text of the text frame you want to add to the story.

Select the text of the text frame you want to thread (in my screenshot the red colored one).
Cut the text (the text frame should be empty).

Thread the text frames (that's possible now, because the text frame is empty).

Select an insertion point (depending on formatting you may have to add an extra return).

Insert the text you have cut with paste.

Uwe

[Laubender]

Hi Jeremy,

does something Steve or I suggested work?
How did it turn out for you?

Uwe

[jeremyr69734243]

I got it work, but not like I thought it would.  I expected it to combine the two text boxes into one and it does not  It still keeps them as two separate text boxes, but it works.

[Laubender]

Combining two different text frames into one…

Could you post a screenshot of the solution you want to achieve?
A before/after comparison. Where frame edges and invisible characters are visible.

Uwe

[jeremyr69734243]

I had a frame on the current page with text that was linked to the next frame, but not the frame prior.  I ended up adding text to a prior frame and ended up needing to link it to the current page.  When I did that link from the prior page to the current page it expanded over the top of the existing frame.  I feel it should not due this.  I think pulled the linked frame from the previous page all the way up so the could pull the from from the current page down and then line them up so text would flow over the boundary properly.  I don't understand why the frames on that page don't join to become one large single frame.  I gave up and kept the two frame butted together as shown below. 

[Didi_Hirsch]

I agree - it shouldn't be so hard to link 2 full text boxes so that the first flows into the second. Why can't InDesign do this?

[FRIdNGE]

Hi,

I've written a script that cuts stories in small pieces basing on a para style applied to paras!

Write a similar process in the other direction shouldn't be impossible! …

Best,

Michel, from FRIdNGE

[Didi_Hirsch]

Can you share the script please? Does it work in older versions of ID (CS5, CS6?)

[FRIdNGE]

The first is not for free and the second is not written … yet!

The code used here will surely make them work since CS5! …

[Didi_Hirsch]

It should be a normal functional part of ID imho...

[Erica Gamet]

Merge Text Frames script from Ajar Productions: https://ajarproductions.com/blog/2008/11/28/merge-textframes-extension-for-adobe-indesign/

Requires subscribing to the newsletter, but he doesn't send out emails very often (or sell your name)...I love the script.

[Laubender]

I agree - it shouldn't be so hard to link 2 full text boxes so that the first flows into the second. Why can't InDesign do this?

Hi Didi,

that's a normal function with InDesign. No problem at all.

The thing Jeremy wants to do in #6 is a different one: He wants to merge two text frames into one text frame.

InDesign can do this also without a script, but it requires a few steps to make that happen.

The heart of that is to use the pathfinder function. A script will only automate this.

Regards,
Uwe

[Didi_Hirsch]

For some reason it was not working for me in one particular instance. I clicked the Out port of first frame, Ctrl-select the second frame, clicked its In port, and all it did was make a new empty text box, sitting on top of it, like the OP said.

[Duncan_Fardon]

You've probably figured this out by now, but I've found that you hit ctrl and click anywhere on the text frame, then the icon changes to the link symbol - you then click anywhere but the In port (notice when you put the arrow over the In port the icon changes to the text-flow icon).

[UkeYak]

Yes, hitting the Command key on the Mac while clicking the text box and then clicking into the next text box works. It combines the two sets of text BUT without a space or paragraph break. So, place curser where you need to break the text, then hit the Return button on the calucular side of an extended keyboard (or FN Return) to force the text into the second box again. Works pretty handily.

[NHPAsec]

Laubender,

I am having the same issue as Jeremy.  I have tried what everyone has suggested and it does link but it still places text over the text in the box I am linking to.  I have multiple pages in a book that I am editing.  When I add text it pushes the text down out of site until I link it to the next page which pushes the text down to the next page.  I worked for 13 pages but now when I link to the 14th page it places the text over the existing text in that page.  Would you have any ideas?

Thank you