Numbering chapters in a book

[KenIsaacson]

I'm formatting a book that has approximately 50 chapters. I'm a newbie with InDesign, and I think I've determined that the best way to proceed is to create a separate document for each chapter. I've hit upon a few questions:

• When added to the book (*.indb), does each document automatically become a chapter?
• If I insert (in a master page) the "chapter number" text variable and apply that master page to the first page of that document, will the chapter number show in the assembled book? (NOTE: I've done this, and some chapter numbers are correct, but others aren't, though I've "updated" all numbers and "synchronized" all variables.

Many thanks!

Ken

[Jose M. Ramos · Accepted solution]

Hi Ken! First thing to note is that while InDesign calls it a "Book" file, it's really a way to group individual documents together. InDesign doesn't care if they're chapters, units or pieces of a stationary kit. So the answer to your first question is maybe. Each document you add to a book becomes whatever you'd like.

That said, it seems you're doing all the right things. You're using a chapter number variable on a master page, which in turn applying to the first page of each document. You're also using the Update numbering / Update all numbers command in the Book's flyout panel. My guess is that "Auto chapter numbering" has not been set for some of the documents. The good news is that this is easily fixed by opening each of the "rebellious" documents and:

* Choose <Numbering and Sections Options> from the Page's flyout menu.

* Under <Document Chapter Numbering> set it to "Auto..." (Screenshot attached).

* Click OK and Save your document

* Finally, update the numbering across ALL documents on the Book panel.

Hope this helps!

Jose

[KenIsaacson]

Will try and report back. Thanks much.

[Randy Hagan]

Hi Ken.

Briefly,

1) No, InDesign's book functions don't automatically turn an InDesign documents into chapters. But it does allow you to easily apply unique attributes to each InDesign document to clearly identify individual chapters, then apply global attributes (page numbering, Table of Contents, Indexing, etc.) to those individual documents.

2) There are a couple of ways to apply chapter prefix/numbering options. In addition to the example Jose indicated above, you can universally set each InDesign document to start page numbering by activating the Start Section check box by choosing the Start Page Numbering in each InDesign document and entering the page number you want to start each section. Then enter the chapter prefix you want in the Section Prefix: edit box in the Page Numbering section. This works if you want each chapter to start with, say, 1-1, 2-1, etc. It also preludes you from accidentally overriding your page numbering by accidentally invoking book page numbering functions.

If you'd prefer the page numbering to be sequential throughout your book, I'd suggest a different process. Rather than using the Numbering & Section Options panel to define your chapter prefix (e.g. 1-1 to 52, 2-53 to 78, etc.) create the page numbering with your master pages, using the text variable (1-[page number variable], 2-[page number variable], etc.). Then you can use the book's page numbering functions to maintain/update your running page count without ever affecting the chapter prefix you use from your master pages.

Hope this helps ...

[KenIsaacson]

Jose and Randy,

I think I got if figured out. Using Jose's post as a guide, I went back over the process I'd followed. In the meantime, I found that each document had two different master pages that could serve as the first page of a chapter--depending on whether it's a left-page or a right-page. And I saw that it appeared that only one of those master pages had the right text variable. I corrected that in each of the three offending chapters, and all came out well.

Now, I have to see what happens when I create and add the next chapter doc.

Thanks again for your help.

Ken

[Jose M. Ramos]

My pleasure Ken. I hope it works out!

J

[KenIsaacson]

Subsidiary question: How do I split an existing, single, document/chapter into 2 chapters? I can't seem to find how to "insert chapter break" (or some such thing.

Thanks.

[Randy Hagan]

1) Open the original file. Use the File>Save As... command to rename it as the first split for the chapter. Press OK.

2) Double-check to make sure the file on the screen is named for the first chapter split.

3) Delete the pages on the far side past your chapter split point. Double-check to make sure you have the right pages in the first InDesign chapter file. Save the file and close it.

4) Open the original file. Use the File>Save As... command to rename it as the second split for the chapter. Press OK.

5) Double-check to make sure the file on the screen is named for the second chapter split.

6) Delete the early pages before your chapter split point. Double-check to make sure you have the right pages in the second InDesign chapter file. Save the file and close it.

7) If you use InDesign's Book functions, immediately open the Book panel, delete the original InDesign file from the book list and replace it with first the first, then second split chapters you created, in the appropriate order for your total book. Save the book, then close it.

8) Once you're absolutely sure you got the right split pieces, archive/delete the original InDesign file so it's nowhere near the working InDesign files you're using and you don't accidentally create version control problems.