Define variables with in-page elements

[maker_ryan]

Okay, so I've read through this thread featuring TᴀW​: Re: Can I capture text input in a form field to use as a text variable?

But it doesn't seem to be working for me. I think the issue might be that they're talking about user input in a PDF via Acrobat, and what I want is actually all contained within InDesign.

I'm making an ID template for my organization, which others will use and modify in InDesign as an .indd file before exporting to PDF themselves. But some of the users will be less experienced in ID and the Creative Suite as a whole than others, so I don't want to have to explain to them how to go to the Type > Text Variables > Define... menu. I see that going poorly for me in the future.

So what I want instead is to create a Master page where they can change text elements (either actual text fields or simple text boxes, whatever works) and have those changes reflected on another Master page which actually populates the doc itself. So in my Master page called "variables," if the user changes a text box/field from "Client Name" to "Acme Corp," I want a corresponding text box/field on the Master page "master" to change from "Client Name" to "Acme Corp" as well.

I tried TᴀW​'s method of creating a text field, and then another text field with the same name as Read Only, but the second text field never updated based on what I typed in the first. Maybe that interactivity only happens when you export to an Interactive PDF, I have no idea. But it wasn't doing anything for me in InDesign.

Hopefully this makes sense.

TL;DR:

I want an in-page solution to defining text variables without having to navigate the menus.

Thanks!

[Chad Chelius]

I would create a text frame that could even be on the pasteboard that contains the text that you want to reuse. With that frame selected, choose Edit > Place and link. You can now create a child version of the original (parent) text frame and whenever you edit the contents of the parent, the children will update by using the links panel or link badge.