text frame that isn't visible

Mon Oct 20 13:11:40 PDT 2008

Thanks Lester:

I just right-clicked my text frame and checked object properties --
the autoconnect box is selected.

How can I add a page that isn't a disconnected page?  The only way I
know how to add pages is to keep hitting return until a new page shows
up, or go to Special > Add Disconnected Page.

Is there some option I should be clicking to make my menu option read
Special > Add Connected Page?

Thanks!

Deirdre

On 10/20/08, Lester C. Smalley <lsmalley at infocon.com> wrote:
> The "not visible" frame may well be on another page that is not visible.
> I think that is far more likely than the layers, although that is also a
> possibility.
>
> The biggest thing is exactly as Art notes: the "autoconnect" property.
> This should be ON for all your main text frames, both on the body pages
> themselves, and the master pages, regardless of whether they are custom
> master pages or the default Right/Left pair, unless you have some very
> specialized page design needs.
>
> Whenever a disconnected page is added to a document, the autoconnect
> setting will be turned OFF on that page, and so anything you add to it
> will not 'autoflow' to a new pages, such as adding rows to a table.  If
> that happens again, instead of adding a page and connecting them
> manually, check the properties for the text frame to see if Autoconnect
> is turned off. If so, just turn it on and FM should automatically add a
> new page to contain the extra table rows.
>
> I would strive to keep the text frame organization as simple as possible
> - a single frame for the page is both easiest to work with and easiest
> for another writer to follow. You can have multiple frames if your page
> design demands it, but do not try to nest them, which can't be done
> directly anyway - you have to add an anchored frame or a fixed graphic
> frame.
>
> On Monday, October 20, 2008 15:26, Art Campbell wrote:
>
> | Based on your questions, it sounds as if there's something or some
> | things wrong in your template. If I were you, I'd think about creating
> | a new, clean template and applying it to any of your files/books that
> | have the symptoms you're asking about. It sounds as if you're building
> | stuff on what amounts to a flawed foundation, which isn't good.
> |
> | * The "not visible" frame could be on a layer under another frame --
> | mostly likely the result of modifying master pages or adding frames
> | manually.
> |
> | * There isn't a program default setting for page connections; it's on
> | a file by file, or template basis. So disconnected pages aren't the
> | default setting, except in your particular files. Autoconnect -- a
> | checkbox on your Master Page's text frame property sheet -- is the
> | setting in all the Frame templates and in most cases should always be
> | on.
> |
> | * You should so rarely have to add a Disconnected page that you should
> | need to look up the procedure... For almost all books in all
> | situations, you want autoconnected pages.
> |
> | * Text frames cannot be nested. You may have a text frame that
> | contains an anchored frame, and _that_ may contain a text frame. Or
> | you may have text frames on different layers. But you don't have
> | nested ones.
> |
> | * The only reason that rows wouldn't be added to a table is if youv'e
> | broken the automatic flow connection. If it's turned on, the rows and
> | pages are added automatically.
> |
> | Art
> |
> | Art Campbell
> |                           art.campbell at gmail.com
> |   "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52
> | Vincent and a redheaded grl." -- Richard Thompson
> |                                                       No disclaimers
> | apply.
> |                                                                DoD 358
> |
> |
> | On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 3:15 PM, Deirdre Reagan
> <deirdre.reagan at gmail.com> wrote:
> |
> | > Hi all:
> | >
> | > FM 8.0, Windows XP.
> | >
> | > A specific question here, but feel free to philosophize about the
> | > nature of disconnected and connected pages in general.  I'm happy to
> | > learn.
> | >
> | > In my document, when I attempt to connect two text frames, I get a
> | > message that says "OK to use a text frame that isn't visible?"
> | >
> | > SPECIFIC QUESTION(s)
> | >
> | > What does that message mean?
> | >
> | > GENERAL PHILOSOPHICAL MUSINGS
> | >
> | > How would I find a text frame that isn't visible?  Why would I ever
> | > use a text frame that isn't visible?
> | >
> | > Why does FM use disconnected pages as the default?
> | >
> | > How come sometimes when I add a disconnected page, one of my figures
> | > jumps to the end of the document and the table ends up split between
> | > two other figures?
> | >
> | > Can a text frame within a text frame be connected to the text frame
> | > it's within? (I'm using white text to force a TOC entry -- the text
> | > frame is usually on its own page, but not in this case, so I cut and
> | > pasted the text frame into another text frame -- I guess I could
> have
> | > just typed the white text into the existing text frame.  I didn't
> | > think of that until right now.  Anyhow, I'd still like to know.)
> | >
> | > How come sometimes when I add rows to my table, FM automatically
> adds
> | > a new page, but other times, the new rows disappear until I add a
> page
> | > and connect it to the table page?  Does it have anything to do with
> | > using Left / Right Master pages versus Custom Left and Custom Right
> | > master pages?
> | >
> | > I could go on, but I imagine you all have jobs you need to do.
> | >
> | > Sprightly yours,
> | >
> | > Deirdre
>
> - Lester
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Lester C. Smalley              Email: lsmalley AT infocon DOT com
> Information Consultants, Inc.  Phone: 302-239-2942 FAX: 302-239-1712
> Yorklyn, DE  19736               Web: www.infocon.com
> -------------------------------------------------------
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