InDesign and FrameMaker Text Entry Comparison (WAS: FrameMaker vs. InDesign, round CS4)

[Paul Findon]

Hi Peter,

> This is a good start, but, wait, there's more to it. While the "power
> click" brings an InDesign master-page text frame to the body page,
> where it works both like and differently from FM, you'll soon fill it
> to overflowing, and then...
>
> * You can only type to the bottom of the first text frame; additional
> typing is "overset," as typographers call it, indicated by a red "+"
> in the lower-right text-frame border, if the Screen Mode is Normal
> (not Preview), and the text frame is selected (use the black arrow
> tool, aka Selection tool.)

With InDesign CS2, my workaround for this is as follows:

1) Create a new doc with Master Text Frame selected.

2) Command-Shift-click (Ctrl+Shift+click) the frame on the first page.

3) Fill the first page with placeholder text, select it all, and copy.

4) Insert roughly how many pages you think you'll need (50, 100, 300,  
whatever).

5) Paste the placeholder text for as many pages as you inserted plus  
one. If you inserted 50 pages, paste 51 times.

6) With the Selection tool, click the red Overset icon on the first  
page.

7) Hold down the Shift key and click on the frame on page 2.

The text frames on all of the pages will link together and fill with  
placeholder text, which can then be deleted ready for some real text.

Paul