Previous (and Next) Page Number don't work

[Boyan_Mladenov@adobeforums.com]

When I use Insert Special Character > Previous (or Next) Page Number the result is current page number. This happens in both InDesign 2.02 and CS(3.0.1).

Am I missing something?

Windows XP Pro
768 Mb RAM

[Steve_Werner@adobeforums.com]

The frame where you place the Previous Page Number or Next Page Number character must be a separate frame which touches or overlaps the frame of the story which is jumping from page to page. Then the frame will correctly display the previous or next page.

[Boyan_Mladenov@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, Steve

You are right.
I just wonder why using this feature was made so complicated. Couldn't they make it as simple as auto page number?

Thanks again
Boyan

[Dave_Saunders@adobeforums.com]

It is as simple. How else would you have it work? Putting it into the main story doesn't hack it because you might edit the text and move the marker.

Dave

[Boyan_Mladenov@adobeforums.com]

Dave,

I was trying to use Previous Page Number instead of Auto Page Number on a master page. Thus I should assign my page 2 (a left one) as page number 1. Sometimes I need to.

Regards
Boyan

[Steve_Werner@adobeforums.com]

Boyan,

That is not the way the feature was intended to work. The feature only works on document, not master pages.

[Sandee_Cohen@adobeforums.com]

Boyan,

I think you don't understand what the feature is meant to do.

First, the code for Previous or Next Page works by looking at the article thread (link) to where the story continues. Since the text frames on master pages don't contain any text, the code for the Previous or Next Page doesn't have anywhere to look at.

Next, as was stated by others, the Previous or Next Page code really shouldn't be added into the threaded text because edits can cause the code to move to the wrong position.

Finally, the Previous or Next Page code needs to touch the frame with the threaded text in order to read the page to which the text is linked.