Learn about auto page numbering across multiple files in InDesign, and discover how changes in one file can automatically adjust page numbers in other files.
This exercise is excerpted from Noble Desktop’s past Adobe InDesign training materials and is compatible with InDesign updates through 2020. To learn current skills in InDesign, check out our InDesign Bootcamp and graphic design classes in NYC and live online.
Topics Covered in This InDesign Tutorial:
Auto Page Numbering Across Files
Exercise Preview
Exercise Overview
Another benefit of book creation is that you can set up auto page numbering so that if you add or remove a page in the file, the other files “know” about it and automatically adjust their page numbers. Sweet.
In the last exercise, you created a book. If you closed it, re-open it. It’s called yourname-wine book.indb and should be in the InDesign Class folder.
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In the Book panel, look at the page numbers of the four sections. They currently all match up. That’s nice, but we had to do that manually for you. There are two ways to do page numbering across multiple files.
Way #1: (This is what we’ve currently done.) Each of the files have “section starts” that tell each file which page to start on. The problem with this way is when you add pages to a file in the middle of the book, the other files don’t adjust their page numbers. We have to do that manually to each file.
Way #2: (What we’re going to do in this exercise.) Let the Book feature set the page numbers for each file. This way when we add a page in the middle of the book, InDesign will adjust the page numbers of the other files for us.
Setting up the Book
Go into the Book panel menu
and choose Book Page Numbering Options.- Choose:
- Continue on next even page.
- Check on both Insert Blank Page and Automatically Update Page & Section Numbers.
- Click OK.
NOTE: This tells the book that new files (or chapters) will start on an even page, which is always a left-hand page. This is important in this book because new chapters always start as a spread. Later, when we add pages, if we add one page, InDesign will add a blank page to fill out the spread for us! Isn’t that thoughtful?
Converting the Chapter Files from Way #1 to Way #2
In the Book panel, select yourname-wine2 and from the Book panel menu
, choose Document Numbering Options.This will open the file and display options. Near the top of the panel, select Automatic Page Numbering and click OK.
Save and close the file.
We need to set these page numbering options for wine3 and 4. But there’s a faster way. In the Book panel, double–click on the page numbers next to the yourname-wine3 name. It will open the file and display Document Numbering Options! Much faster.
Choose Automatic Page Numbering and click OK.
Save and close yourname-wine3.
Repeat this process for yourname-wine4.
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That’s it. Test out the auto page numbering by opening yourname-wine1 and adding a page at the end. In the Book panel, you should see all the page numbers adjusted.
NOTE: This is how you convert files that had already been set up with specific page numbers. However, if you start off knowing that you want to let the Book feature number the pages for you, things are even easier:
- Create a new book and set the Book Page Numbering Options.
- Create the file for Chapter 1 and add it to the book. (Don’t set any Numbering & Section Options! The book will take care of that.)
- Create the file for Chapter 2 and add it to the book.
- Create any more chapter files and add them to the book as needed.
When you add the new files to the book, you’ll see that they will automatically get numbered correctly.
