Linking text frames

When a text frame is selected, the frame includes a Link button at the bottom right which denotes the state of the frame and its story text, and which allows you to control how the frame’s story flows to following frames:

PagePlus linkbtn1 Linking text frames 

No Overflow
The frame is not linked to a following frame (it’s either a standalone frame or the last frame in a sequence) and the frame is empty or the end of the story text is visible.

PagePlus linkbtn2 Linking text frames 

Overflow
The populated frame is not linked (either standalone or last frame) and there is additional story text in the hidden overflow area. An PagePlus linkbtn4 Linking text frames Autoflow button also appears to the left of the Link button.

PagePlus linkbtn3 Linking text frames 

Continued
The frame is linked to a following frame. The end of the story text may be visible, or it may flow into the following frame.
Note: The button icon will be red if the final frame of the sequence is overflowing, or green if there’s no overflow.

There are two basic ways to set up a linked sequence of frames:

  • You can link a sequence of empty frames, then import the text.

  • You can import the text into a single frame, then create and link additional frames into which the text automatically flows.

  • When frames are created by the AutoFlow option (for example when importing text), they are automatically linked in sequence.

  • If the PagePlus linkbtn5 Linking text frames Overset button shows under your frame, it means that your frame text is either not formatted correctly within the frame (i.e., the frame has less height that the text) or the text frame is overset over another text frame, obscuring the text underneath.  

To create a link or reorder the links between existing frames, you can use the Link button under the frame (or the controls on the Frame context toolbar). Remember to watch the cursor, which changes to indicate these operations.

  • You can link to frames already containing text or are already in a link sequence.

  • If the frame was not part of a link sequence, its text is merged into the selected text’s story.

  • Different frame sequences can be combined, creating unified story text.

To link the selected frame to an existing frame:

  • Click the frame’s Link button (showing PagePlus linkbtn1 Linking text frames or PagePlus linkbtn2 Linking text frames.)

  • Click with the Textflow cursor on the frame to be linked to.

To link the selected frame to a newly drawn frame:

  • As above, but instead of clicking a “target” frame, either click on the page (for a default frame) or drag across the page (to create a frame sized to your requirements). The latter is ideal for quickly mapping out linked frames across different pages.

To unlink the selected frame from the sequence:

  • Click on PagePlus linkbtn3 Linking text frames, then click with the Textflow cursor on the same frame.

Story text remains with the “old” frames. For example, if you detach the second frame of a three-frame sequence, the story text remains in the first and third frames, which are now linked into a two-frame story. The detached frame is always empty.

  • If you click on a frame’s Link button, and then change your mind about linking or unlinking, press the Esc key to cancel.

To navigate from frame to frame:

  • Click in the text at the end of a text frame, then use your down arrow keyboard key to jump to the next frame.

Linking text frames