Recurring text to many pages

[finnishcoffee]

Hi!
I'm working on layout for a magazine and I need to have issue number and release date visible on multiple pages, kind of like page numbering.
My first thought was to have 2 cells outside of the document itself, one for the issue nr and the other with the date. But now I cant figure out how to copy/link the content of those cells to text boxes for use with for example a header or footer.
Copy/Pasting such text boxes manually onto same spot on every page is not a viable option.
The idea is to put the issue nr and date in 2 boxes that are part of a page template where they update every page just from the two original cells.
As more issues of the magazine are made, those to cells would be the only ones I need to edit and the linked text boxes on every template that has them will update it, including the front page where said information will have different font for the content copied from the cells.

Somewhere in a youtube video, a person mentioned fetching cell info to a text box using a "formula bar" but with windows version 1.6.1 of Scribus, I'll be darned to find any such formula bar anywhere.

[Nermander]

That looks like the perfect situation for Master pages?

[finnishcoffee]

That looks like the perfect situation for Master pages?

Yeh, that is the plan - I just cant get to how I should copy the info in those 2 cells to the text boxes on master pages.
Every issue of the magazine will have new number and date. They will also be in smaller font on some places.

[PatJr]

post a simplified sample file
maybe someone here can reply with a model you can use to set your master pages up with

[Nermander]

Yeh, that is the plan - I just cant get to how I should copy the info in those 2 cells to the text boxes on master pages.

Edit the master pages?

[joseb]

Maybe you can create two 'variable texts'. One 'variable text' for ISSUE and another variable for DATE.

CREATE:
- Create a text frame and put the cursor inside.
- Right click / Insert mark / Variable text.
- Create a 'variable text' where label is ISSUE and DATE. In the text to insert field you should place text that you will update in other Scribus files.
- Assign it a paragraph style.
- Insert these text variables in as many text frames as you want and change the paragraph styles in each frame if you want. Right click / Insert markup / Text variable.


EDIT OR UPDATE:
- To change the variables you will have to right click on the text itself and choose 'edit mark'. Also by double clicking or from the edit menu.
- When you change the variable text it will be updated in all the frames where it is inserted. It will respect the different paragraph styles you have applied.

PROBLEMS:
- If the frames are on master pages you may have to exit the edit mode and re-enter...
- I have also noticed that the 'variable text' can affect numbered listings... After changing a 'variable text' several times, all the numbered listings become numbered 1... and 1,2,3 does not appear... I'm not sure if this error is linked to the 'variable text' but it has happened to me a few times.
- Text variables can have a different paragraph style wherever they are inserted. This means that the variable appears in a different font, size, colour or justification in each place. For example: in one place it could be aligned to the right, in another to the left and in another centred... But I think it is not possible to apply 'align text forced justified'.

[finnishcoffee]

Yeh, that is the plan - I just cant get to how I should copy the info in those 2 cells to the text boxes on master pages.

Edit the master pages?

That will be a better option, provided I save master pages with objects.
Still a lot of editing to do compared to just two cells but definately better then doing every single page...
Scrubis does seem to have a knack for crashing with masterpages that contains such things as tex frames tho.

[finnishcoffee]

Maybe you can create two 'variable texts'. One 'variable text' for ISSUE and another variable for DATE.

CREATE:
- Create a text frame and put the cursor inside.
- Right click / Insert mark / Variable text.
- Create a 'variable text' where label is ISSUE and DATE. In the text to insert field you should place text that you will update in other Scribus files.
- Assign it a paragraph style.

- Insert these text variables in as many text frames as you want and change the paragraph styles in each frame if you want. Right click / Insert markup / Text variable.


EDIT OR UPDATE:
- To change the variables you will have to right click on the text itself and choose 'edit mark'. Also by double clicking or from the edit menu.
- When you change the variable text it will be updated in all the frames where it is inserted. It will respect the different paragraph styles you have applied.

PROBLEMS:
- If the frames are on master pages you may have to exit the edit mode and re-enter...
- I have also noticed that the 'variable text' can affect numbered listings... After changing a 'variable text' several times, all the numbered listings become numbered 1... and 1,2,3 does not appear... I'm not sure if this error is linked to the 'variable text' but it has happened to me a few times.
- Text variables can have a different paragraph style wherever they are inserted. This means that the variable appears in a different font, size, colour or justification in each place. For example: in one place it could be aligned to the right, in another to the left and in another centred... But I think it is not possible to apply 'align text forced justified'.

I cant get that righklick menu to work. Its there, but the options in it are greyed out.
Something is amiss somwhere I think. I havent even made a master page when trying this.
The only one there is the "normal" one wich can not be deleted either. I assume the document must have at keast the default one.
Attempting to make said variable text box on a new masterpage and editing that masterpages content, will change the "insert mark" submenu to only have the "variable text" in it... Still greyed out tho...

And OMG how I hate this forum verification and autologout system LOL - I just had to re-write this entire thing because of it. O.o

[joseb]

It is clear that the initial question of this thread should be solved with:
- Master pages.
- Mark / Variable texts (outside the master pages and/or inside the different master pages you create).

Maybe your file is corrupted. Create a new Scribus file with the default settings and start trying very simple things without making complex combinations. First, try to study how to work with master pages. Secondly, with variable texts.

Don't combine 'text frames' with 'table cells'. To start with, it is best to work only with 'text frames'.

Finally, remember that to insert a mark / variable text, you need to be inside the text frame with the blinking cursor ready to type...

[AdmFubar]

And OMG how I hate this forum verification and autologout system LOL - I just had to re-write this entire thing because of it. O.o

you can change the time for the auto logout. it is there in the login window.

[Nermander]

Still a lot of editing to do compared to just two cells but definately better then doing every single page...
Scrubis does seem to have a knack for crashing with masterpages that contains such things as tex frames tho.

How many different Master Pages do you have?

[finnishcoffee]

Late reply... I been preoccupied trying to juggle 2 jobs...

Its going to be 30-40 pages.

Using master pages now. 3 of them to be precise.

Front Page /cover
Index/editors column/copyrights
Articles

A fourth one may be needed for another customer. Time will tell.

[finnishcoffee]

Don't combine 'text frames' with 'table cells'. To start with, it is best to work only with 'text frames'.

Finally, remember that to insert a mark / variable text, you need to be inside the text frame with the blinking cursor ready to type...

Even being within the textframe with blinking cursor, the Insert Mark options are all greyed out.
Doesnt matter if there is text or not, wether its highlighted or not, or if I use right klicking or "Insert" menu from the top.
Makes me wonder if there is a setting of sorts in scribus itself that is not on.

[AdmFubar]

You need to activate these features. File/Preferences, in the preferences window look to the third last entry in the list on the left. Should be "Experimental" click and check the box "Enable notes marks and other related features"