InDesign

Thread text frames

The text in a frame can be independent of other frames, or it can flow between connected frames. To flow text between connected frames, you must first connect the frames. Connected frames can be on the same page or spread, or on another page in the document. The process of connecting text among frames is called threading text.

Each text frame contains an in port and an out port, which are used to make connections to other text frames. An empty in port or out port indicates the beginning or end of a story, respectively. An arrow in a port indicates that the frame is linked to another frame. A red plus sign (+) in an out port indicates that there is more text in the story to be placed but no more text frames in which to place it. This remaining unseen text is called overset text.

Threaded frames

A.
In port at beginning of story

B.
Out port indicating thread to next frame

C.
Text thread

D.
In port indicating thread from previous frame

E.
Out port indicating overset text

Choose View > Show Text Threads to see visual representatives of threaded frames. You can thread text frames whether or not they contain text.

Add a new frame to the thread

  1. Using the Selection tool , select a text frame, and then click the in port or out port to load a text icon.

    Clicking the in port lets you add a frame before the selected frame; clicking the out port lets you add a frame after the selected frame.

  2. Position the loaded text icon  where you want a new text frame to appear, and then click or drag to create a new text frame.
When the loaded text icon is active, you can perform many actions, including turning pages, creating new pages, and zooming in and out. If you start to thread two frames and change your mind, you can cancel the thread by clicking any tool in the Toolbox. No text will be lost.

Add an existing frame to the thread

  1. Using the Selection tool, select a text frame, and then click the in port or the out port to load a text icon.
  2. Position the loaded text icon over the frame you want to connect to. The loaded text icon changes to the thread icon.
    Adding existing frame to thread

  3. Click inside the second frame to thread it to the first.
You can add automatic “continued on” or “continued from” jump lines that track threaded stories as they jump from frame to frame. (See Add automatic page numbers for story jumps.)

Add a frame inside a sequence of threaded frames

  1. Using the Selection tool, click the out port at the point in the story where you want to add a frame. When you release the mouse button, a loaded text icon appears.
  2. Drag to create a new frame, or select a different text frame. InDesign threads the frame into the series of linked frames containing the story.
Adding frame inside a thread (top) and result (bottom)

Unthread text frames

When you unthread a text frame, you break the connection between the frame and all subsequent frames in the thread. Any text that previously appeared in the frames becomes overset text (no text is deleted). All subsequent frames are empty.

 Using the Selection tool, do one of the following:

  • Double-click an in port or out port to break the connection between frames.

  • Click an in port or an out port that represents a thread to another frame. For example, in a two-framed thread, click either the out port of the first frame or the in port of the second frame. Position the loaded text icon over the previous or next frame to display the unthread icon . Click in the frame.

    Removing frame from thread

To break one story into two stories, cut the text that needs to go in the second story, break the connection between the frames, and then paste the text into the first frame of the second story.