Section Break Nightmare!

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Level 6

16,012 points

Section Break Nightmare!

Okay, I created this document that has 3 pages. 99.9% of the content is either text boxes, shapes, or images. The only standard text that I have is the title which I placed where the header would be, but it's not an actual header. I've had to move elements around a bit so along the way I apparently added a page break into one of the pages which has linked the two pages for all eternity. I did not add the page break from the menu, apparently copy/paste or duplicate must have done it... either that or dragging an element from one page to another does it. Whatever the case, I'm stuck with linked pages that need to be separated. When I say linked, I mean they show up in thumbnail view as two pages surrounded by a yellow outline.

The problem is, no matter what I do, I can't separate these two pages so that I can delete one or move it to a new location in the page thumbnails... it deletes or moves the other page with it. I've tried adding section breaks but all it does is add a new separate page below the linked pages, it doesn't separate the linked pages. Page break just inserts another page to the linked chain that I am trying to break up. I tried creating a new blank page and copying the content into it, the problem gets copied with it. I tried dragging the content to the new page, the problem gets dragged with it. I tried duplicating the content and then dragging it to the page, the problem gets dragged with it. About the only thing I haven't done is deleted the entire document and started completely over from scratch. To be quite honest, I've spent more time trying to fix this problem then it took to create the orginal document.

So, what did I do to create this mess? I don't EVER want to repeat the same mistake because apparently it's a done deal once you do it.

And if anyone has a solution to this mess, I'd love to hear it because EVERYTHING I've tried thus far just perpetuates the problem, it doesn't fix it.

Running Pages '09 version 4.1 (923)

Apple if you are listening, you have a real problem with this software as I am not the only one who has run into this. I'd like to disable whatever feature it is that creates this problem because apparently I don't want to linke all my pages for all eternity. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Posted on Jul 27, 2012 11:31 AM

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Answer 1

May 23, 2017 4:50 AM in response to pmiles

Just found a little trick that I haven't seen mentioned and may be of help to some forum readers, but firstly may I explain... I'm not an expert in any sense, just an occasional user of Pages 9 who hasn't migrated to a newer version for fear of it being a backwards step.

I've really struggled with understanding 'sections' and with adding new pages/ reorganising page order etc., but I've discovered that one can change a 'section break' into a 'page break' and vice-versa without losing stuff or adding blank pages.

All you need do is highlight and right-click the section break (shows as a blue line with a book-like symbol and easier to find if invisibles are enabled) and insert 'page break' instead. The two previously separated sections are then merged. It seems to work the other way round too but haven't tested all the options - I'll leave that to someone with a better understanding!

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Answer 2

Jul 27, 2012 12:14 PM in response to pmiles

Put the text cursor where you want the end of the page to be, and Insert > Section Break.

You mention Section Break in your question title, but you don't say if you have tried inserting one.

Jerry

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Answer 3

pmiles Author

Level 6

16,012 points

Jul 27, 2012 2:34 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

I have tried inserting section breaks... re-read my post.

I think I have discovered a bug in the software as I am able replicate it and it is exactly what I am experiencing in my document.

Create a new pages document, use a blank word processing document from the chooser. Then add a new page using Insert > Sections > Blank.

We now have 2 pages. At the beginning of page 1 is a section break (shows up as a blue line with a book-like symbol in blue when highlighted). There is no section break on page 2 (which is as it should be).

Turn on thumbnails (View > Page Thumbnails). This is so that we can see new pages added and their behavior easily.

Turn on layout view (View > Show Layout). You will understand why in a moment.

Now add a box shape to the first page. Use the default box that it creates. Now move the box so that the upper left-hand corner is touching the upper left-hand corner of the layout (body area, not header area). Notice what happens to the section break marker, it shifts to the right to avoid being under the box shape.

Now stretch the box all the way to the other side of the layout border to turn it into a rectangle. Notice what happens to the section break marker, it moves down to avoid being under the rectangle.

Now stretch the rectangle all the way to the bottom of the layout border (body area, not footer) to fill the entire layout border. Notice what happens to the section break marker, it shifts to a new page that it created and links pages 1 and 2 together. Page 3 is still an independent page.

Now moving the rectangle we just made up, down, left or right causes the section break to either be drawn or not be drawn on page 1 depending on the amount of room available. If there is room, the newly created page is deleted, if there isn't room, the newly created page remains.

THIS is what is happening in my document because I am using elements that forces the section break to move somewhere it can actually draw itself. It CANNOT reside under an element in the document, be it a text box or graphic element. It is why I cannot get it to behave correctly.

I realize there are different templates for this kind of stuff (page versus word processing layout), however it doesn't warn you or tell you that you can't use a blank word processing layout. Why would drawing tools, et al be available in a word processing layout if it can potentially cause these sort of issues?

So if you experiencing issues with page linking, you may find that elements in your document are forcing the section break onto a new page. Use a page layout template, not a word processing template when using free form elements in your document.

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Answer 4

Jul 27, 2012 5:45 PM in response to pmiles

It's not a bug, it's the natural result of adding objects with the "Object Causes Wrap" property to a sparsely (text) populated WP doc. You're not the first to discover what happens.

Your document begs to be designed in Page Layout mode.

Jerry

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Answer 5

pmiles Author

Level 6

16,012 points

Jul 27, 2012 6:43 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Poor software design.

I already moved the content over to a page layout after a realized the section break behaved so badly.

The simple solution would be to place such "breaks" one line above or below the main body area of the document since all it is telling the software to do is add another page. If it places a break, it adds another page, if it doesn't place a break, it doesn't add another page. Make the area above and below the body area restricted and there won't be graphics or text overlaying the breaks ever again. Problem solved.

This wasn't the first time this has happened to users and it certainly won't be the last. That is the first indicator of poor software design. You give users the ability to put an image over the entire body area, you better well be sure it doesn't create issues with its behavior.

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Answer 6

Jul 27, 2012 8:36 PM in response to pmiles

The Section Break is a character in the text, it moves when pushed by the wrap on the object. There is no "otherwhere" to place it.

If you don't want the image to move text from the page, don't apply wrap to it.

It is not just Apple that is capable of poor design.

Peter

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Answer 7

Aug 15, 2012 6:53 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

That doesn't work...

Why doesn't it have a simple ADD PAGE command? I've created a 3 page resume. I don't need a fourth page and I can't delete it. So when I want to export a quick PDF, it exports a 4 page PDF that I then have to open it in Acrobat and delete the BLANK FOURTH PAGE! pmiles is right. This is poor software design.

Also, when I want to just throw some quick images on a couple of pages, how do I create a new BLANK PAGE! I use Keynote all the time and this program should work like Keynote and have an ADD PAGE function. My only option is to duplicate the page, delete the photos and now I'm stuck with a SECTION and I can't delete a SINGLE PAGE! This is really dumb.

Get rid of SECTIONS!

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Answer 8

Aug 15, 2012 7:10 AM in response to backaginn

ginn,

If you don't need the features of Pages, use TextEdit. If you do need the features, take some time and learn to use them properly. Have you tried using the Page Layout templates? They were designed for people who don't want to deal with automatic text flow.

Jerry

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Answer 9

Aug 15, 2012 7:33 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Thanks, I got page break to work. The trick is don't put your cursor at the end of a text field... you put it at the bottom of the page clear of any text. That's not made very clear. Also, I used the BLANK CANVAS template to drag photos on and I see SECTIONS in the INSERT menu has been replaced with PAGES. It works now, but ADD PAGE should be added to the right-click popup menu next to DELETE PAGE. It would speed up the process.

Thanks again.

Jeff

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Answer 10

Aug 15, 2012 12:10 PM in response to backaginn

Jeff,

All it takes is a little practice, and a little more, and... It will seem easier and more logical the more you know.

Jerry

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Answer 11

Nov 15, 2013 3:31 PM in response to pmiles

I have a similar problem, my thumbnails have a yellow box around them but I cant drag them to diferent positions,

it worked before i uploaded ios7 but now all my docks seem to be long word docks

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Answer 12

Feb 9, 2016 3:11 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Dear Jerrold Green,

I would appreciate some help with Pages 09 sections. About 4 years ago I wrote a small thesis in Pages and was very successful using the sections function. I've been away from any academic work for a while and am just now trying to write a report. I am making a terrible mess of my formatting. I thought that sections functioned as independent mini-chapters? When I write in one section it does not affect the following section? Unfortunately this is not working for me and I upset my formatting in following sections every time I add additional sentences to the prior section. I have graphs floating all over the place and no amount of locking in place - or following text helps.

I am running MacBook Pro from 2012 and OSX El Capitan.

Thank you for your guidance.

Jonelle

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Answer 13

ddianne

Level 1

4 points

Mar 5, 2016 12:06 PM in response to pmiles

I am a new user of Pages 5 but and old user of Pages '09.

After much frustration, I think I know the reason why SECTION BREAK is not acting like a section break. It's acting like a LAYOUT BREAK!!

Layout Breaks create a new page but format actions are connected to previous pages. Section Breaks create a new INDEPENDENT page and format actions only affect that section.

Apple needs to bring back LAYOUT BREAK and fix SECTION BREAK. I have given them feedback. Maybe if more people send feedback they will fix this.

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Answer 14

Mar 5, 2016 1:15 PM in response to ddianne

When I deleted my section breaks, my graphs and tables flew all around throughout two neighbouring sections. During the course of two days, I spent hours trying to put objects back into place on several occasions. I am not confident with the Sections function in Pages 5 and did not have this problem with Pages 09.

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Answer 15

ddianne

Level 1

4 points

Mar 5, 2016 2:53 PM in response to jonelle from stavanger

Jonelle,

You are right. Pages 5 has a problem with Sections. As I stated above, I think they are acting like LAYOUT BREAKS and that Pages 5 really has no SECTION BREAK function.

If Section Breaks are important to you, I would go back to Pages '09. If you need to reinstall it, be assured that you CAN have both versions on your computer. However, if you did not keep a copy (hope you backed up) of your report in "09 format, you will have to copy from Pages 5 back into Pages '09 and reformat where needed. If you need to do this, you will probably find that images (Tables and Charts) will not copy over. You will have to Click, Copy (or Cut) each T or C from Pages 5 and Paste them in '09 where they belong.

If you decide to stay with Pages 5, I would not even try to create Sections.

Hope this helps.

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