InDesign: How to import repeating XML with multiple masters

Question

I currently have importing XML in InDesign working, but I'd like to work with multiple masters so that the page design alters every other spread.

Something like: [ A-left | A-right ] [ B-left | B-right ] [ A-left | A-right ] ..... [ B-left | B-right ] [ A-left | A-right ] [ B-left | B-right ]

Where content on the A masters is something like: Heading | ---------------| Description | Project Image ---------------| Author Details |

And the B master would be a reflection of the A master: | Heading |--------------- Project Image | Description |--------------- | Author Details

I tried moving my XML structure from my first page, to one of the A master pages, but this seems to mess up the XML structure, with multiple root elements, one per page with the master applied.

My current XML structure looks like: students \-- student |-- heading |-- description |-- project image \-- author details |-- forename |-- surname |-- supervisors \-- major

Answer 1

First of all, getting a "module" (see it as an elementary set of objects to be repeated) to be repeated require some specific tagging and layout preparation.

You need to have a primary text-frame that will be tagged with the parent node (students).

Then, you need to add a student tag inside the main frame.

Now put your cursor inside the student tag and add a page break character. That will be useful later.

Now create a textFrame and tag it with "box". Anchor that tagged frame inside the "student" node but before the page break. Use editor node if necessary.

Use anchored object options to set the frame so it's opposed to the spline. That way, it will always be moved whatever the page it's on.

Use an anchored objects into which will come the student data. Use object styles as you may want to make later changes to the frames.

Now, add the extra tags inside the box.

Have your xml compliant with this indesign xml structure or use XSLT to make it match the existing structure. Or it won't produce the expected results.

Now import checking "Clone repeated text elements"

Et voilà,