Same bug ID 2023 (Nov 1 2022), Even page, variables in footer box: page # variable + variable 2 (section #) work, but variable 3 (section name) doesn't. It DOES work on another parent page (also even page), just not this one. I can pm info if needed. I am going to try to recreate this parent page to see if I can get it working. But none of the workarounds I've tried have worked so far. SO frustrating wasting time on this.

I know this is old, but following up with more information. It is not always corrected by replacing the offending text box.

The problem is still intermittent, but I can now report that it only occurs when two variables are in the same text frame. So, when I have an automatic page number and a text variable like a chapter title in the same text frame, sometimes, the automatic page number is replaced with the word "Variable."

Have the same with a field that inserts the last month number. it also does not update

Never mind. Corrupt text box. Wierd, though, that it only affect one pages of the dozen or so that use that master.

InDesign 13.0.1

I can't really give you steps. I can't reproduce the problem regularly. It always happens on long documents when I have a variable and a page number in the same box on a master page.

When I PDF the file, one page—216 in this case—always exports the page number as the word "Variable." I have tried everything I can think of including

• reapplying the master page
• unlinking the running head text box from the master page
• changing the variable to regular text (in which case, the problem jump to p. 218)
• reinstalling InDesign
• reinstalling Acrobat
• using multiple PDF Job Options

The only thing that seems to be common to every occurrence is that it only happens when I page numbers and variables in the running head box. Oh, and I think it only occurs on even-numbered pages, but I may be misremembering that. Sometimes, the page number on the page in the InDesign file has been replaced by "Variable" and sometimes it hasn't been. If I recompose the stories, it becomes a page number, but in the PDF, it's still "Variable."

If you (Adobe) are interested in seeing the file, I can send it directly. I cannot attach it here, though, because it's unpublished material that is not mien.