enterprise - Magento Category Custom Design Page Layout not changing -

i have turned off caching, not matter when edit admin -> catalog -> categories. click on custom design , edit page layout, , layout 1 - 3 columns.

none of changes show up. i've tried default site , specific site per category no updates reflecting front-end. can edit custom layout update area , use like:

   <reference name="root">         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>     </reference> 

or can edit local.xml file , force categories specific layout:

<catalog_category_default>     <reference name="root">         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>     </reference> </catalog_category_default>  <catalog_category_layered>     <reference name="root">         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>     </reference> </catalog_category_layered> 

however need page layout options work. maybe has layout in local.xml add / removed things left , right side? note in cms pages area, can change page layout.

i found out issue. relied on theme forced catalog_category_default render 2 columns. because update handle sets applied variable 1 ignores admin page layout changes.

here doing:

<catalog_category_default>     <update handle="page_two_columns_left"/>     ... </catalog_category_default> 

so way override own xml update, still did not let me update page layout admin.

<catalog_category_default>     <reference name="root">         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>     </reference> </catalog_category_default> 

so fix set applied variable 0.

<catalog_category_default>     <reference name="root">         <action method="setishandle"><applied>0</applied></action>         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>     </reference> </catalog_category_default> 

this lets me use category layout custom design tab in category admin

i found out locating handle , reviewing variables set. here definition of page_two_columns_left:

<page_two_columns_left translate="label">     <label>all two-column layout pages (left column)</label>     <reference name="root">         <action method="settemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>         <!-- mark root page block template applied -->         <action method="setishandle"><applied>1</applied></action>         <action method="setlayoutcode"><name>two_columns_left</name></action>     </reference> </page_two_columns_left>