Skip to main content
Participant
December 15, 2018
Answered

CS3 - InDesign need patch?

  • December 15, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 1423 views

I have CS3 while I worked as a designer, and have been using it with zero problems on my previous mid2010 MacBook Pro right up to El Capitan.

This MacBook Pro died on me last month, now I am on a new one with High Sierra. On my new MacBook Pro (late2017 model) which I bought from the AppleStore last month.

CS3 Photoshop and Illustrator work fine on this new MacBook Pro (late2017), but InDesign is not working at all. All fields blank.

Taking it into AppleStore and speaking with Adobe and looking into the InDesign launch files (?), it transpires that my Illustrator and Photoshop were updated on my MacBook in 2016, hence why they work, but that the InDesign was last updated in 2009.

Installing from the original disks are not working at all.

Does anyone have a patch that will include the update of InDesign CS3?

The earliest one I can find on the Adobe is for CS6 on the Adobe software and product updates. But, this too is not working.

I now work as a Brain Injury Rehabilitation therapist, and I know that my CS3 enables me to produce small personalised booklets which I design especially tailored for each of my ABI clients, to provide all their own individual and specific cognitive rehabilitation needs.  I do not need to learn or use any other software, my role is to enable and facilitate my clients' successful rehabilitation. I have used InDesign CS3  for years, until I moved away from Graphics in 2007.

I do not use InDesign enough to warrant me paying a monthly subscription.

Other softwares such as Scribus and iWorks do not enable me to produce these small and constantly changing/updated booklets quickly enough, espacially as I know and understand InDesign as professionally as I had previously done.

Can anyone help me with this?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer John T Smith

    CS3 and Acrobat 8 activation server is retired see reply #1 https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2372929

    -you MUST use the special serial number AND the special installer you download, not your originals

    -above includes a link to get the special version AND links to help with activation problems

    -more information on activation problems with the new version https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2385900

    also

    CS6 and earlier programs HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED AND WILL NOT BE UPDATED for Mac El Capitan or newer operating systems

    -which means that you try to use CS6 and earlier at YOUR risk of having problems due to Apple updates

    -Apple did not maintain backward compatibility with old programs in El Capitan or newer operating systems

    --Adobe has a workaround to Apple's problem of not maintaining backward compatibility

    --READ HERE https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2301916 for an Adobe solution to installing old programs, including a link to installing the old Java runtime that is required

    --Also read for more information https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2458382

    --and https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/install-or-run-applications-new.html

    --and https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/open-apps-wont-work-mojave-photoshop-3684425/

    --and https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macos-mojave-apps-compability-fix-2018-10

    2 replies

    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    January 4, 2019

    With a new Mac, running 10.12, 10.13 or 10.14 anything CS6 and older is not compatible. You have to subscribe to the CC versions. Sometimes programs can run, but usually not without errors.

    InDesign is the program which will stop working before all others as it has the highest system requirements. Don't buy any CS6 software as it will not help you at the end and cost only money.

    John T Smith
    Community Expert
    John T SmithCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    December 15, 2018

    CS3 and Acrobat 8 activation server is retired see reply #1 https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2372929

    -you MUST use the special serial number AND the special installer you download, not your originals

    -above includes a link to get the special version AND links to help with activation problems

    -more information on activation problems with the new version https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2385900

    also

    CS6 and earlier programs HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED AND WILL NOT BE UPDATED for Mac El Capitan or newer operating systems

    -which means that you try to use CS6 and earlier at YOUR risk of having problems due to Apple updates

    -Apple did not maintain backward compatibility with old programs in El Capitan or newer operating systems

    --Adobe has a workaround to Apple's problem of not maintaining backward compatibility

    --READ HERE https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2301916 for an Adobe solution to installing old programs, including a link to installing the old Java runtime that is required

    --Also read for more information https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2458382

    --and https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/install-or-run-applications-new.html

    --and https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/open-apps-wont-work-mojave-photoshop-3684425/

    --and https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macos-mojave-apps-compability-fix-2018-10

    Participant
    December 15, 2018

    Thank you for this John. Really helpful.

    I contacted Adobe, and they seem to be helpful in offering me CS6 at a discounted rate, however.. I am unsure that this would be helpful give what you say about the Adobe and Apple updates.

    I will have a think.

    John T Smith
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    December 15, 2018

    >offering me CS6 at a discounted rate

    I don't know who you contacted, but Adobe stopped selling CS6 over a year ago