Inspiring

Answered

Disable Replace on Place Command

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
June 3, 2025
5 replies
706 views

Does anyone know if there any way to disable the default behavior in InDesign where it replaces an object you happen to unknowingly still have selected with whatever object you are trying to place? This is absolutely behavior I want InDesign to do NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER EVER! When I select 'Place', I want to place an object not replace an object. Always. Please, help.

Correct answer NLFlowers

Just to close the loop, this setting (shown in the attached SS) in the 'Place' dialog was what I was looking for. However, in response to @Barb Binder, in my experience, this setting is proving not to be sticky or sticky in the wrong direction. I deselected this, saved, closed, reopened, and it is back on by default. I will have to request my IT department to install the script. Thanks everyone. So much to do about bad UI! I have supported a feature request here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/34452082-make-replace-selected-item-in-indesign-stay-the. Please, do the same if you agree this is bad default behavior.

NLFlowersAuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

Just to close the loop, this setting (shown in the attached SS) in the 'Place' dialog was what I was looking for. However, in response to @Barb Binder, in my experience, this setting is proving not to be sticky or sticky in the wrong direction. I deselected this, saved, closed, reopened, and it is back on by default. I will have to request my IT department to install the script. Thanks everyone. So much to do about bad UI! I have supported a feature request here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/34452082-make-replace-selected-item-in-indesign-stay-the. Please, do the same if you agree this is bad default behavior.

leo.r

Community Expert

However, in response to @Barb Binder, in my experience, this setting is proving not to be sticky or sticky in the wrong direction. I deselected this, saved, closed, reopened, and it is back on by default.

By @NLFlowers

Like @Barb Binder, I also thought that this setting is sticky (not that I paid much attention). But now I can confirm that it only remains sticky until you quit InDesign. After reopening InDesign, the "Replace selected item" option indeed becomes selected again. I agree that it's quite annoying.

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Hi NLF,

For what its worth: I like how when I accidentally replace an image because the frame was accidentally selected, all I have to do is one Cmd/Ctrl+Z to undo and I am back to a graphics placement cursor and the image frame is not harmed anymore.

Mike Witherell

NLFlowersAuthor

Inspiring

Good software design is intuitive; it doesn't require workarounds, scripts, or broken workflows. We should expect better from Adobe and other enterprise app developers that we support with our $BILLIONS / year in onerous subscription fees. Yes; I have been assaulted in the face with another toast about another new feature Adobe, AutoDesk, Microsoft, whoever, has crammed into their kludgey broken UI, but where is the development in better UI. I have been using Adobe products for 30 years. That's not hyperbole; that's an actual number. I expected better UI by now, and I'm tired of waiting.

Barb Binder

Community Expert

For my own information, @Jeffrey_Smith: do we need a script for this? In my experience, turning it off in the Place dialog box is sticky-state. It stays off until you re-enable it. Or reset prefs. And as I continue to type, is that the difference—the start-up script is read even after a preferences reset?

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @Barb Binder , I think @NLFlowers doesn’t want to accidentally place in a selected frame—the placed item should always place directly on the active page, inside a new container.

Randy Hagan

Community Expert

For what it's worth, all you have to do if you accidentally replace an existing element within your InDesign document instead of placing a new one in the file is hit the Esc key.

Hitting escape automatically returns the element you replaced and places the object you wanted to place in your InDesign document into your cursor (also known as the Place Gun). From there you can place the desired object independently where you want it, as you intended before accidentally replacing the object you had unknowingly selected before using the File>Place (keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+D) menu command.

That's what I do, generally while muttering and cussing under my breath, when I find myself in that situation.

Hope this helps,

Randy

J

Jeffrey_Smith

Community Expert

This can be done with a startup script. Save the snippet below with .js extenstion. Within the Scripts folder, create a folder named: Startup Scripts. Move file into folder. Check documentation for OS specific details.

// Disable "Replace Selected Item" option in the Place dialog
app.placePreferences.replaceSelected = false;

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @Jeffrey_Smith , The script is throwing an error when I try it—don’t think there is a placePreferences object? Maybe this?:

// Deselect All
var da =  app.menuActions.itemByID(278)
if(da.enabled){da.invoke()}; 

//place...
var p =  app.menuActions.itemByID(113409)
if(p.enabled){p.invoke()};

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