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carmensays
carmensays
Participating Frequently
March 28, 2019
Question

Fonts used in InDesign not recognized by Illustrator

  • March 28, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 2760 views

I'm using fonts in InDesign that I've licensed from Creative Cloud. They work fine in InDesign but when I save them as PDFs so I can open them in Illustrator, the fonts are missing and the app refuses to recognize them even though I know they are installed. I've verified I'm signed into Creative Cloud and the fonts are licensed. The fonts also work if I create a new document in Illustrator. It just refuses to recognize the same font if it originates from InDesign. If I export the InDesign document to an EPS file, the font is recognized no problem, but it's extremely tedious for my workflow to create intermediary files just because Adobe products aren't actually compatible with each other. Why is it so difficult to work between applications all from Adobe???

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      3 replies

      Luke Jennings
      Luke Jennings
      Inspiring
      March 29, 2019

      Illustrator does have data merge capability, although I have not tried it.

      Merge data to create data-driven graphics through templates and variables in Illustrator

      If Dov's suggestion to use Acrobat to edit an object in a PDF doesn't work (the size and position may change), the safest way would probably be to open the PDF in Illustrator (you can close your eyes for a moment Dov) then delete everything from the file except the object you want to edit*, then save it as a new (Illustrator editable) PDF. Finally place this new PDF into InDesign on top of the old object and delete the old object.

      *A quick way to do this is to select the object and move it to a new layer, then delete the original layer.

        Dov Isaacs
        Dov Isaacs
        Legend
        March 28, 2019

        Please note that Adobe Illustrator is not, repeat is not, repeat yet again is not a general purpose PDF file editor. The only PDF files that can be safely edited in Adobe Illustrator are PDF files that are saved from Adobe Illustrator itself using the “retain editability” option. Opening a PDF file exported from InDesign in Illustrator is not supported by Adobe. You can expect that there may be changes in the fonts, conversions of fonts to outlines, text relayout, color space changes, and more “issues” with your workflow.

        There is nothing unexpected in what is happening here! The problem is that you are attempting to use Illustrator in a non-supported workflow.

                  - Dov

        - Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
        carmensays
        carmensaysAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        March 28, 2019

        Then what is the suggested workflow?

        I have to create hundreds of illustrations using the DataMerge from InDesign because text and graphics are being imported from Excel generated CSVs - no choice on the matter. I need to perform further editing of some of those illustrations in Illustrator because InDesign does not support those edits. I then "Place" those final AI images back in my final page layout, which is a different InDesign document. I've been using this workflow for over 10 years. It used to work fine in CS4 and CS5, but with each successive product release it seems to get more and more difficult...

        Dov Isaacs
        Dov Isaacs
        Legend
        March 28, 2019

        Whatever graphics you are bringing into InDesign using data merge should be edited in Illustrator before being brought into InDesign.

        And FWIW, workflow of editing PDF from InDesign in Illustrator was never officially supported by Adobe. We have warned about this for many years now on these forums and elsewhere. Sorry!

                  - Dov

        - Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
          Steve Werner
          Community Expert
          Steve WernerCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          March 28, 2019

          This would be highly unusual if you're using Typekit/Adobe Fonts which are part of your Creative Cloud subscription, and I don't recall hearing this before. I've never experienced it myself.

          We need more information: What operating system? What version of Indesign? What version of Illustrator? Exactly which Adobe fonts are you using?

          Please provide screen captures which document what you're talking about, and/or access to the files ( you could post them on Creative Cloud or on another service like Dropbox, and provide links).

          Steve Werner
          Community Expert
          Steve WernerCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          March 28, 2019

          Actually, it would make more sense to post this in the Adobe Fonts website which deals with those fonts and cross-application issues:

          Adobe Fonts (formerly Typekit)

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