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benjaminh14085833
Participating Frequently
May 29, 2019
Answered

InDesign turns my images into puzzles. Why?

  • May 29, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 1875 views

When I paste an image into InDesign, not all of them, but most are broken into various squares and rectangles.  Resizing the frame and choosing to fit the content to the frame screws them all up, as they are not one image, they are several puzzle pieces that when properly sized and connected create the image.  Resizing becomes an absolute nightmare, and half the time I have to just give up on the image and find another that, cross my fingers, is not broken up into chunks upon pasting it.

Why is this happening?  How do I make it stop?  Why, on Earth, would a) I want this to happen b) the software need this to happen?  Paste an image into any other piece of software and it stays a single image.  This is driving me mad.  And Google searching for anything regarding the Adobe suite is a total waste of time.

Any ideas?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Steve Werner

    Because InDesign breaks it into chunks, yes, seems to not work in InDesign.  I fail to see how something that works in every other piece of software I use is 'bad practice', so much as InDesign doing something to images that are pasted that makes no sense and no one seems able, or willing, to properly explain.  Thank you for that.

    InDesign fails to properly paste in images, unlike all other software.  "Enough said", I suppose.

    Thanks, for, uhh, yea.

    I will stick to my work around.


    I must disagree. The correct practice for placing images in InDesign is File > Place not copy and paste.

     

    Copy and paste works for simple projects but not for professional print production, which is what InDesign is aimed for.

    2 replies

    Derek Cross
    Community Expert
    Derek CrossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 29, 2019

    Which version of InDesign and OS?

    A screen shot would be helpful.

    Steve Werner
    Community Expert
    Steve WernerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 29, 2019

    Start by telling us what version of InDesign you're using and what operating system. It would be helpful to provide a screen capture of what is happening.

    What type of image (JPEG, PSD, etc.) are you copying? In general, copying and pasting, especially from the web or an image application is NOT the best way to include those images in your layout. File > Place is the correct way.

    What happens when you choose File > Place instead?

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    benjaminh14085833Author
    Participating Frequently
    May 29, 2019

    File -> Place works.  So I have to use linked images in order for this to not happen?  Is there a way to have the image actually in the file AND have it treated like I File --> Placed it?  We have a multi-user environment and have had issues in the past with files and folders disappearing and moving. 

    Win 10, Using CC 14.0.2

    Here are SS (be warned, I work on a Cannabis magazine, in the State of Michigan, where it is legal.)

    Image when pasted, double clicked, you can see that the upper left of the image is separate from the rest.

    Next, I enlarge the frame (holding shift), then select Fit Content to Frame.

    It, as you can see, destroys the image, as it was not one object.

    The work around I discovered on my own was to draw a frame in InDesign where I want the image, check the measurements, then resize my image in Illustrator to that size.  Then paste it and not have to resize.  But again, is there a way to stop this from happening without using linked images?

    Thank you for the replies, by the way. 

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    benjaminh14085833Author
    Participating Frequently
    May 29, 2019

    I should add that the way it breaks up the images makes no sense (as you can see in the image).  It does not break them up by layers or in any way that makes sense to the way they were created.  It is like it just randomly chooses to slice it into chunks.

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