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Participant
October 5, 2018
Question

Issues opening IDML file having XML tagging/structure

  • October 5, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 611 views

I have a project from one of our client in which source InDesign files are XML tagged.

Challenge is that as per the localization/translation process when we convert these XML tagged InDesign (INDD) files into IDML format for our localization use, those IDML files are not opening in InDesign CC 2018 or any other CC version and resulting the InDesign application to getting crashed.

Can anyone kindly check if similar issue was faced by anyone and if there is a solution to convert these INDD files to IDML and open these IDML retaining the XML tagging even after the localization process?

Thanks.

    3 replies

    Participant
    May 9, 2025

    We still encounter this issue. I have an XML tagged InDesign file, I export as IDML and add few changes in the content in the IDML and added character styles to the content I added. The IDML file parses and do not have any issue. But when I try opening the IDML in InDesign, my InDesign crashes. Is this a known issue? Do we still not have solution to this? 

    Robert at ID-Tasker
    Legend
    May 9, 2025

    @JayShree30719887iuml

     

    What do you mean by "IDML file parses"?

     

    The only tool they can "parse" IDML file is InDesign. 

     

    If InDesign crashes - then there is something wrong with the contents / structure of the IDML file. 

     

    Joel Cherney
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 9, 2025

    What do you mean by "IDML file parses"?

     

    The only tool they can "parse" IDML file is InDesign. 

     

    Technically true, but there are many translation environments/tools/language management systems that can interpret and write IDML. So I'm guessing that JayShree means "it opens up successfully in my translation tool." Happens all the time that someone exports an IDML that crashes InDesign. That's often because there is some bit of format-tagging or format-painting that has not been completed in the translation tool. 

     

    JayShree, what tool are you using? Also, did you look at @Laubender's comment above? 

     

    One strategy I use to troubleshoot bad IDML export is to make a project TM with only the strings that are in the IDML source document that crashes upon export. Then I take the source IDML and delete the last half of the document in InDesign (that is, delete pages 21-40 of a 40-page doc) and re-export the IDML. I can then drop that IDML into The Tool I'm Using That Day, apply the TM, and then export IDML right away. If that exports successfully and opens in InDesign, I know that there's a problematic element somewhere in pages 21-40. If it fails, I know the problem is somewhere in the first half, so then I can try the same process again with pages 1-10. 

     

    This doesn't always work, of course, if the problem with the file is structural. But if your document is 100% XML-tagged, you can try a similar strategy by simply untagging the whole thing, exporting IDML, and then reapplying TM.  If that works, it proves that your XML tagging is actually the source the problem.

     

    But the resolution to your issue isn't likely to be found here at the Adobe Community - it's going to be the supplier of your translation tool. (Unless I happen to know your tool well, in which case I might be able to tell you to e.g. "open the IDML filter properties and uncheck thus-and-so".)

     

     

    Community Expert
    October 23, 2018

    Hi,

    will the IDML files that were tagged open with InDesign immediately after export?
    Or do they come back and only then will not open due to changes made by the translation process?

    Regards,
    Uwe

    Srishti Bali
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    October 9, 2018

    Hi Ajay,

    I am trying to replicate the issue. Could you please share a sample file and step by step workflow? If yes, please upload the file to Creative Cloud/ Google Drive/ Dropbox and share the direct download link.

    Regards,

    Srishti