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Participant
October 30, 2022
Answered

Massive bugs on InDesign version 18.0

  • October 30, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 1951 views

Warning to anyone looking at updating to InDesign 18.0 it's causing massive issues for me. The worst issue is that all my existing InDesign documents won't open through file explorer and need to be opened from within the new InDesign and even then some files are corrupt and can't be opened at all. It also erased all my recent document history and I can't access the latest files I had open that were meant to be in my creative cloud files.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Eugene Tyson
quote

The worst issue is that all my existing InDesign documents won't open through file explorer and need to be opened from within the new InDesign 

 

This could be a File Association issue - check your operating system and search the internet how to associate file types with the correct application. 

There are various reasons when installing a new program why the file types associated with them are not linked correctly.

quote

even then some files are corrupt and can't be opened at all.

 

This is odd - and I've seen others mention this too. 

Your best bet is to keep working in the previous version of InDesign - if it's deleted or removed from your system you can still reinstall it .

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html

 

If you want to work in the latest version with this file that appears to corrupted

 

Open your document in the previous version of InDesign.

File>Export and choose IDML

Open the IDML file in the NEW version of InDesign.

 

Why does this corruption happen... new updates to new programmes might shift some 'logic' in the file structure. 

InDesign for all it is is a collection of plugins/panels - think of it as a giant database and when a new feature is added it might shift some of that data to different datablock - so when you open your old document InDesign might be trying to fetch data from an area where that is not there anymore. 

 

I have to admit - this has never ever happened to me in 20 odd years of using InDesign .

But I've seen more posts about corrupt files lately.

 

Your best bet is to keep working with projects in the application you first started them in. 

If you want to move to the new version - then do the IDML export I mentioned earlier.

 

 

quote

It also erased all my recent document history and I can't access the latest files I had open that were meant to be in my creative cloud files.

 

Your recent document history is linked directly to the application usage. You never used this new Application - so you have no recent history. It didn't delete anything - you simply don't have a recent history in the new Application. 

 

Your creative cloud files should all still be there and in tact - installing a new version of an application does not affect your Creative Cloud files. 

4 replies

Participant
August 18, 2023

I'm having a nightmare too. I have to uninstall InDesign to make it work, then it works once and when I close it and go to use it again it's back to square one. It flashes up the rectangular 'about' box as if it will open for a split second and then quits out immediately. I'm on a 2022 Mac Studio M1 Ultra with 64gb memory running Ventura 13.1

Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
August 18, 2023
Participant
March 27, 2023

OK, weird stuff here...

 

First time this has happened in INDD 18.2.1. Opened a new file & text box. Screen blinks matching the blinking text cursor. Pls see screen cap and vid clip. Note: this does not occur when opening a pre-18.2.1 file.

Running Monterey 12.0.1. Do I just just need an OS upgrade? Thanks y'all!

 

Participant
March 27, 2023

NOTE: The blink only happens on my 2nd monitor...

Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
March 27, 2023

Turn on or off graphics acceleration? 

 

Eugene TysonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 31, 2022
quote

The worst issue is that all my existing InDesign documents won't open through file explorer and need to be opened from within the new InDesign 

 

This could be a File Association issue - check your operating system and search the internet how to associate file types with the correct application. 

There are various reasons when installing a new program why the file types associated with them are not linked correctly.

quote

even then some files are corrupt and can't be opened at all.

 

This is odd - and I've seen others mention this too. 

Your best bet is to keep working in the previous version of InDesign - if it's deleted or removed from your system you can still reinstall it .

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html

 

If you want to work in the latest version with this file that appears to corrupted

 

Open your document in the previous version of InDesign.

File>Export and choose IDML

Open the IDML file in the NEW version of InDesign.

 

Why does this corruption happen... new updates to new programmes might shift some 'logic' in the file structure. 

InDesign for all it is is a collection of plugins/panels - think of it as a giant database and when a new feature is added it might shift some of that data to different datablock - so when you open your old document InDesign might be trying to fetch data from an area where that is not there anymore. 

 

I have to admit - this has never ever happened to me in 20 odd years of using InDesign .

But I've seen more posts about corrupt files lately.

 

Your best bet is to keep working with projects in the application you first started them in. 

If you want to move to the new version - then do the IDML export I mentioned earlier.

 

 

quote

It also erased all my recent document history and I can't access the latest files I had open that were meant to be in my creative cloud files.

 

Your recent document history is linked directly to the application usage. You never used this new Application - so you have no recent history. It didn't delete anything - you simply don't have a recent history in the new Application. 

 

Your creative cloud files should all still be there and in tact - installing a new version of an application does not affect your Creative Cloud files. 

Scott Falkner
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 31, 2022

Can you provide just a bit more detail? What OS and what version of the OS are you using? Did you keep any previous versions of InDesign installed? What happens when you try to open files in the file explorer? Are these inaccessible files missing or just unopenable.

 

Remember, we are here to help, not be ranted at. If you want help ask for it and provide details.

Participant
October 31, 2022

Hi Scott,

 

You're right and I'm sorry. I'm just having a really stressful day and this is but one of many factors. We appear to have resolved the issue now. It's to do with version conflicts; in this case, another user saved the file in the old InDesign format while using the updated version (well that's their explanation) and when I went to open it in 18.0 it was corrupt. 

 

Many thanks for your quick response and apologies again for the rant.

 

Cheers,

Rachael

Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
October 31, 2022

It's not possible to "directly" save in older version from newer version - the only way to do something like that is to Export as IDML - but it would rather help than corrupt the final file.