My rectangle frame tool is not working, neither is text tool.

Question

My rectangle frame tool is no longer working, when I put my cursor in the document is says 'options' and wants me to put in height and width.  I thought it was just the frame tool but I can't create a text box either.  It's like none of my tools are working.  I'm using the latest verson on InDesign, 21.0.2, Windows 11, Version 25H2.  Everything worked fine a few months ago.  I have uninstalled, reinstalling, shut down, unplugged my computer, researched everything and I can't found out why these tools are no longer working.  Even when I put in exact measurements and the frame was created, I couldn't move it, resize it, etc.  If you can't use frame tool or text tool InDesign is pretty useless.  Thank you.

jill_4256 · Accepted Answer

Do you have a backup mouse and/or keyboard stashed away somewhere? It might be worth trying it out. Sometimes this kind of thing can be caused by a bad driver update; in other cases, it's because the right mouse button gets jammed down in the clicked position. Or the way it happened to me one day -- a single drop of coffee in the "context menu"/right-mouse-button-key on my keyboard, which caused intermittent accidental right clicks for most of an afternoon before I figured it out.

Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much! I dug out my wired mouse and it's working just fine in InDesign and my snippet tool. My wireless mouse is VERY OLD, natually I thought it was an InDesign problem because that's the program I'm in the most. Note to self: if somethings not working shut down your computer, check your keyboard and check your MOUSE! Thanks again so much!

Conrad_C · Answer

I don’t know the answer, just adding an observation: If any frame or shape tool pops up an options dialog box with Width and Height, then it’s acting as if it’s been clicked (not dragged), because that’s normal for just clicking the tool. If you can’t create a text frame, then that is consistent with clicking (not dragging) the tool because nothing happens if a Type tool is clicked in an empty area outside of a frame.

So if the tools are acting as if they’re being clicked, even though you are actually dragging them, then there might be something interfering with clicks/drags.

Are you using a mouse, trackpad, trackball, graphics tablet stylus, or other input device? One possibility is that there’s a glitch with the driver software for the input device. A way to figure out if that’s the problem is to ask: Is this problem affecting only InDesign, all Adobe applications with similar tools, or all applications even if they are not by Adobe? The answer to that question may help narrow down where the problem actually is.

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