InCopy creating duplicate assignments with updated file names.

[danam25626198]

I'm using InDesign, and assigning InCopy assignments so that my teammates can make their edits in InCopy. They do not have InDesign. Multiple times, on various proposals (not all the same one) I've created assignments of the documents I need edited. When I go into the assignments folder there is suddenly a duplicate of each file with an updated file name. This time there was a dash and a 1 added to the end of each file name (-1). This causes great confusion when my team goes into edit files because they do not know which one to choose. I only happens sometimes, and not all the time. I'm guessing that I am doing something in InDesign that is telling the program to save an updated version of all of the assignments, but have no idea what that might be.

Here is an example of what's happening:

Original file name:

Hanson Lake for Copper Creek 2 DM

New file name:

Hanson Lake FOR Copper Creek 2 DM-1

Today I also found a new file that said "conflict."

My original file name was:

Cover Copper Creek 1 DM

The new file name was:

Cover Copper Creek 1 DM-1_FYRA-DSM_May-14-144310-2019_Conflict

Also can anyone tell me if it is ok to Unlink and Delete all assignments once the project is final? Or does that mess something up?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Dana M

[BobLevine]

Are you using Dropbox?

[danam25626198]

Nope. The assignments are saved on an internal shared server.

[BobLevine]

I would have the server looked at. Could be wonky permissions issues. If the lock file isn't being honored it would allow more than one user to open a file causing those conflicts.

[danam25626198]

Yes, anyone can open the assignment folder. I assumed that's the way it should be. Even if I assign it to a specific email address, anyone can open it. So I quit doing that, and just create the assignment document, but I don't go through the step of actually assigning it. I read on InCopy help that assigning it is just for your own tracking purposes so you can see to whom you assigned each document.

[BobLevine]

My suggestion is that InCopy users open the INDD file in InCopy and check out the InCopy stories from there.

It also sounds like you might benefit from some training.

[danam25626198]

LOL you are correct. It was decided we would use this and were provided little to no training, so I am learning on the fly. Painful for all. Learning as I go because there is simply no time in the schedule to take a class or watch videos - we are up against back to back RFP deadlines.

Also the people who decided we should use it are not proficient. This is the way I was told to assign copy for editing. Apparently that isn't the correct method. I will look into what you stated above. In your opinion, is it ok to save the "assignments" on the server or no? Or are you saying I don't need to  create "assignments" - they simply open InCopy, find the INDD file, open it and edit to their hearts content?

I do appreciate you taking the time to help. And I will take a class just as soon as time allows.

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Export the InCopy content to a folder that's accessible to all. Have the InCopy users open the InDesign file and from there they check the content out, edit, then check it back in.

[susans17734244]

Same thing is happening to me. I have 4-5 iterations of the same InCopy assignment. My InDesign file crashed several times, and I wonder if the assignments were duplicated—with different suffixes—when I restarted the software. This is my team's first go around, and it's causing chaos. I'm in CC 2022. Would appreciate any thoughts on experience with multiple iterations. 

[BobLevine]

I answered this three years ago. If it didn't help, then start a new discussion with full details on your workflow.

[susans17734244]

How do I start a new discussion? Thank you!

[susans17734244]

How was this solved?

[MAA Editorial]

Making text amends using InDesign (opened in InCopy) is not a solution as it stops designers making updates to the layout. We have such fast turnaround that we have to work on text and layouts simultaneously. We used to have a plug-in (SmartConnection) which managed all the version iteration issues, but the company now expects us to use the cloud server.