InDesign says assignments are checked out by another user, the user is me

[Kennedy5C9A]

I hope I can explain this properly. I am working on a postcard at my job. I added all stories to an assignemt for the writer to review in incopy. Now, she is unable to check out the assignments. When I open my indesign file, it says the assignment is checked out by another user, but the user is me. It says they are checked out by me but I can not make changes to them or check them back in. We use this process all the time and have never seen this issue before. It's happening with multiple indesign files even when I delete and redo the incopy assignments/stories. Image attached.

I am working on the latest mac software and all of my programs are up to date.

[BobLevine]

What is your exact workflow? Are you all on a local server? Are you using a cloud service? Are you really using assignments or are users all opening the INDD file?

[Kennedy5C9A]

We use onedrive, which is syncing properly. I am the only one who opens the indesign file, the writer uses the ICMA file

[BobLevine]

Skip the ICMA and open the INDD file directly. It does sound like something has gone wonky, though. I haven't had any issues with Onedrive syncing InCopy lock files.

[Kennedy5C9A]

I don't fully understand, I am new to incopy. I never open incopy, only the writers do. The writers never use indesign, just the icma files. Once I'm done with my project I add it to incopy from indesign and let the writers know. That's how they've done it for years around here, but I'm new

[Kennedy5C9A]

The issue right now is the writer can't make edits because I can't get the stories/assignments or whatever to check in, even thought it says I have them checked out. I am very confused

[BobLevine]

Are you the InDesign user or the InCopy user? InCopy can open INDD files directly. There is no need to use an ICMA file with a very small group.

>From the sound of it, you are the InDesign user and the stories are showing as you have them checked out.

Honestly, I'd need to see everything to really analyze it.

[Kennedy5C9A]

I am the indesign user. I am one of three graphic designers in this office. All three of us are unable to figure out the issue. I didn’t know incopy could open indesign files.

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[BobLevine]

As wonderful as this workflow is, it is not without a learning curve. Sounds like you've all be thrown to the wolves to learn this on your own.

If you want to send me a private message, perhaps I can help.

[susans17734244]

I am experiencing this same error. InDesign crashed last night, when it was back up and running several InCopy assignments are checked out by me, but I'm unable to check them back in. Icon on assignments panel shows a pencil with a strike-thru. We work off of OneDrive, solved all syncing problems. Any thoughts?

[Gabe271485130fm4]

Good afternoon. Was your issue resolved, as we are having the same problem with our InDesign to InCopy work flow. Thank you for sharing any solutions that have worked for you. 

[SaraUGP]

This happened to me JUST NOW. It crashed and I was able to get it back in recovery, but I'm still having the check-out strike through. 

[Mike31120687kw3s]

I am dealing with the same issue here. We sync our files using Dropbox, and I have made sure that all files are synching correctly. The publisher will not allow direct access to the .indd files for safety's sake, and launching the .icma file gives exactly the same error as reported: the project is already checked out by me, and any attempts to change anything are stopped because the file is already checked out. I really hope someone has a fix for this!

[KP_jesper_j]

Hi

If you haven't figured this out by now I can share our experience with this issue - and our workaround.

We work in Indesign (Mac) documents and our clients work in Incopy (PC) directly in the ICMA files which we share on an external server.

We get this error when InDesign or Incopy crashes - it will lock the assignments which were in use before the crash. Our solution is simple: Delete the affected assignments and create new ones. 

Before doing this we select "Update all assignments" in InDesign and our client selects "Update Content/Update Design" in Incopy - and then we save both documents before deleting affected assignments and creating the new ones!

Hope this can help somebody : /