background task stuck - LOCKED

[pritcharddesign]

I'm making a .pdf from aCS5 InDesign file, but it never finishes. When I try to close the document, I get a message that says "InDesign cannot close the document because it is in use by one or more background tasks. This message will close automatically when all the required tasks have been completed. You can click cancel to return to InDesign. You can open the Background Tasks Panel to cancel the tasks manually."

The message never closes and I'm not able to cancel the background task. Is there a fix for this? Or can I turn off the .pdf running in the background? I didn't see it in preferences.

Thank you!

[Peter Spier]

There are at least two earlier threads about this. There are some things that help some people some of the time, but no known "fix" yet.

[pritcharddesign]

Thanks, Peter. I saw those threads after posting this and the workarounds aren't working for me. I'm having to go back to previous versions for what I'm working on now.

[Peter Spier]

Please file an official bug report here: Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

I think this is a very serious issue, and we're seeing enough reports for me to think that there really is a bug.

[pritcharddesign]

I actually filed a report. I figured other people had, but the more the better, right?

oh yes, it's definitely a bug. I also found when I reopened files using 55 Helvetica Bold (Neue), anything using that font turned into symbols. Doing the same with those files in CS3 or 4, they are fine. This was happening around the same time I was having the .pdf issues the most. I don't know if they could be related in any way.

Laura

[MatthewLaun]

Anyone who is having a PDF export hang from InDesign CS5 should test the same document with the same PDF export settings using the script posted in this InDesignSecrets.com posting:

http://indesignsecrets.com/forum/general-indesign-topics/pdf-export-problems-with-cs5#2709/indesignsecrets.com/forum/general-indesign-topics/pdf-export-pr oblems-with-cs5#2709

If that works, then you are definitely running into the issue we are aware of regarding the PDF background export (aka multi-threading). Follow this forum thread for updates on that issue:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/648567?start=50&tstart=0

Sincerely,

Matthew

[pritcharddesign]

thanks, Matthew! It works!

[Bob Trent]

I have been having this problem, too. I have had to force quit and re-launch. It usually works after that.

[pritcharddesign]

That works, Bob, but what a pain.

[BobLevine]

Not denying that...it's a workaround that shouldn't be needed, but this is real tough one. Fortunately Adobe has finally reproduced it so let's hope they fix it...SOON!

Bob

[pritcharddesign]

Bob, the posted script works nicely, although you have to go through loading it every time. At least you don't have to restart ID.

[Laubender]

You can assign a shortcut to the script…

Uwe

[MatthewLaun]

@pritcharddesign,

Save the file here:

/Applications/Adobe InDesign CS5/Scripts/Scripts Panel/

Then when you want to use it

1) Choose Window > Utilities > Scripts

2) Expand the Application folder found in the panel's tree, and you'll see the script

3) Double-click it to run it on the Active document.

[MatthewLaun]

This should be addressed in the CS5 7.0.3 update available via Help > Updates or from our updates page:

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/

Matthew

[viveredesign]

I am running 7.0.3 and this just happened to me too. I force-quit InDesign, restarted, and it worked fine.  Just FYI.

[pritcharddesign]

Thanks, vivredesign. That's how I've always resolved the problem. It was happening alot when I first posted this, which was really annoying. I don't have the problem when using files I've created. There's some kind of glitch when it happens. Either with a font or a piece of art.

[DebbyDesigner]

I found that if I double click on a prepared file and let it open CS5 for me I run into that problem too. After you Force Quit, try mounting the application before opening the file. It usually works for me that way. Go figure.

[John Hawkinson]

Please see Matthew Laun of Adobe's post on how to disable background exports.

[BobLevine]

And this: http://indesignsecrets.com/a-new-workaround-for-that-pesky-background-export-issue.php

Bob

[John Hawkinson]

I was disappointed, Bob, that your post did not link to the primary source :-(.

That said, it probably would have worked better if Matt had posted to a new thread here and we could have referenced it in the sticky notes at the top, and maybe locked it or something... (perhaps a seperate discussion thread). This is probably overboard...back to my hole now...

[BobLevine]

I gave Matt credit and the fact that it was in the user to user forum. I didn't see any point in making people come here to read what I copy/pasted in.

Bob

[John Hawkinson]

Fair enough. I am perhaps oversensitive to the issue because it is not infrequent that I waste a lot of time trying to track something back to its original source. I'm not concerned about the "credit," but rather about finding the original words of the original poster. The Internet can be a massive game of telephone...

[PO_d]

Adobe peeps... Wake the eff up! it is hard enough to make a living with cranky clients and taxation out the wazoo without the software company producing effed up software too!

STOP adding useless bells 'n' whistles to every gawdamn piece of software and just FIX the freakiin mistakes in the previous version fer kristsake!

Nobody wants or needs some of these tricky gadgets in InDesign CS5: "Background tasks"?  now IDCS5 won't even distill a decent pdf because it hangs as a "background task"? WTF!!! FIX that sheet NOW and get rid of some of the useless (and I mean USELESS) garbage tricks.   sheesh! What a CROCK!

Stick to BASICS until you get those to work. 100% of the time.

Seriously... You think you're cool... guess what... you ain't even close!!!

[Larry G. Schneider]

And we're not Adobe. Just other users trying to help one another.

[PO_d]

sorry... bet Adobe reads it though... right? ....right?

sad here were once a wonderful software company...