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EllaMaeMoonshiner
Inspiring
November 6, 2019
Question

Can't overwrite pdf file (says file is already open when it isn't)

  • November 6, 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 6382 views

Hey gang.

I just upgraded CC - including InDesign 2020. Now I cannot overwrite any pdf that I make.

 

I can save one, just fine. Then if I have to make changes, InDesign won't let me save overtop of the preexisting pdf. 

And no, the file is not open.

 

Thoughts?

M

    6 replies

    schroef
    schroef
    Inspiring
    February 27, 2025

    Weirdly enough, randomly see this happening in Indesign 2023 on Windows as well

    H
    hamid5C9F
    Known Participant
    December 8, 2021

    Same here. but:
    I use mac and the Data are on a SMB Server.

    The file is not open (but is selected in Finder) and Indesign can not overwrite it (dosn't matter if I export it as Jpg, png, pdf ... and so on) but the process works successfully using Photoshop.

    I use Indesign all day long and it delays my workflow.
    INDD Version: 17.0.1

    Photoshop Version: 23.0.0

    I appreciate for a solution.

     

    Regards,

    HamiD

     

    jmlevy
    Community Expert
    jmlevyCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 8, 2021

    The file is not open (but is selected in Finder)

    Deselect it. I think that is the cause of the issue, I got the the same a long time ago. 

      H
      hamid5C9F
      Known Participant
      December 8, 2021

      It works when its not selected, but I want it to be overwrited when the file is selected.

      (I need to update lots of files every day, so I must open/import the file, deselect it and then overwrite it but the same process works fine with photoshop without deselect the file)

        G
        geoffroys49562713
        Participant
        October 29, 2021

        Same problem here in Acrobat PRO. We have tried everyting.
        We only work with network drives so i cannot say for localy stored files. We use windows 10 and we haven't found a solution since reported by one of our users more than one year ago.

        Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
        Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
        Legend
        October 29, 2021

        In Windows, if you have the file selected in Windows File Explorer, you'll get that error message even if the file isn't open anywhere.

         

        Think of it as Windows "using" the file, even when it's just being highlighted in explorer. Happens especially when your view is set to show the Preview window.

         

        This is mainly a Windows bug, but Adobe could develop some way to let us write to a file that is selected in Windows explorer. File Navigator. Whatever it's now called!

         

        |    Bevi Chagnon   |  Designer, Trainer, & Technologist for Accessible Documents ||    PubCom |    Classes & Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs & MS Office |
          G
          geoffroys49562713
          Participant
          October 29, 2021

          Thank you Bevi!

          that seems to be the problem indeed. As you open the file, it naturally stays selected in File Explorer but if you select another file or go out of the folder the Save fonction works.

           

          In the end, from a logical perspective, if it's only acrobat that presents the problem i wouldn't say it's a windows bug...

           

          cheers!

          amaarora
          Community Manager
          amaaroraCommunity Manager
          Community Manager
          November 6, 2019

          Vote for this here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs/suggestions/38963116-indesign-2020-won-t-overwrite-pdf

           

          Thanks

          L
          Community Expert
          LaubenderCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 6, 2019

          A temp fix for this should be: Close the PDF viewing app, Adobe Reader or Acrobat Pro ( maybe also others ) before exporting and overwriting the PDF with a new export action from InDesign.

           

          Regards,
          Uwe Laubender

          ( ACP )

          willcampbell7
          willcampbell7
          Legend
          November 8, 2019

          Nope, it a ID 2020 bug. Prior versions worked fine. Problem is ID isn't releasing the file lock when writing is complete. For me it was workflow hotfolder not taking file -- because workflow sees lock and thinks file is still writing, so waits. Only solution is to close ID. Might work on Windows, not sure, but for sure new bug on Mac.

          William Campbell
          Steve Werner
          Community Expert
          Steve WernerCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 8, 2019

          There must be something else going wrong. I tried it in ID 2020 on my MacBook Pro (macOS 10.4.6). No problems at all overwriting a PDF file when exporting.

          L
          Community Expert
          LaubenderCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 6, 2019

          Hi Marisa,

          I think this was already reported today or yesterday.

          Must be a OS X specific bug related to perhaps Catalina OS X 10.5.

           

          I have no issues with that with InDesign 2020 on Windows 10.

           

          Regards,
          Uwe Laubender

          ( ACP )

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