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Can't rename layers inDesign 2021 (16.0) also happened in 2020.

Community Beginner ,
Oct 28, 2020 Oct 28, 2020

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I've been trying to rename layers for organization purposes, I used to be able to do this by double-clicking the layer and it would start the editing dialogue.

Now when I click it sometimes will pop open for like a tenth of a second but not enough time to do anything. I haven't found a workaround.

 

On iMac. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Bug , How to , Performance

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correct answers 2 Correct answers

Community Expert , Nov 20, 2020 Nov 20, 2020

I need to fix this ASAP 

 

If clearing caches or prefs doesn’t work, the name of page items within an item Layer can be changed via scripting. Select the page item either via the Layer panel or on the page and run this script:

 

 

 

var d = app.dialogs.add({name:"Page Item Name"});
var tf = d.dialogColumns.add().textEditboxes.add({editContents:"", minWidth:250});
d.show();
var r = tf.editContents;	
d.destroy();

var s = app.documents.item(0).selection[0];
s.name = r;

 

 

 

Screen Shot 1.pngScreen Shot 2.png

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New Here , Feb 07, 2021 Feb 07, 2021

Hi,

 

I had the same issue. What worked for me was just changing my work place from Essentials to Essentials Classic. I know is not a long term fix but it works for when you need to make it work quick. 

 

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Community Expert ,
Dec 04, 2020 Dec 04, 2020

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I’m wondering if this could have something to do with OSX’s mouse double-click speed setting, which is set in System Preferences>Accessibility>Mouse&Trackpad? Seems like the complaints are coming from OSX users?

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Community Expert ,
Dec 04, 2020 Dec 04, 2020

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Also, I just noticed the position of your cursor matters when you make the two, single clicks. The hover has to be over the title with the hand icon—a hover over the layer, but not over the title will not work.

 

This works with separate single clicks:

sel.png

 

 

But this does not:

 

sel3.png

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Explorer ,
Dec 11, 2020 Dec 11, 2020

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Hi @rob day 
I'm having this same issue and it seems like this is a good fix but I'm having a problem running the script. I've been able to save it as a .jsx with in the correct folder but when in InDesign (with the item selected or not) the new script is greyed out and says "This file is not executable by any supported script language." Am I missing sommething somewhere? Thanks

   

ScriptsPanel.png

Script.png

ScriptLocationAndText.png

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Community Expert ,
Dec 11, 2020 Dec 11, 2020

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Happy to hear you figured it out.

 

On the scripting unfortunately Adobe’s ExtendScript Toolkit is not 64-bit and won’t run on Big Sur. Looks like you used Text Editor, but the file has to be set as Plain Text under Format (not Rich Text), and the extension in the Finder has to be .jsx (not .jsx.txt)

 

In case you want to try it with your panel docked here it is compiled

https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/aab957e4-ca50-49ce-69b0-180783a740ce

 

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Explorer ,
Dec 14, 2020 Dec 14, 2020

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Thank you @rob day!!!

I was removing the formatting and saving it as a .jsx file but it was still recognizing it a plain text file (compared to the file you supplied, which is referred to as a Document). I downloaded the .jsx file you provided and that worked!!! I guess going forward I can just edit and resave this .jsx file so the file format stays the same.

 

Many thanks 🙏

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Explorer ,
Dec 11, 2020 Dec 11, 2020

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Was having this same problem this is the work around I found as it appears to be a bug in InDesign 16  with macOS 11:

 

Undock the Layers Panel and let it float. Clicking on the name should now allow the name to be edited. It appears that this feature doesn't work for renaming Page Items that are under the layers if the Layers Panel is docked.

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Explorer ,
Dec 13, 2020 Dec 13, 2020

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Whoaaaa I'm seeing this too! I'm using it without my Wacom tablet right now (will check later or tomorrow), just using the trackpad, but I'm getting this exact behavior. Can't rename when Layers window is docked, but works perfectly fine when it's floating on it's own.

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Explorer ,
Dec 14, 2020 Dec 14, 2020

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Same behavior with Wacom tablet. Rename function does not work when Layer window is docked in a group, yet it works fine the window is floating or docked by itself, even as a fly-out window.

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 11, 2021 Jan 11, 2021

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Thank you! 

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New Here ,
Feb 08, 2022 Feb 08, 2022

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Undocking worked for me, thank you.

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Explorer ,
Dec 19, 2020 Dec 19, 2020

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I just got out of a support chat with Adobe. It appears the problem only occurs if the layer panel is docked. If you float the panel, it works fine.

 

Screen Shot 2020-12-19 at 1.04.54 PM.pngScreen Shot 2020-12-19 at 1.06.46 PM.png

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Explorer ,
Dec 19, 2020 Dec 19, 2020

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Personally, I think this is a bug. The tech I spoke with said it was designed that way because when the panel is docked, the system assumes the sub-layer is locked. While the workaround is acceptable (for now), I'm planning to file a revision request here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/

 

Let's face it...if you know how to use InDesign enough to rename a layer, you know how to use it enough to lock a sublayer without it being forced to be locked.

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Explorer ,
Dec 19, 2020 Dec 19, 2020

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Here's a video for those of you who prefer videos.

 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 20, 2020 Dec 20, 2020

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Brilliant work friend. Exactly the same issue I face. Much better workaround than the script option too.

 

I tried this on my end and can confirm that it works.

 

Big Sur 11.0.1

InDesign 16.0.1

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Community Expert ,
Dec 19, 2020 Dec 19, 2020

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I have no problems renaming a rectangle, created exactly as you do. The Layers panel is DOCKED.

This is on InDesign 16.0.1 and Big Sur updated to 11.1. Running on MacBook Air.

 

I used the click - pause - click method to select the InDesign "rectangle" object before renaming.

 

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Explorer ,
Dec 28, 2020 Dec 28, 2020

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@JasonCerezo  I think it was definitely a bug too. It appears that it's been fixed now but the same thing happened to other panels (that you could rename layers in), if they were docked in the second column from the right. I put the swatches panel in the second column and it was replicating the same behavior. I also tried the paragraph styles panel and the same behavior happened. When I put the Layers panel in the first column on the right, it functioned as it should normally.  

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New Here ,
Feb 07, 2021 Feb 07, 2021

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Hi,

 

I had the same issue. What worked for me was just changing my work place from Essentials to Essentials Classic. I know is not a long term fix but it works for when you need to make it work quick. 

 

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Explorer ,
Feb 08, 2021 Feb 08, 2021

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Nice! This works for me as well. I've found that undocking the window panel (whether it's Layers, Swatches, wtv) as mentioned above is a fix, or you can condense the column of windows so it's just the little icon with the flyout menu (as is the case in Essentials Classic). I usually just condense the column so I don't have to switch workspaces or drag the window panel around.

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Explorer ,
Jun 03, 2021 Jun 03, 2021

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Switch from essentials to essentials classic didn't work on my end.

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2021 Aug 16, 2021

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This tip worked for me. Thank you!!! A week ago I had no trouble renaming objects in my layer, but this week clicking on an object the second time just flashes the name in black and white for an instant, and there is no way to change the name. Switching to Essentials Classic restored the same CC behavior I was used to seeing in Essentials.

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2021 Aug 16, 2021

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....and I found, as noted above, that when my Layers window is docked the rename problem occurs in the Essentials workspace. If I undock the Layers window and have it float on its own, the standard rename action (of clicking twice on the object name) works for me in the Essentials workspace. Weird, but seems to be the case in CC.

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New Here ,
Feb 23, 2021 Feb 23, 2021

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Been having the same issue on OSX Big Sur with CC 16.1. Undocking the layers panel worked for me as well as the script by @rob day. This is still very frustrating though and needs to be addressed. Is there a way that we can submit bug requests. Maybe if enough of us do they'll fix it.

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Explorer ,
Feb 23, 2021 Feb 23, 2021

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You can make a revision request here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/

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New Here ,
Mar 23, 2021 Mar 23, 2021

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I have been having the same issues, needed to add some code into each layer so not able to rename them becasme a problem. If you pull your layers window away from the control panel it worked for us!!!

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Community Beginner ,
May 07, 2021 May 07, 2021

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Hi everybody,

 

I just managed to rename my layers without doing anything else.

When the panel is deployed i can't rename the layers.

But when it's minimised (clic on the 2 arrows on the top right corner of the panel's group) i can !

 

It seems it's just an interface bug and hope Adobe will update it fast !!

(I'm on Big Sur)

 

PS : Sorry for my bad english (Frenchy 😁)

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