cursor won't load place text

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

I can't get the cursor to load on placed text. I'm placing a docx file, and I've done this a hundred times with no problem. What could possibly keep the cursor from loading?

ID CC, Windows 10.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

UPDATE: I tried this with an .rtf version of the file, the cursor loaded, but the text frames were not automatically created as usual. And there is no overset text indicated by a red X. When i click on that spot anyway, the cursor loads again, but shift-clicking onto the second page has the same result. It's like autoflow is turned off.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

okay, in case this helps anyone else, i got everything to work. Here are my notes:
Malwarebytes was apparently locking the file. (I was so mad, I got rid of it, cancelled my subscription--no one should be able to lock you out of your own files).

i did go to properties for my publishing folder and did the right click TAKE OWNERSHIP for all of them. Don't know if that mattered.

When i opened the docx file in WPS writer, error message said the file was locked by another program.
These files are compiled from Scrivener. I tried recompiling in both formats, with the same result--file was locked in WPS, and also couldn't load the cursor and place in ID.

I pulled up scrivener file for a different book to test it, compiled to docx, created fresh ebook file from default, and placed, and it worked.

So, i figured there was some sort of corruption in the file I had trouble with.
I don't know what was MB and what was maybe a corrupt scriv file. (it was fine a few days ago).

After all that, I finally decided to find the epub file (which was the one used for previous publishing), loaded the epub version into calibre, converted it to docx, and when i placed that in indesign it worked, and also did the autoflow.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Weirdly, this has happened again. My new malware program was IO Bit, and so i figured it was the same problem with locked files. I deleted the IO Bit malware program, and tried all this again, and the same problem. The cursor will not load to autoflow text. I have no idea where to go from here.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

I uninstalled Advanced System Care (along with their malware program) and cleaned the registry of all remnants. I tried again with the same result: the cursor will not load.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Last year, I had this same problem, and it's happened again. I tried all the things i did before, to no avail.

I can't get the cursor to load on placed text. I'm placing a docx file, and I've done this a hundred times with no problem. What could possibly keep the cursor from loading?

ID CC, Windows 10.

HERE'S WHAT I POSTED LAST TIME:
UPDATE: I tried this with an .rtf version of the file, the cursor loaded, but the text frames were not automatically created as usual. And there is no overset text indicated by a red X. When i click on that spot anyway, the cursor loads again, but shift-clicking onto the second page has the same result. It's like autoflow is turned off.

okay, in case this helps anyone else, i got everything to work. Here are my notes:
Malwarebytes was apparently locking the file. (I was so mad, I got rid of it, cancelled my subscription--no one should be able to lock you out of your own files).
i did go to properties for my publishing folder and did the right click TAKE OWNERSHIP for all of them. Don't know if that mattered.

When i opened the docx file in WPS writer, error message said the file was locked by another program.
These files are compiled from Scrivener. I tried recompiling in both formats, with the same result--file was locked in WPS, and also couldn't load the cursor and place in ID.

I pulled up scrivener file for a different book to test it, compiled to docx, created fresh ebook file from default, and placed, and it worked.

So, i figured there was some sort of corruption in the file I had trouble with.
I don't know what was MB and what was maybe a corrupt scriv file. (it was fine a few days ago).

After all that, I finally decided to find the epub file (which was the one used for previous publishing), loaded the epub version into calibre, converted it to docx, and when i placed that in indesign it worked, and also did the autoflow.

======

So...Weirdly, this has happened again. My new malware program was IOBit, and so i figured it was the same problem with locked files. I deleted the IO Bit malware program, and tried all this again, and the same problem.I uninstalled Advanced System Care (along with their malware program) and cleaned the registry of all remnants. I tried again with the same result: the cursor will not load to autoflow text.

I've double checked the registry, uninstalled all IObit stuff, rebooted. Have tried deleting the docx file, and recreating it from the original epub in Calibre. Still with the same result. The cursor will not load to place text and autoflow. I have no idea where to go from here.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Kelli Jae Baeli

If your file wasn't created in the native application - Microsoft WORD - then this might be the problem - re-saving in WORD should help.

Can you share your DOCX file?  

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

I don't use or have MS Word anymore. THe file was created as I have done it for many years. I write in Scrivener and compile out (a very clean file) to either word docx or epub. Usually epub, which gets uploaded for publication. Then I use the epub to convert to a docx file in Calibre. That file is then imported (PLACED) into ID to create the Paperback version. It's worked beautifully for a very long time. These problems only came along after issues with a malware program, which has since been uninstalled and all remnants deleted.
And no, I can't share my docx file for Intellectual Property reasons.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Kelli Jae Baeli

DOCX is a proprietary format owned by Microsoft - can you save your file as RTF - instead of DOCX?

You don't have to share your "production" DOCX files - just some sample with Lorem Ipsum.

And a sample INDD file - created and saved by you, on your machine.

About malware - you will NEVER get it fully removed - to be 100% sure, that it has been eliminated - you need to reinstall everything from scratch - using trusted Windows installer - booted from a trusted USB / DVD. 

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

I don't feel a video would be helpful....as I said, I've been doing these things for 35 years...this particular thing for about half that time. I do it the same way, and have had no problems, until ID suddenly stopped loading the cursor. It's possible I might have to go with the nuclear method and recreate my preferences file, but I hope I can exhaust every other possibility first, as the process afterward in getting everything back to the way I need it is a huge time suck. But then, so is this, so maybe I'll just have to do it anyway.

Yes, I tried RTF, without success. Same issue. I'm aware that MS Word's docx is proprietary, but the point is, it's worked fine until this issue. Also, there are many programs who handle those files just fine, and unfortunately, they are the standard for this industry, though they shouldn't be, because they are filled with garbage. I DO NOT CREATE BOOKS IN WORD OR A WORD-TYPE PROGRAM. The docx extension is really just a suitcase. I compile out from Scrivener as epub--the file is very clean--and then when it's converted to docx, it doesn't have all that garbage in it. Until someone comes up with an alternative to these doc files, or ID lets us import/Place an epub, we're stuck with certain formats. But again, I've been doing this for many years without this problem.

And to be clear, I did not HAVE malware. I had an anti-malware app that I uninstalled, and the registry was properly cleaned of all references to it. I assume there must be some remnant changes somewhere, perhaps done by that program, which was locking some of my files, or otherwise altering something. I'm not sure how it could have affected an ID task, but that's not really my area of expertise.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Kelli Jae Baeli

With all due respect - if you're looking for our help - then please work with us.

If you know better what to do - then why are you asking for our help? 

Like I've asked earlier - you don't have to share your production files - just some mockups with "lorem ipsum" - so we can try to re-create your problem.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Okay, I finally had to open the digital book version, which has single page settings and different format/margins, and then alter that into the facing pages and formatting for the paperback version.

I just tried to do the PLACE on another document, with the same result as before. I tried using a newly created docx file, even into a newly created template, and when I did place/shift+click, and nothing happened. Again, no loaded cursor.
I'm not doing anything differently than I have for YEARS. There has to be some setting that got changed/corrupted.

I am loathe to delete preferences, as it takes me a long time to get everything back the way I need it. I'm hoping there's some other solution.

>Using the Word import menu made no difference.
>Drawing a text frame on the destination document/template made no difference (besides, the document was already set up as I always do it, when it worked fine)
Right now, I'm just doing the workaround by using the digital format and converting it to a print book, until I can figure out what's wrong. But that's just way more time-consuming. Appreciate any ideas.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Kelli Jae Baeli

If you can't / don't want to share your files - maybe you can record a short video?

Have you tried IDMLing your INDD file? 

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

What did you want a video of?
And no, I haven't tried IDMLing... at what point in the process would you suggest I do that? An IDML file cannot be PLACED. Can you be more specific? Thanks

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What did you want a video of?
And no, I haven't tried IDMLing... at what point in the process would you suggest I do that? An IDML file cannot be PLACED. Can you be more specific? Thanks

By @Kelli Jae Baeli

Video might show us something. 

IDMLing is used to fix corrupted INDD files - export as IDML, open, save with a new name - do not overwrite your original file.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Thank you. I will try that...

Also, I just noticed a locked file icon in the folder where the book files are stored. Never saw that before, so I closed the file in ID, then deleted the lock file (see attached), and tried the PLACE again, to no avail.

Off to try the IDML process now.

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

to be clear, you mean ::
export the digital version as IDML,
open it in ID, save it with new name,
then export that as epub,
load the epub in calibre,
convert again to docx,
and then PLACE that new docx back into a new file in ID?
That would have to be my process, as I am PLACING a digital version into a new document to format as a paperback version. I don't yet HAVE a paperback version, as that's what I'm trying to create.
I tried that, and got this error in Calibre:

calibre, version 7.24.0
ERROR: Error while saving: Failed to save any books to disk, click "Show details" for more information

Failed to save the DOCX format of: Also Known as Sleepy Cat Peak by Kelli Jae Baeli to disk, with error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\save.py", line 289, in write_book
File "calibre\gui2\save.py", line 310, in write_fmt
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: 'W:\\.FEMFIC Press\\.NOVELS & NOVELLAS\\AKA5 SleepyCatPeak\\DIGITAL\\Also Known as Sleepy Cat Peak - Kelli Jae Baeli.docx'

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

to be clear, you mean ::
export the digital version as IDML,
open it in ID, save it with new name,
then export that as epub,
load the epub in calibre,
convert again to docx,
and then PLACE that new docx back into a new file in ID?

By @Kelli Jae Baeli

Why? 

Export your INDD file - that you can't place your DOCX file into - to fix it - then try again to place your DOCX file. 

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Okay I guess we're miscommunicating....which INDD file are you saying I should export?
When you say "Export your INDD file - that you can't place your DOCX file into - to fix it - then try again to place your DOCX file"  that doesn't make sense to me...why would I export an EMPTY template file. Then what? Open it back up again and try to PLACE the text? Or do you mean EXPORT the original digital bookk INDD file? If so, export as WHAT?

I'll try to explain this process again...maybe I haven't been clear enough.
I have TWO versions of a book...the digital (ebook) and the paperback. The digital one is created first in Scrivener, and exported out as epub. That can be used as-is for publishing, but I prefer to load it into ID to do the final formatting...then I export that as PDF for uploading to publishing on KDP.

But to do the PAPERBACK, I can either create it FROM that digital version of the INDD file, by altering all the formatting and margins, headers and footers, and chapter deco, etc, 

OR I can convert that epub in Calibre, and PLACE the resulting docx conversion into ID...

the benefit of the latter is the global options to get the editing and formatting done more quickly and with better results.

OR I can create a template in ID, and have all my styles and parent pages already there, so I don't have to recreate them from scratch or move them from some previous book file. 

This process is much faster, which is why I prefer to PLACE the converted docx file into the template for the print book.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Okay I guess we're miscommunicating....which INDD file are you saying I should export?
When you say "Export your INDD file - that you can't place your DOCX file into - to fix it - then try again to place your DOCX file"  that doesn't make sense to me...why would I export an EMPTY template file. [...]

By @Kelli Jae Baeli

Depends on how long where you working on this "empty" template, how many versions back it has been created and last Saved As with a new name - it might be internally corrupted - even if you can still open it.

So please export it as IDML, open this IDML file, save it with a new name and then try to place your DOCX file again.

If it still won't work - that will be a first thing to rule out - corrupted INDD file.

[...]

But to do the PAPERBACK, I can either create it FROM that digital version of the INDD file, by altering all the formatting and margins, headers and footers, and chapter deco, etc, 

Why not use Alternate Layouts?

[Peter Spier]

Are you still on Windows 10, or have you moved to 11, and which exact version of InDesign are you using?

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

Windows 10. ID version 20.0.1 x64

[Peter Spier]

First thing is to try  updating InDesign to the latest patch -- 20.1

[Kelli Jae Baeli]

holy cow, i didn't see there was another update for ID. I'll do that and see if it helps.

UPDATE: NOPE. still won't load cursor.

[Peter Spier]

You might also want to try rolling back to version 19, which was a lot more stable.