Footnote problem

[Gopa C]

I'm having issues with the footnote feature in Indesign 16.1. When I import a .docx file, Indesign does not pay attention to my footnote specifications. In particular, it ignores the settings about what to put after the footnote number. In this case I want to add a period followed by a tab, so I put that in the footnote options. But Indesign ignores it and  just puts a space. Since this document has 3075 footnotes, hand fixing them is not an option. If I flow the same  .docx  file into  Indesign 15.1.3, it behaves correctly.

Similarly, if I save the .docx file to .doc, it also behaves correctly. (Though if I then save the .doc file to  .docx, it doesn't work any more.) I have tried this with multiple word files and multiple Indesign files, always with the same result.

Is this a bug? I have tried deleting caches but it does not help.

[Laubender]

Hi Gopa C,

are you using the exact same import options with InDesign 15.1.3 and 16.1?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Gopa C]

Yes. I made sure I was doing exactly the same thing.

[Gopa C]

Is there any answer to this problem?

[Laubender]

Hi Gopa C,

could be a new bug with InDesign 16.1.

What would help to work on the issue: Do a small sample and put it on Dropbox or a similar service and post the download link. One InDesign document you prepared plus a sample docx file. It is not necessary to share the whole project, just a small sample of text where you see the issue.

Thanks,

Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Gopa C]

Hi, Thanks for your response. I have posted a folder here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/y584r7dptf72c8n/Footnote%20problem.zip?dl=0 

It includes two Indesign documents and two Word files. It also inludes a png image showing my footnote import options, which were the same for both documents. This problem happens with every file I test in Indesign 2021 (16.1), but not Indesign 2020. 

As many of the files I work with have hundreds -- and sometimes thousands -- of footnotes, this is an important issue.

[Gopa C]

PS: You'll  notice I cut some of the text in the Indesign documents -- I didn't think you neede two paragraphs of Buddhist translation history!

[Laubender]

Hi Gopa C,

hm. As far as I can see the import of the docx file is working as expected with my German InDesign 2021 version 16.1.0.20 on Windows 10.

I imported your paragraph and character styles to a new document, I prepared the footnote options like you did from your screenshot.

What we did not talk about, how the import options of the Word file is done on your side. With my test I synchronized the paragraph styles like that:

The result was this. The footnumber is followed by a dot and a tab:

Now, there are some differences between our two InDesign 2021 versions:

[1] You are on Mac OS, I am on Windows 10.

[2] You are with an English version, I'm with my German version.

[3] I do not have EM's Wordsflow installed.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Gopa C]

Well, I reimported using the same synchronize options that you did and had the same issue. Then I wonderd if WordsFlow was the issue so I decativated it and bingo, everything worked. That hadn't occurred to me as WordsFlow did not create problems with previous versions of Indesign. I will contact them about his. Thanks for your help!

[Laubender]

Also did the import of the docx file without synching the styles.

No issues. The footnote texts follow the footnote options.

Maybe a bug with InDesign 2021 on Mac OS ?

As I said, I'm on Windows 10.

Hope, that someone with a Mac could test this…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Laubender]

Gopa C said: "…Then I wonderd if WordsFlow was the issue so I decativated it and bingo, everything worked."

Are there any preferences for footnotes with EM's WordsFlow that could be the reason for the issue?

I cannot remember that there are some, but it's been a while that I had WordsFlow installed. With InDesign CC 2015, I think.

Hm. Let us know what EM Software will reply.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Gopa C]

They have a whole lot of new import options in the latest version whose implementation is a bit opaque. I have tried every option I can think of. But I sent them an email including all the files and explanations I had sent to you and we'll see what they say. I'll post it here when I  get a response.

[Gopa C · Accepted solution]

So I contacted EM Software yesterday and they replied this morning with a fix, thanks for my detailed example, and an updated plugin which works. So all is well. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.