Help: Either the file does not exist, you do not have permission, or the file may be in use

[Guest]

I really need some serious help -- can't open my Indesign file. It says "Either the file does not exist, you do not have permission, or the file may be in use by another application." Been working all weekend to finish this project and I just don't know what to do now.

Here's the chronology of events:

1. I saved my document last night, but left the document open in Indesign and the computer on when I went to take a nap. When I Indesign crashed.

2. At reboot, when I tried to open the file (which is in an external drive), it prompted me with the recovery dialog box, with choices of recovering the data or document now, later or discarding the recovery. I chose none and just "x" the dialog box. I thought if I did that, it will open the file anyway. But no, it didn't.

3. I shut down that computer (I was working with CS4 in Windows 7 where this all happened. That Windows 7 is in Macbook with dual boot - OSX and bootcamp with Windows 7. )

4. I tried to open the file this time from my other Windows computer, but all it says is "Either the file does not exist, you do not have permission, or the file may be in use by another application."

I'm thinking the problem has got to do with my not dealing with the document recovery right after the software crashed. I'd like to know if there's any way for me to get that recovery or at least use/open the file that I have?

Please help and thanks in advance.

[Steve Werner]

You would rename it in your operating system.

[g.mal]

typical Adobe nonsense [see screen capture].

exact same file:

1. open with "open" button – works fine

2. open with "fancy icon" – no luck

[Kittrick_ASK]

I ran in to this issue and all I had to do was rename the file in the CC Libraries panel, then name it back. I was then able to place or relink the file normally.

[bonzomartini]

Same thing here - in my case renaming the folder from 'G/M' to GM fixed it.
OMFG Adobe? a typesetting program that doesn't support characters

[Steve Werner]

It's not that InDesign doesn't support a forward slash, it's that operating systems have certain restricted characters in file and folder names! ​Learn how to avoid using these characters in file and folder names.

They are called reserved characters and words, and they are documented here (*Reserved characters and words" heading):

Filename - Wikipedia

[vikass13250988 · Accepted solution]

Copy file from source folder and paste on desktop, and open its work!

[kct3937]

I have the same problem when I try to open the file from the graphic display on the home page.  However, if I select File>Open Recent and select the same file it opens without problem.  Never had this problem before.  There is no lock file in the directory to delete either and I have full rights on the directory

[kct3937]

Just noticed something else.  On the Home page, the files that will not open have the text indicated by a lighter grey than the ones that willopen; which are are showing the text representation as black.

[sococo]

I have the same problem! What's worse is that it happens with every file and on a company server. All of my coworkers are able to open the documents without issue. I have a newer computer than most running on 10.14.6. Renaming files every time or copying to my desktop first is not an option due to the nature of how we work. Also, for me, it only happens every other time I open. I get the error exactly half the time. Ive safe booted and disk repaired. ADOBE, Please help!

[sococo]

OK, I solved my problem and it was not an Adobe issue. It had to do with antivirus software running on our Macs. Uninstalled and no more errors.