I run InDesign on two Macs, my MacBook Pro won't open the InDesign files anymore.

[shirleytea]

I have an iMac which I frequently use.
It's running on macOS Mojave version 10.14.6.

On it I had Adobe InDesign 14.0.3.
I use InDesign every day – I'd say it's my most used programme.
I also have a macBook Pro which runs on macOS Mojave version 10.14.5. 
On it I had Adobe InDesign 14.0.3.

I save everything to dropbox and I have access to the folders on both macs.

I have never had an issue opening files between computers.

In the last week If I try to open a file on my MacBook Pro that was last saved on my iMac I get this message.

"Cannot open the file "file name". Adobe InDesign may not support the file format, a plug-in that supports the file formatmay be missing, or the file may be open in another application".

It's an InDesign file, I don't use plug-ins and it's not open on the other mac.

If I open a file form a month or so ago it opens fine.

If I make a file on my MacBook Pro, save to dropbox and open it on my iMac it opens fine.

I thought I would restart both macs and also upgrade my InDesign to Adobe InDesign version 15.

I still can't open the files on my macBook Pro that I recently created on my iMac.

Can someone please help!?

[Derek Cross]

What happens if you save your InDesign document as an IDML file on the first computer and then reopen it on the second?

[shirleytea]

Hi Derek

I should have mentioned – I tried that and got the same message.

I wondered if it was because my operating systems didn't match but surely that should not be an issue!?

I am currently updating my MacBook Pro to Catalina to see if that helps!

Any other ideas?

[Derek Cross]

It might be a font issue, are they absolutely identical on both machines?

Maybe do some  tests.

If you're going to update the OS, make sure you update InDesign to CC2020 (and keep CC2019!).

[shirleytea]

I have been able to open the files previously, it's just recently it's stopped, like in the last week.
If it was a font issue wouldn't I just get a notification that the font was missing?

[Derek Cross]

Might not be a missing font – might be a font corruption.

[shirleytea]

They aren't new fonts or shared fonts, they are fonts I have had and been working with for years.
This document has been opened on both macs over the last 3 months.
It is only in the last week that my MacBook now refuses to open the file.
There has been no change to operating system or version of InDesign in this time.

Today I upgraded both macs to InDesign 15 (2020) to see if that would help – it doesn't.

Idml doesn't work.

Saving with a different file name doesn't work either.

I just don't know why now, all of a sudden it won't open.

I can still open and edit it on my iMac.

But this is no good if I need to access it on the move.

[shirleytea]

I have updated to InDesign 2020 – also called version 15
Why would I need to keep 2019 (14.0.3) tho?

[Randy Hagan]

Do you open files stored in Dropbox? Do you manually move files by drag 'n' drop between Dropbox and your local device drives while InDesign is open on your systems?

In either case, you may be leaving InDesign lock files (.idlk) orphaned on your system(s). This can cause the issues you're experiencing. The fix is to:

1. Shut down InDesign on all systems in your production process. No exceptions.

2. Spotlight search for .idlk files everywhere on your Mac internal and external drives, and all your Dropbox folders.

3. Kill them all. Delete them.

If you do not have InDesign open on any of your systems, they're all useless debris, and indications that your closed InDesign documents are somehow open somewhere in your working environment. You know that's not the case — you've shut down InDesign everywhere — but InDesign reads any existing .idlk lock file as a roadblock to opening the associated InDesign .indd document or .indt template files because your systems are sure that they've got to be opened somewhere.

So hunt them down. The more work you do, the more .idlk debris you'll likely find scattered across your working environment. And kill 'em all. Hopefully this will be the end of your problem. At least for a while ...

Good Luck,

Randy

[shirleytea]

Hi Randy

Thanks for the instructions.

I found 1 .idlk on both macs and so it was deleted on each.
I searched on dropbox and there were 89 – but these were in folders that aren't synced to either mac – some .idlk files dating back 8 years.

I deleted them anyway.

I now have both macs running on InDesign 2020 (15) and my MacBook Pro is now on Catalina.

It's still happening 😞

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Check your Dropbox sync setting. Turn off  "Save hard drive space automatically" if it's turned on.

[shirleytea]

Hi Bob,

I don't have the same options as you.

[shirleytea]

Also, I have everything set to selective sync.
I have a job folder I access daily. this is always shared on both macs.
Once a job is complete, I tidy up the folder then I archive it by moving it to a folder that is not synced with either computer – an archive folder I call it.

[Randy Hagan]

I was hopeful for you ...

No surprises about all the .idlk files in the Dropbox folders. I know it's tempting to work with your files from your remote folders — especially if you have fast internet connections to get to them. But it's perilous to do so. Those scattered .idlk files are ticking time bombs linked to document files you often can't even discern from the name (what the heck is ~ai - export for sc~2at-e-.idlk anyway?).

It's a shame that this didn't cure your problem. I find it often does for a number of the people I work with — so much so, that it's the first fix I recommend for folks who can't open existing files created with InDesign.

Sorry it didn't help ...

Randy

[shirleytea]

I thought, that's it! That has to be it, it was so obvious.

But it's not the issue, unfortunately.

I have however added this to my monthly mac housekeeping list, thanks 🙂

[AnshulJain19]

Hi,

Did you try copy pasting your indd from Dropbox to local drive and then try opening the indd from lcoal drive? Please see if it works.

Regards

-Anshul

[shirleytea]

Yes I tried that and it still didn't work.

I just tried sending the file via wetransfer.com.

I doenloaded it to my MacBook Pro and it opens.

So it appears to be a dropbox issue.

[shirleytea · Accepted solution]

Resolved!
I came to realise that if I emailed myself the file I could open it so it was a dropbox issue.
I chatted to the dropbox support team and the specific files that would not open were weirdly set to 'online only' an option I didn't know existed so I've no idea how they switched.
Anyway it is fixed now!

Thanks everyone.

[BobLevine]

That is the answer I gave you about the setting to save hard drive space automatically.

[shirleytea]

I see, it was, yes. But your message showed a screenshot of the Dropbox settings. I checked my dropbox settings and they didn't match – I sent you a screen shot to show you and you didn't reply, and so I didn't know how to do it. The dropbox support team told me to right click on the file and set the file to local which changed the icon on the file from a grey cloud to a green tick. SO even tho your answer was along the right lines there were no further instructions or help and so I explored other avenues first.