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shirleytea
shirleytea
Inspiring
November 5, 2019
Answered

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

  • November 5, 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 2044 views

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!?

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer shirleytea

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.

4 replies

shirleytea
shirleyteaAuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
November 6, 2019

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
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 6, 2019

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

    shirleytea
    shirleyteaAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 6, 2019

    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.

    AnshulJain19
    Adobe Employee
    AnshulJain19
    Adobe Employee
    November 6, 2019

    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
    shirleyteaAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 6, 2019

    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.

    R
    Community Expert
    Randy HaganCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 5, 2019

    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
      shirleyteaAuthor
      Inspiring
      November 5, 2019

      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
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 5, 2019

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

        Derek Cross
        Community Expert
        Derek CrossCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 5, 2019

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

        shirleytea
        shirleyteaAuthor
        Inspiring
        November 5, 2019

        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
        Community Expert
        Derek CrossCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 5, 2019

        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!).

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