InDesign 17 Crashing when scrolling over certain EPS files

[Matthew David King]

I've noticed an issue that basically prevents the ability to work on certain documents where InDesign freezes when I scroll towards areas with a inked EPS file. Not sure what to do.

[Willi Adelberger]

Don't use EPS. Why should anyone use EPS in 2016? Use PDF/X-4 instead.

[Matthew David King]

Never heard of doing that before. I prefer using EPS files over PDFs, and they're all simple graphics; strokes and fills and paths.

[Willi Adelberger]

EPS is an old outdated and lossy file type. It should only be used for legacy files. Don't use PostScript in this time of age. We don't live in the last millennium when it was ok.

PostScript does not support transparency nor color management.

The correct way is:

1. If you have vector files or any artwork from Illustrator use PDF/X-4 or AI.
2. If you have images without transparency or text or vectors from Photoshop use JPG with high quality in RGB (even for print!)
3. If you have images with transparency but without text or vectors use PSD in RGB (even for print).
4. If you have images with transparency and text or form vector layers, use PDF or PDP without flattening.

[AnshulJain19]

Hi Matthew,

Is this happening with every eps file or some specific ones as I cannot reproduce the issue at my end.

What happens if you place same eps file to a new document. Does it immediately crash on scrolling over eps or some other steps are also needed to reproduce the issue.

Can you please share your InDesign file and EPS file to ansjain@adobe.com so that we can have a look.

Thanks

-Anshul

[Matthew David King]

It was a complex EPS that was causing all the issues. I didn't have the patience the first several times round but it would eventually load after a solid 10 minutes. The graphic provided was crap to begin with, but at least the problem has been isolated.

[Willi Adelberger]

Why on earth do you persist in using EPS. No one with the accurate use of InDesign would ever use it. Abandon EPS as it is causing only problems as it does not support transparency.

If you don't believe me, read that article:

http://indesignsecrets.com/tiff-vs-psd-vs-eps-vs-pdf-vs.php

[Matthew David King]

There was nothing insistent about the fact that I found a file causing issues for a file that had been built over a year ago. I don't care about the fact that EPS doesn't support transparency. It's a simple file form that works 98% of my use and nearly all the clients I work with never have an illustrator file that I need. Don't freaking tell me, a full time professional graphic designer, am using InDesign inaccurately. Shutter stock, whose worth is more than the income of every user on this forum combined, uses EPS as a standard.

You're pretty terrible support for an MVP.

[Willi Adelberger]

If you insist using old technologies which are causing problems in the long term you should not others diminish which are helping to avoid real problems in the future. Not everyone knows where transparency comes into the game and to avoid EPS and use PDF is the best technical solution.

Shutter Stock is not necessary doing it the best way as they could. But they want to satisfy clients which are using old programs too like Quark Xpress to 5, or PageMaker or InDesign up to 1.5. But anyone who works with modern programs like Illustrator, InDesign or Photoshop should avoid EPS or the use of the Distiller.