InDesign 2018, MacOs 10.15 and new Macs

Report · May 30, 2020

My clients insist on using 2018 for various reasons and software compatibility with DAMs etc. I currently have a 2016 MacBook Pro, with a Catalina container and a Mojave container for dual booting.

Now here's the problem. If my Mac decides to give up the ghost, travel to the electronic graveyard, how can I continue to use InDesign 2018. Buying a new 2020 MacBook Pro means that Mac OS 10.15 is the default OS and that will not run InDesign 2018. Saving an INDD from 2020 to an IDML would be the answer, but it reflows and Master page items shift.

Are there any suggestions? Could the InDesign programming team recompile so that InDesign 2018 is 64 bit happy?

Report · Sep 15, 2020

It does, I did it. The installer is the issue.

Report · Sep 15, 2020

The 2018 CC installer doesn't work in Catalina, but the InDesign 2018 app does. I'm using it on my iMac Pro at the moment which is running 10.15.6.

I had to create a new APFS container in Disk Utility
I downloaded the Mojave installer and created a Mojave boot USB (link here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201372).
I installed Mojave. Ran the OS updates.
I then installed InDesign 2018 in Mojave, you need to run all the updates for Creative Cloud.
Reloaded Catalina and was able to run InDesign 2018 alongside 2020. You have to run InDesign from your Mojave Folder but keep it in the dock.
or you wipe you system, install Mojave, Install InDesign 2018, upgrade to Catalina and the install CC 2020.

Hope that helps

Report · Sep 15, 2020

If you're looking for a direct answer to the original question, I think I have one for you.

If your requires the custom configuration, and requires you to maintain it for an indefinite amount of time, I feel they should contribute for the effort. You should see if they will help subsidize your efforts here.
If you're worried about your 2016 MacBook Pro giving up the ghost (13-inch or 15-inch? Is that when you purchased it? Or is that your unique model? You want to be absolutely sure of the model version and part number before you continue), buy another one exactly like it. A quality refurbished one should fill the bill nicely, and even offer a short-term warranty to ensure the quality of the refurb. Apple, OWC Computing (macsales.com) and other sources offer quality refurbs at reasonable prices. If you're going to check out Apple's refurbished store today, you may want to wait until after Apple's big new product reveal — the site's down for coming updates/soon-to-be pre-update models.
Update everything you want to update (web browsers, office applications, MacOS applications/utilities, etc.) on your current system. Then get a good disk cloning like SuperDuper! There's a freeware version, but the paid version offers you options for scheduling and other features that make it worth spending less than $30US. Install it on your system.
Get a external USB 3.0 hard drive at least as big as the storage on your machine. Plug it in and use the cloning software to make a perfect, bootable copy of your system drive on the external drive.
After it's done, shut down your system. Leaving the external drive plugged in, restart your current MacBook Pro holding down the Option key, open the Startup Manager and boot from the external drive. It will run much slower, of course, but it should otherwise run just like your current system.
Now go to your new/refurbished identical 2016 MacBook Pro, plug in the hard drive and open it holding down the Option key. Boot from the external drive. Open SuperDuper! and use it to transfer the entire, bootable hard drive to your new system.
Restart the new, cloned system normally. Dismount the external and run just like your old system. Done deal.

Be sure to run the cloned system periodically and update as appropriate, just as you do with your current working system. And periodically update the SuperDuper! cloned drive too to keep everything copacetic. The bonus now is that you can test your current system to install/run CC2020 as well and have the best of both worlds — or if it doesn't work out, go back to the last saved clone disk and revert with SuperDuper! All you'll lose is the time you spent experimenting with the upgrade.

Hope this helps,

Randy

Report · Nov 02, 2020

Looking from here at this vast dust cloud in the distance, I can't help but wonder if you considered my previous advice?

To recap briefly, if your client wants to stay with CC2018, bill 'em for picking up an identical backup machine to run it for them. Because if it's their unique requirement, it should be their unique expense to make that possible. Use disk cloning software and an external hard drive to clone your current CC2018 setup to the backup system. And, if you care to experiment, update your current production MacMini to run CC2020/2021 and your CC2018 configuration to support that unique client. Or not.

Then you can buy the MacBook Pro of your dreams and install the latest version of the software.

I think you're at the point where butting your head against a brick wall isn't going to work. And it certainly isn't worth your continued effort. Especially when just taking two steps to the left will get you painlessly around the wall instead of earning more lumps by banging your head against it.

Randy

Report · Nov 02, 2020

Agreed. Sometime you just have to fire a client.

Report · Nov 05, 2020

I don't know about firing them, necessarily. Though in ruthless terms, that certainly would be one fix for the issue.

But I do believe that if clients impress on you that they require exceptional conditions to work with them, it's on them to facilitate the resources required to meet those exceptional conditions.

Report · Nov 02, 2020

Randy's suggestion has another benefit, I think:

Cloning the system with installed CC 2018 will always give you the bug fixed version 13.1.1.110 if that is already installed.

Any other installation process may get you 13.0.0. only.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

Report · Sep 22, 2021

Hi Simon,

I cannot see this on my Windows 10 machine where InDesign CC 2018 v.13.1.1.110 is still installed and running fine.

Let's see what other Mac users have to say…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

Report · Sep 22, 2021

Thank-you Uwe. Weird that I cannot see my own post. Can anyone else still see it?

Report · Sep 22, 2021

I moved it to its own discussion since you hijacked an old post. These usually get lost because of that.

Here's the new link: InDesign 2018 and Catalina - Adobe Support Community - 12397328

Report · Sep 22, 2021

Ah – thanks!