InDesign 2020 crashing while working with Text

[xtinnna2]

Every time I try to COPY, CUT or PASTE text, InDesign crashes on my MacOS Catalina. I am using the most up to date version (15.0.1) but it was also happening with the previous version as well. 

UPDATE: I realize this occurence only takes place with the INDD specific file I am working on. I tried packaging the file and reopening it as IDML and the problem went away.  However, the fonts and styles were all gone even though they were included in the package. 

Because the original INDD file has private information, I went ahead and replicated the it, replaced all text with placeholder text, packaged the file here for anyone who wants to help investigate. The included INDD is identical with the original (except in text) and has the exact same crash issues mentioned above. They also include all original fonts (Montserrat-Light, Montserrat-Regular, Fira Sans-Light, Fira Sans-Regular). 

I've emailed the file to Adobe to see if they can troubleshoot. If you have any suggestions in the meantime, please let me know and I'll test out your suggestions. Appreciate any help!

https://cutit.org/yJv8P

{Renamed by MOD}

[Laubender]

Hi xtinna2,

hm. CUT will crash InDesign 2020? Always? Or only with a distinct document?

So COPY is okay? Otherwise PASTE wouldn't be possible? Or do you paste contents from a different app or document?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[xtinnna2]

Great question! I just opened another InDesign file and was able to copy and paste just fine. So I realize now that InDesign only crashes with this specific file whenever I try to COPY, CUT or PASTE.

(I originally thought the COPY function was not affected, but I realize now that it also crashes when I try to copy.)

[Bill Silbert]

Have you tried trashing preferences? Doing so will take the program back to its defaults and will, hopefully, fix the issue you're having.

To do so on a Mac:

The User Library folder in which InDesign’s preferences are stored is hidden by default on most Macintoshes. To access it make sure that InDesign is closed and click on the desktop to launch a Finder Window (Command-N). With this window in column view follow the path User>Home folder (it’s the folder with an icon that looks like a house—it may have the user’s name rather than “Home”) and click on the Home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. “Library” will now appear within the Home folder. Within the Library folder find the folder called Preferences and within it find the folder called “Adobe InDesign” and the file called “com.adobe.InDesign.plist” and delete both that folder and that file. When InDesign is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults.

The advantage of manually deleting preference files in this manner is that after you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, you can create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete.

[xtinnna2]

Thanks but I already tried this, it didn't work.

[federico platon]

Then, if you have found out InDesign works fine with other files or new ones, and that file is the cuklprit, try to save it as *.idml (ID CS4 or later) and then open it back in InDesign.

Does it work now?

[xtinnna2]

Yes but see the "Update" section in my original post.

[xtinnna2]

I just really hope to avoid reformatting the whole thing all over again.

[Laubender]

Hi xtinna2,

if this is only with one single file, what exactly does the text contain you like to copy, cut or paste?

Something special like an anchored object or a table perhaps? If a table, does the table contain any graphic cells?

Or is it any selected text of this document that leads to a crash if you cut, copy or paste?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[xtinnna2]

Uwe, just regular text. If you look at my original post, I included a link to the packaged file which contains the original file (replaced with filler text). If interested, you can take a look and see if the same thing happens on your computer with that file.

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Hi xtinna2,

opened your sample document.

Tried to export a selection of text frames on the master page to an IDMS snippet file.

InDesign 2020 crashed immediately. The IDMS file was not written.

I'd say work on with the IDML file. Format your text anew. Also define new paragraph styles.

The current InDesign 2020 document is damaged beyond repair

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[xtinnna2]

Uwe, thanks a lot for your help, really appreciate it.

I wish I knew what went wrong with the file so I don't have to reformat the whole thing from scratch...oh well.

[Laubender]

Hi xtinna2,

I cannot tell what went wrong. Saw nothing unusual in the history of the document.

Hope, you can restore the document from the IDML file quickly.

If you get into trouble again with it come back here. Then perhaps it has to do with the used font.

But I guess you did a lot of documents with the same font combination that are not corrupt.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Zack S]

I am experiencing the same issues on a couple files of my own via InDesign; one of which is a 28 page corporate guidelines file that I have been working on for the past couple weeks (was literally on the final page when file crashed & corrupted).

I am unable to pull any information out of this document by dragging any elements onto a new sheet/book.

I am working on a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 with the most updated Adobe/Windows software (as of 1/29/20). Is there any way I can save this file? My company plans on using this project to format all company branding/stationery for the next decade or so. Please advise.

[Laubender]

Hi Zack,

try to export the document to IDML.

Open the IDML file in InDesign and save it to a new name.

Check the contents and formatting of the converted document.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Zack S]

@Laubender I just tried your suggestion and all my fonts, text formatting rules, tables, image bounding boxes have been changed to the point where the pages are almost unrecognizable. Aside from the textual content itself, I'm basically starting from scratch.

Are there any other workarounds I could try? 

[federico platon]

I am afraid there is not other option that export or save as IDML in order to remove file corruptions.

Maybe you could just saved the file with another name and try to copy to a new file some contents, though I am not very confident about any success.

I would try again (save as IDML as Uwe suggested you) on other more powerful PC.

Your Surface pro 2 is a fancy item, somehow outdated (six years old), that hardly meets the current ID version system requirements. 4-8 GB of ram and a mobile intel i5 is at the minimum side. Also it came with windows 8.1 unless you have upgraded to Windows 10, is not compatible.

[Laubender]

Hi Zack,

that's really, really bad.

Before you go on here:

Quit InDesign.

Save all your preferences and cached data.

Best zip the folder for cache:

[Username] > AppData > Local > Adobe > InDesign > Version 15.0

Also zip the folder for preferences:

[Username] > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > InDesign > Version 15.0

Delete both Version 15.0 folders.

Start InDesign 2020.

Open your damaged document.

Then try something new:
Select something on the page and export the selection to the IDMS Snippet file format.

If that will crash InDesign I see no way to restore your layout.

If you could successfully export an IDMS file, place the IDMS file in a new document and check what's left of your original layout and formatting.

In case of a crash remove both Version 15.0 folders again.

Unzip the backup zip files to their corresponding InDesign folders.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Zack S]

@Laubender

I went through all the above described steps; after removing the local/roaming InDesign files, my UI got very strange (defaulting to the touchscreen UX) and after tinkering with the settings to restore to the desktop version, I was unable to open any IDMS snippets. I received a notification that I was missing the necessary plugins, so I installed those via the Adobe installer agent.

Once I got the IDMS snippets to load, I still lost all my font, color, and table formatting data. It is a small improvement but ultimately the same results.

@federico_platon

I am aware the Microsoft Surface Pro is far from the ideal machine to run, well, any Adobe program on. This is company PC that I was provided about 3 months ago when I was hired on to refresh their corporate brand standards. I installed all up-to-date Windows 10 OS software, as instructed by the Windows service technicians in conjunction with an Adobe service technician (I'm sorry I forgot their name). It worked fine up until Monday (1/27/20), shortly after a Windows OS update (Windows 10 Pro 10.0.18363) was installed.

I also just tried reinstalling InDesign 15.0.0 but was met with the same results. Thank you for your assistance.

Are there any other ideas I can try?

[Laubender]

Hi Zack,

try to place the IDMS snippet file with a new document open.

The stored items should load into your cursor. Just like you place an image.

Don't try to open the IDMS file.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Zack S]

I was able to export about half my pages using this method. InDesign crashes after trying to export anything past page 12 (of 1 of 3 alternate layouts)

[Håvard Graudo]

I can see you are using Alternate Layout in your document. I am quite sure this is a bug introduced in InDesign 2020 that manifest itself somewhere when using Paragraph and/or Character styles, and using Create Alternate Layout, possibly also involving "Copy Text Styles to New Group". It seems you are also using all of those.

I was able to open your file – mine usually just throws a endless spinning beachball of death, but sometimes I can do a little before they die.

We are making a lot of InDesign documents that are all good in v2020, but the "Create Alternate Layout" is toxic!

Unfortunatly I have no solution (other than try to use v2019 to "convert it"). Here is my description of the same bug:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/indesign-2020-v15-01-makes-corrupt-documents-linked-to-alter...

[Laubender]

Hi Håvard_Graudo,

thank you for the analysis. Indeed our OP, xtinna2, is using alternate layouts. Just inspected the document again.

Also with a folder for paragraph styles that is using the name of one of the alternate layouts.

And also Zack says that he is using alternate layouts.

All in all you are on to something!

Did you do a bug report at InDesign uservoice?

https://indesign.uservoice.com/

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Håvard Graudo]

Uwe,

Thank you for reaching out. I first tried to talk to support, but that did not lead anywhere useful.

I have sendt a sample file to corrupt_indesign_docs@adobe.com as I was advised after posting here. Should I also file a report on the link you provided?

[Laubender]

Yes. Do a bug report.

Then come back with a link to the report so that others can vote for fixing the bug.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )