InDesign 2020 Randomly Crashes (Files accessed through Google Stream)

Report · Feb 27, 2020

First-time poster, so bear with me.

My organization uses G-Suite with most of our activity being in Gmail and Google Drive. We take advantage of the Shared Drives so we can store files in a central location that can be accessed by any staff member on any machine.

I use Google Stream so I can work within File Explorer instead of going through my internet browser to access Drive. This ensures that I am always accessing the most recent file, even if I am using a different machine, like my home computer. It's also easier this way because I don't have to download the file, edit it, and then upload it back to the cloud. There is less user error, and it saves time.

At least once or twice a month (sometimes more), InDesign will randomly crash or lock-up when I am working on files. Sometimes it's just when I am scrolling through the document (which is never any longer than 28 letter-size pages and never has complex layers). Sometimes it's when I am browsing for an image to place. Sometimes it's when I go to select multiple elements. Sometimes it's when I go to save the file. There is no pattern to what causes it to crash. When it does crash, I almost always lose my files because they become corrupt, and then I email my good friend Abhinav from Indd file recovery team. There have been several times he can't even recover the file.

I've referred to Adobe's troubleshooting site many times (https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/indesign/kb/troubleshoot-file-issues.html#device_issues) but I can't figure out what specifically is causing my files to become so corrupt that they can no longer be opened or even recovered by the experts.

Recently, I received an error message about removable devices when saving a file (see Screenshot2). This was the first and only time I saw this message, and I didn't do anything different from my normal workflow. This got me thinking that it has something to do with the fact that I access files through Google Stream, which Adobe apparently recognizes as a removable device.

I strongly feel that I should be able to take advantage of cloud technology without constantly losing my Adobe files to irreparable corruption. If InDesign wants to crash because the location path is disrupted for a brief second, I can live with that (but also, how, because I'm not unplugging or disconnecting anything). But it shouldn't destroy my file, right?

Any tips or two-cents is appreciated. Thanks all!

Report · Feb 27, 2020

You won't want to hear this but you're not the first to complain about google drive screwing things up. If there's a smart synch feature that keeps files in the cloud until you try to open them, turn it off.

Report · Feb 27, 2020

Agree with Bob. Here's another current thread on problems with opening from Google Drive:

Downloaded a file I had stored on Google Drive - Mac recognises as an INDD but can't open it

Report · Feb 28, 2020

Thank you, Bob and Steve! I should have posted to the forums sooner as little things I didn't think about before are now starting to click. I will try turning off the smart sync feature, but it seems like using Google Drive/Stream is not a safe storage/access option for InDesign files (much to my dismay).

Report · Mar 18, 2024

Did you ever find a work around for this? Or did turning off the smart sync feautre work? We have same problem.

Report · Mar 18, 2024

Why don't you try it and find out? This discussion is four years old. If after trying that it doesn't work, create a new discussion with full details on your problems.

I'm locking this to avoid any future confusion.