InDesign 2022 just chugging along in one document only

[casinclaire]

I'm working in a 98-page document that has a few screenshot graphics but otherwise is nothing unusual. It is a textbook with several different headline styles and a few variations on body text, all set in two-column text frames (with some heads spanning). No special fonts (all are Adobe). It is similar to other textbooks I've laid out, none of which gave me problems, so I can't figure out why this particular document is so recalcitrant.

Almost from the beginning, this document has resisted change. If I type/delete even ONE character, I have to sit and wait 3-4, sometimes 5-6, seconds. It's as if InD is reviewing the whole rest of the doc with every keystroke I make, ostensibly to accommodate any resulting text shifts, even though most of what I'm doing is spot-editing and doesn't cause even local text shifts. Placing and working with the graphics is nearly impossible. It has taken me several hours to work my way halfway through the document, making editorial changes, due to this time lag -- and this is not the first time I've had to work with this document, so believe me, this is getting OLD.

I'm working in Win 10 in the latest v. of InD CC. My machine has 32G of RAM and I'm working with only the absolutely relevant programs open, so as to cut down on RAM drain. (And I've avoided opening PShop at all since I know it doesn't always give back all the RAM it sucks up when it is closed.) I can't figure out what to do to fix this. The things I've tried so far include the following (not necessarily in this order):

• Restarting.
• Choosing "Save As" vs. only just "Save."
• Saving as IDML and reopening again as an InD doc.
• Trying different ones of the latest versions of InD.
• Clearing out my Start-Up.
• Working with minimal programs open.
• Working in Typical and Fast screen display.
• And probably some things I can't remember.

EDIT: I did just remember one other thing that's been done. I spent two hours on the phone a few days ago with Adobe tech, working to fix another issue (CC app wouldn't update or open), and in the process, that tech used the Cleaner tool. So, I don't think this is a corrupted preferences issue (especially since it's only this one doc that is giving me fits). Just saying. I'm still open to input on this.

If anyone has any further ideas, I'm totally ready to try them! Hurry, please and thank you. 🙂

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Hear your pain!

Something has slowed down the latest versions of InDesign. What you describe is similar to the sluggishness we had back in the early days of desktop publishing.

Explanation (not an excuse): every time an edit is made to text on the page, all desktop publishing programs must redraw the entire screen (if not more). Both the software and hardware had improved over the past 2 decades that we no longer noticed the lag, but now...ugh!

You've already done my top suggestions, and I suggest these additional ones:

• Roll back to InDesign 17.1.  17.2 has some serious bugs and quirks, one of which is an excruciatingly painful lag.
• Reduce your active fonts. If you use a font manager, time to trim down the selection available in the font menus.

[casinclaire]

Thanks so much for your reply.  I checked and, as I thought, I've already rolled back to 17.1. I'll take a look at my active fonts. I tend to keep a lot of them active (somewhat necessary with book design) but I'm sure there are quite a few I could deactivate. Maybe it will make a difference. This is definitely getting tedious!