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Question

InDesign 2023 makes a read only file

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
October 27, 2022
60 replies
73087 views

I have just updated to the 2023 InDesign, and now suddently my documents are read-only and I cannot save the file, but have to make a save as version and give the document a new name everytime I have to save my work.

Do you know why this is happening? And how to avoid this?

Performance

pifath67

Participating Frequently

It's nearly impossible to work sensibly and efficiently because almost EVERY file is opened as read-only.
Why do WE always have to use workarounds to compensate for the shortcomings of the software we pay a lot of money for?
After all, WE are the customers, for whom a minimum level of service could be provided.
But large companies apparently don't care about customers once they've paid for the product...
It's sad...

J

Jürgen27241002fjjp

Participating Frequently

The problem incomprehensibly still exists (and has for years in our company) and I fully share their opinion regarding problem solving and customer-oriented support. Instead of AI tools, a solid working version would be more helpful. On the other hand, the support solution of saving files locally and then uploading them to the server is impractical. That was the case in the 80s...

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Just did an InDesign update.
Surprise: Nothing has changed regarding the write protection problem or the problem of not being able to overwrite PDF files.
I think the "team" should stop collecting information and start solving the problem.
I have the feeling that no one at Adobe is interested in a solution. It's just a lot of work...
This really can't be called customer service - it's more of a rip-off. You get an inferior product for a lot of money.

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Addendum: It is NOT possible to overwrite an existing PDF even if ALL folder windows have been closed, Acrobat has been closed, and the file hasn't been opened previously. Message: File is already open. Haha...
Possible workaround: Shut down the computer before saving 😉
When will these serious bugs finally be fixed, Adobe?

pifath67

Participating Frequently

It is almost impossible to work with this software in a halfway efficient way and without frustration.
You constantly have to save files under new names or somewhere else and overwrite the previous one to avoid getting confused with multiple versions of the same file.
The problem that you cannot overwrite existing PDF files when exporting because they are supposedly open still exists too.
When will something finally be done about these errors other than just writing pointless posts in the forum to annoy us users?
This problem has been known for over two years now and NOTHING has been done about it.
Customers who pay a lot are being ripped off here!

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hey pifath67,

I totally get your frustration – constantly saving files with new names is a huge pain. From what you've shared, it seems the issue might be related to the network setup. While InDesign is tested across multiple network configurations, not all setups are tested. Different network configurations, software, and hardware can sometimes cause these annoying glitches. As the issue is not seen when files are saved locally, it might be the configuration of permission on the File server which again needs to be looked upon by your IT team.

The only workaround I’d suggest, for now, would be to save the files locally and avoid saving them directly to the server. I know that's not ideal, but it could help prevent the read-only issue.

Appreciate your patience, and I’m here if you need anything else!

Best,
Abhishek

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Unfortunately, it is not possible to grant more than full disk access and administrator rights. And the Mac clients have these on the file server.
In addition, the error first occurred after an InDesign update without anything being changed in the user configuration on the network.
InDesign is also the only program with which we have problems with write protection.
All of this suggests to me that the problem is more likely to be with Indesign.
And don't forget, we are not the only ones who have the problem...

pifath67

Participating Frequently

We haven't heard anything about “read-only” for a long time.
Apparently the users have come to terms with the problem and Adobe no longer needs to work on it.
As long as they get their money for the subscription and everyone keeps quiet, all is well with the world...

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hello everyone,

I understand how frustrating this read-only issue can be, especially when it disrupts your workflow. We're committed to addressing your concerns and improving your experience with InDesign.

If you haven't already, please try disabling the Mac preview for InDesign files, as it might be contributing to this problem. We recommend keeping your software updated to the latest versions, as they often include important fixes.

For those still facing this issue, your feedback is invaluable. Please share any details you can, such as your operating system version and any specific circumstances under which the problem occurs. This information will help us investigate further and find a resolution.

Thank you for your patience, and we're here to assist you!

Best,

Abhishek Rao

MJMarek

Known Participant

Just FYI: I have this issue accessing a PC via VPN (WIN 11); however, I have found that opening the INDD file directly from file manager is a viable workaround. If I open directly from InDesign, all files open as read only.

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Update to 19.5.
It has become even worse...
Almost EVERY file (newly created or existing) is now write-protected.
it is almost impossible to work reasonably efficiently.
Thanks for nothing, Adobe!

M

mhvz2019

Participating Frequently

I am now not able to save my document to the latest changes, even with Save As.
It's a new document, so no issues with it being corrupt. I'd only created one page just with text before I decided to hit Save. I get the standard (now) Save As dialogue box appear asking me if I want to replace my existing file. Click OK and get the "Cannot save the document. It may be open by other applications..." message, except it isn't as it's a brand new file and I'm the only person that uses InDesign in my company. So I try and save it again but this time as a new file name. I now get a message telling me "InDesign is unable to save this file. We tried, but it appears to be damaged." I click OK, and it appears to save it anyway (astericks is removed on the file window). I test by closing down and reopening, only to find it hasn't saved anything from the first save with the time stamp being from an hour ago.

I'm running InDesign 19.0.1, on Mac OS Monterey (12.6), at home and not on any network.

leo.r

Community Expert

I'm running InDesign 19.0.1, on Mac OS Monterey (12.6), at home and not on any network.

By @mhvz2019

For starters, try to update to the latest InDesign 19.4 and macOS 12.7 (the latest Monterey if you have to stay there).

To complicate the situation, you problem sounds like a known bug in InDesign 19.4 (although I'm not sure it's exactly the same one). So if you're still experiencing this issue in 19.4, then try to revert to 19.3 (you can do so from Creative Cloud app).

M

mhvz2019

Participating Frequently

I've just now tried it on my work computer (Monterey is my home one) running Mac OS Big Sur 11.7.3 and InDesign 19.4 and it's working absolutely fine. As you mentioned my issue on my home computer is a know issue in 19.4, it must be OS specific as there are no problems on my work version.

pifath67

Participating Frequently

We updated to 19.4 yesterday.
What can I say? It's got even worse...
Now practically every file is opened read-only and it often happens that a non-read-only file is suddenly read-only immediately after saving.
Efficient working is hardly possible any more.
It's no longer fun anyway...
What a pity, because Indesign was always a great programme.

WHEN WILL THIS FINALLY BE SOLVED, ADOBE?

davidt12412601

Inspiring

We have a team of 10 users, in a Windows environment and always opening and saving files across a network. The problem pops up very rarely, and seemingly randomly, so we speculate that it may have something to do with the response time of the network file system when InDesign opens a file. Machines that have had the problem may go many weeks without it, even accessing the same files.

Park Street Printers

Known Participant

We have 8 users in a mixed Mac/Windows environment and open and save most files on an ioSafe 218. While I try to keep myself saving things locally while they're being worked on, and then moving to the file server when finished, most of us just work directly from the ioSafe. We've never encountered the read-only problem. Our machines aren't the newest or fastest, and the network isn't especially fast, either, so I don't know why we haven't encountered this. I'm just grateful that we haven't.

B

BriGuyOSC

Inspiring

Sorry so many of you are still having issues. I'm not sure what the issue is, but I'm still of the opinion that it's a user/environment thing, considering InDesign works fine on this end, both on Mac and PC -- I'm on a Windows PC here (Windows 10 Home - 22H2 - OS Version 19045.4291) and a 2018 MacBook Pro (Sonoma) at home (freelance). I did have this issue a year or so ago, but it resolved for me after one of the updates a month or two later, IIRC. No issues since then, except for (just started recently) PDFs thinking they're open on the Windows PC when I try to export PDFs (can't just click off the file in Windows Explorer to hide the preview -- previously that would work; as long as the preview for *that file* wasn't showing, it would work); now I have to close the window altogether (and I know no one else on our network has it open, because I had just finished creating it). Annoying, but it works.

FWIW, we use SentinelOne as our security suite at work. IDK if that has any bearing whatsoever on anything. I know different people use different antivirus/security solutions.

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Sorry, i don't think it's a user/environmental thing because at our company the user and the environment didn't change but there was made an update on Indesign and the problem then just begun.

And the environment in our company is absolutely standard which thousands of users worldwide use. (Network with Windows Server 2019 and Mac with Ventura.)

B

BriGuyOSC

Inspiring

OK, not sure what to tell you. We just don't have the issue here in our office (only two of us use InDesign, but neither of us has the read only issue) and I don't have the issue on my Mac. So *something* is different between our setups/environments.

pifath67

Participating Frequently

Another ‘write-protected working day’ comes to an end and I'm glad that for the rest of the day I don't have to have anything more to do with this sloppily programmed software from this ignorant, arrogant and customer-unfriendly manufacturer, for whom we customers are just paying people.

By the way: a week ago, I wrote another (the third) message to an Adobe employee and - surprise - have not yet received a reply.

Have a nice evening everyone.

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