InDesign 2025 can't replace PDF

[Geri1]

We create print PDF's from InDesign files. If there is an error we are unable to replace the original PDF. It says the file is in use, it is not selected and it is not open. We are unable to delete the file also. We have to go to another computer and delete the file from our smb server, shut down both computers and then redo the PDF. Can someone tell me what is causing the file to get stuck in our systems?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You don't say what OS/platform your systems are on.

You are aware of the erratic bug in Windows where if a file is selected in a folder list and preview is active, some apps and processes will see the file as "open in another application"?

Other than that, it sounds as if it's a network issue, with something somewhere not letting go of the file. There have been a few scattered reports of this recently, so it's possible something has happened and existing network/file access settings need to be changed on some systems.

Try this, though: export a PDF without opening it in Acrobat, automatically or otherwise. Can you delete/overwrite/update that file?

[Geri1]

We are on Mac OS Sequoia 15.1. I am aware of the selection issue, and that is not the problem we are having. We export using InDesign. We check the PDF for accuracy in AcroBat. If an issue is found, we close AcroBat and go back to the InDesign file to correct the issue and re-export the file to a PDF. This is when the problem arises. Usually we can replace the original PDF, but lately we are unable to replace it. It says the file is in use, when in fact it is not. We have to delete the original PDF, shut down the computer, restart the computer and start over creating the PDF from InDesign. I'm also thinking it is a network issue, I'm just not sure how to resolve it or where to look for the network/file access settings that need to be changed.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

As noted, there seems to be a spike in little network glitches like this; it may be a fault of v2025. A perfectly normal workflow, though.

Did you try the loop without opening the generated PDF first? That would at least remove Acrobat from the loop, or point towards any role it might be playing. (If it went that direction on a Windows system, I'd open Task Manager and kill all the Acrobat processes, just to see if that released the lock.)

[leo.r]

update to macOS 15.3 for starters, will it make a difference?

[Geri1]

We haven't updated due to using a VPN that will not work with the new update. We are waiting for our IT guy to find another VPN option for our employee that works offsite.  Skipping opening the PDF in Acrobat is not an option, once the PDF is created, then it is double checked for correctness and color correctness. We check the PDF for any errors and make sure that all of our black print is 100% black. So that option is really not feasible. If you think Acrobat is the culprit, I will do some more research to see if there is a fix for Acrobat. 

[davecourtemanche]

I think James is suggesting that as a error check - not to change your process. We have this problem with our server if the PDF is selected. We've also had it happen as there seems to be some server lag going on (perhaps with backup software or ??) so my fix has just been to create and ~OLD directory and move the file into that. Then we can proceed without having to restart/relaunch anything.

[Geri1]

I seem to be able to overwrite a PDF that has not been opened previously. It's hard to determine for sure, because sometimes replacing a PDF works smoothly and other times it decides to not allow the replacement. For the most part, I think it works fine as long as we don't open the PDF first and simply replace it. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

That points to what's locking the file, then, at least in most cases. Look to a solution with the configuration of Acrobat and how it accesses files on your network, rather than focusing on InDesign. Or so it seems to me.