InDesign CC 2017 crashes when running the "Package..." command

[paineless-JJFu3X]

Since updating to CC 2017, every time I run the "Package..." command, InDesign crashes. The packaged file is saved and links are updated to the new location, so the functionality seems to be there, but the application crashes on completion of the task. This happens even with all options unchecked, so it doesn't appear to be an issue with fonts, copying links, relinking or creating a PDF, etc. This also occurs whether packaging to or from a network directory or a local drive.

Installation: InDesign 2017.0 Release, Mac OSX 10.11.6, MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013

[Steve Werner]

Try restoring your InDesign preferences:

Trash, Replace, Reset, or Restore the application Preferences

[paineless-JJFu3X]

That's usually my first troubleshooting step when I have strange behavior from an app, but as is usually the case, the obvious answer doesn't fix the problem. Thank you for the suggestion though. Being a fresh installation, I hadn't actually tried that yet.

[Bufftom]

I love how Adobe releases Beta products and expects people who use their products for a living to help debug them. I've had this same problem since the day I installed 2017 so corrupt preferences is a very lame suggestion for you to give. Especially considering this:

The preference and support files for InDesign have similar locations. These files are primarily grouped into three locations, though there is data in additional locations as noted below.

• The Application folder: At the location of the application, or executable, are subfolders for presets and other support files. These subfolders are typically where the "canned" presets are located.
• The application "roaming data folder." This folder is intended for "normal" preference data that you would want to roam from machine to machine in a roaming profile environment.
  
• The application "local cached data folder." This folder is designed for large data caches that you don't want to roam from machine to machine in a roaming profiles environment on Windows. It is also for data that can easily be regenerated if deleted.
  

So which "preferences" do we delete? What happens to all of our custom settings? Even the help page for Cloud gives erroneous and out of date instructions for syncing preferences. Adobe has created a mess.

Nothing works. No matter what I delete, every last time I package for output, no matter what, it crashes. 10 times a day I have to restart InDesign.

I think it's time for a class action lawsuit.

[Bufftom]

FYI I just uninstalled and reinstalled 2017 and the preferences and the very first file I tried to package crashed the program.

[Bufftom]

I just reinstalled 2015. I'm sooooooo glad I made a copy.

Guess what? I just did package for output and IT DID NOT CRASH.

Apples to Apples 2017 is corrupt at Adobe.

[kaylaw1046523]

I packaged a file yesterday and now every time I open it the file freezes.... Do you guys have that problem. I can do nothing in the file anymore.

[belindamfwestern]

I am on MAC using El Capitan and have had the same issue with crashes and freezing during packaging. After I told it to Package I turned off the check boxes for it to create the .idml and .pdf files and it worked. I then created those files myself separately.

[paineless-JJFu3X]

Now my mind is boggled.

I was going to run the package function again and grab the crash log data to see if there were any clues, when it suddenly worked perfectly. After crashing EVERY TIME for a week, and twice on the same document immediately before, InDesign suddenly seems to have figured out how to complete the function without the crash. I've run no updates, changed no parameters, trashed no preferences between it working and not working. I simply reopened the program after a crash, tried the package function once more, and it suddenly worked. Twice!

In case some combination of actions was the fix... here's what I did:

Opened a document, ran the Package command, unchecked every option so that it simply created a copy of the document, and saved it to my desktop. InDesign crashed, I re-opened it from the crash dialog box, the previously open document re-opened on it's own. I saved the document, ran the package command again with all the options checked (except document hyphenation and hidden content) and the command finished without a crash. I've now packaged 3 different files to various locations without issue.

[yannd53417708]

Thanks for sharing paineless​ I was going to try your fix, and just thought i'd try one last time… and it suddenly worked perfectly! no update, nothing. Weird, but I'm glad it's back to normal now.

[Cindy Shaler]

I'm having similar problems--but I'm using version 2014, and the crash only happens on one chapter in a book of 11 files, as well as when I try to package the entire book, of course. I started making packages of one or a couple of chapters at a time, just so I could get a final PDF to my client last week, but I'm still trying to make a package of chapter 7 (the bugaboo). I'm now going to try the solution suggested by Eugene Tyson in "File Crashing on Output - printing/PDF/other."

[yannd53417708]

Hi Cindy,

Just wondering: are you working with doc or asset on a nas or server? are you using external plugin?

[Cindy Shaler]

Hi, yannd53417708,

Don't know what asset or nas means. We're not on a server; our business is at home with a huge network of two. :<) Our only InDesign plug-in is MathMagic, with which my partner and I create the thousands of equations in this book. Those are EPS files. Graphics are primarily EPS as well, with a few AIs and JPGs. The book is almost 600 pages. Yes, I know, we should have been doing this in FrameMaker; but our client is used to using InDesign with MathMagic, although they haven't had any books this long before. Did I mention we're on Windows?

I've been through Layers now, trying to locate 14 equations that appear as errors for Ch7--even though the line at the bottom of the ID screen tells me there are "No errors." Lucky I opened the Links window and scanned it. Anyway, those 14 do not appear on any page in Ch7. They're marked OV or overset text, of which there is none. I'm trying to figure out how to delete them since they may be causing all my problems.

I've also uninstalled and reinstalled Acrobat, just in case.

Thanks for any ideas.

[gerber914]

I'm having the same exact problem and had started a separate post about it here a few days ago. I have been troubleshooting this for days with internal IT and our external Mac support vendor. We have looked into virtually everything; Suitcase, network latency, fonts, OS version, preference files, user accounts, etc. Nothing we do stops the latest version of Indesign CC 2017 from crashing when packaging a file.

Just as a test I re-installed Indesign CC 2015, and it does not crash when i package the same files that cause a crash in 2017, works fine. BUT I have been working in 2017 for weeks now and hundreds of files are now in the 2017 format, which I cannot open in 2015. Yes I can open them all in 2017 and save them down but that is ridiculous. So, I'm pretty frustrated to have once again updated to the latest version of an Adobe product, only to have it create a giant headache for me and problems in my professional workflow.

[Cindy Shaler]

And my problems are in 2014, so I'm not sure that going back to 2015 would help at all!

[ILWT]

Not working for me unfortunately

[jeroenp7291769]

We disabled the Suitcase Fusion 7 Auto Activation plugin in InDesign CC 2017 and now it works normal.

[yannd53417708]

I just updated Suitcase to the 18.2.1 version and it seems to be working again.

[jeroenp7291769]

I checked we where on 18.2.1 but it still crashed with the plugin enabled..

[yannd53417708]

Just checked at home (another computer) running 18.2 and it's working as well. Hmm, must be something else then!

[jeroenp7291769]

Looks like Extensis finally fixed the issue in the latest update of Suitcase Fusion 7 (18.2.2)

[paineless-JJFu3X]

My previous fix appears to have been a fluke. VERY occasionally, the command will finish without causing a crash, but this seems to be the exception, rather than the rule. Based on the comments above from jeroenp7291769 and yannd53417708, I disabled the Suitcase Fusion 7 auto-activation plug-in, and InDesign would seem to function normally. When I replaced the plug-in, the crash behavior returns. I've repeated this process several times with the same results, so I am casting the blame on Extensis for the problem. I have started an official support request with Extensis and will update this thread when/if I have an answer from them.

[Monica Singh]

Hi Jeremy

Thanks for writing to us regarding issue you are facing while packaging document in InDesign.

We are looking to address issues inside InDesign that are mainly being faced by our valuable customers.

We need your support In order to work on these issues.

Please help us in isolating real issue by sharing the following infomation:

• Sample Document(Please attach a packaged document for analysis)

          You can upload your document on dropbox OR creative cloud for sharing.

• Any Known steps(Step that led to slowness)
• Video recording(If possible screen recording showing slowness )

Eagerly waiting for your response. You can share the assets with monsingh@adobe.com

Thanks,

Monica Singh

Adobe InDesign Engineering Team

[Bufftom]

Hi Monica,

Thank you for checking in here.

I just created a new file using 2017 with nothing in it, saved it, used the package for output command with nothing checked (fonts, pdf etc) and it crashed again.

I just emailed you the file as well as the crash report that was produced for Apple.

I hope you can figure this out,

Tom

[Monica Singh]

Thanks Bufftom,

I have received your file. I am looking into it..

Regards,

Monica