InDesign Crashes When Exporting PDFs with Imported Separate .PSD Layers

[Leonidasss]

For a while my Indesign crashes/freezes 8 out of 10 times while exporting PDFs of magazine pages where in layered HiRes .psd files are imported as "seperated" PSD Layers. PSD layers are placed via import options whith checking and unchecking layer. After about 9% or 19% the PDF stops redering and freezes Indesign. Stopping the PDF export does not help. (PC latest windows version and automatic updates for Indesign on)

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Eugene Tyson]

If a document is not behaving well then try 

File>Export 

Choose IDML

Open the IDML in InDesign
Save the file as a new InDesign file with a new name
See if the issue persists.

----

Try resetting your preferences:

Windows: Start InDesign, and then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
macOS: While pressing Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
A dialog will appear asking to delete the InDesign Preferences, select 'Yes' on this dialog.
Further info and instructions here if needed:
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/indesign/kb/indesign-preferences-support-file-locations.html

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Leonidasss,

I'm sorry to hear about the crashes you're facing while exporting PDFs with separate .PSD layers. I understand how frustrating this can be, especially when working on high-res magazine files.

Adding to what our expert has advised, could you please let us know which version of InDesign you're using and the details of your operating system? Also, is this crash happening with a specific InDesign file or have you noticed it across multiple files?

If you haven't already, please submit a crash report so our team can investigate further. You can find more information on submitting crash reports here: Submit Crash Reports.

If possible, could you share the package file with us so we can test the issue on our end? Here's more information on how to share the package: Package InDesign Files.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we’ll do our best to assist you!

Thanks,
Abhishek Rao

[Leonidasss]

When Indesign get's stuck in PDF rendering the oinly option is to stop the app with the Windows task manager. You do not get a crash report window then. Ik just abrupt stops. When I restart Indesign it opens and recovers the files that were open but no other crash report or other like wise screens popup.

[leo.r]

also, how much RAM does your machine have?

[Leonidasss]

Hello,



Answers to my "crashes", it are more some kind of freezes,

Like it won't export the PDF further the wheel of PDF exporting turns but no futher than for example 19% or 49% after 10 minutes still no progress.

(cancelling the export has the same outcome, endless waiting no cancelation of the export). Like it hanging in a loop.



So I have to stop the Indesign app via the Windows Task manager. Quiting indesign is not possible because "it is doing something".

Because I end the task, then I get no Indesign Cash report window. When I start Indesign again it recovers the files. But the PDF is 0 Kb.



And it is not consistent: sometimes it works making a PDF and sometimes it won't, very irritating.
It has something to do with complex files with a lot of transparanties or using importing seperate .psd layers in to indesgn.

I takes a lot of calculating power to make good pdf files from thes kind of files.



By the way: This is an old Indesign bug, I had this one on and of for several years

on diffrerent versions, computers and OS versions, PC and Mac.



2024 Indesign version 19.5 x64 (automatic updating on)



Indesign example WeTransfer: https://we.tl/t-vHjUOl7J0U <>







Met vriendelijke groet,



Leon Torremans

<Personal information removed by MOD>

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Leonidasss,

Thank you for the clarification regarding the freezing issue during PDF exports. I understand how frustrating this can be, especially with complex files. To assist you further, could you please provide the following information:

1. What OS are you currently using (e.g., Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS version)?
2. How much RAM does your machine have, and what are the CPU specifications?
3. What is the size of the InDesign file you're trying to export?
4. Have you noticed any CPU spikes during the export process? 

This information will help us better understand the situation and provide more targeted assistance. Thank you for sharing the WeTransfer link; we’ll review the example file as well.

Looking forward to your reply!

Best,  
Abhishek Rao

[Leonidasss]

Windows 11 Pro version 23H2
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
RAM: 16 GB
Graphic card: NVDIA Quadro P1000

[Leonidasss]

Never tested CPU spikes (?)
The indesign files are 5 to 8 mb but the linked files are 60 to 300 mb each (per spread) I only export one or two spread per time.

[rob day]

RAM: 16 GB

For something like this 16GB might not keep everything in memory and InDesign might go to the startup disk  for virtual memory (InDesign doesn’t let you set a scratch disk volume). How much space is available on your startup drive?

single page HiRes CMYK 300DPI with bleed FROGRA 39 (Standard: PDF/X4:2010) (Copatibility: Acrobat 7 PDF1.6)

Does it happen if you flatten transparency on export—PDF/X1-a?

[Leonidasss]

This disk space story sounds pauseble, my 500 GB SSD is now again almost 90% full. I every time back up a lot on an external disk to make space, but these magazine productions are so large (and also include Premiere Pro clips for the socials) that this relatively small disk fills up quite quick.

[rob day]

Also check your Photoshop scratch disk Preference. It defaults to the Startup volume, but you can change it to other volume(s). I have an empty 1TB SSD that is exclusively used as my primary Photoshop scratch disk. 

Unfortunately InDesign's can't be changed.

[Leonidasss]

I only have this internal 500GB SSD, I just mailed our IT suppport company for an invoice for extra disk space.

[rob day]

You should consider a large external drive for all of your live work and use the startup only for applications and the OS. Also keep in mind if you save in any of the cloud formats like .PSDC, .AIC, etc., the local sync’d version of those formats is stored in your system, and that location can not be changed.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...] Also keep in mind if you save in any of the cloud formats like .PSDC, .AIC, etc., the local sync’d version of those formats is stored in your system, and that location can not be changed.

By @rob day

Not sure about Mac - it's Linux so shouldn't be a problem - but definitely not a problem on Windows. 

[rob day]

Just to be clear I was not referring to the local (discontinued) Creative Cloud Files folder, which can be anywhere.

When you save in a cloud format, e.g. .PSDC it is saved directly to your remote AdobeCC account's storage space, but files required to create an offline copy are also sync’d into your system folder— on OSX libraries sync to ‎⁨⁨Users⁩ ▸ username ▸ ⁨Library⁩ ▸ ⁨Application Support⁩ ▸ ⁨Adobe⁩ ▸ ⁨CoreSync⁩...

This .PSDC gets backed up into the system into the Adobe>CoreSync folder

 I don‘t think there is a way to move the CoreSync folder

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@rob day

Symbolic link / Symlink.

You can use it to re-link your folder to a different location. 

[rob day]

Have you tried that with the CoreSync folder? If you save a .PSDC, do the backup .db and image files get saved to the different location, and will Photoshop still open the reconstructed file if you are off line?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Have you tried that with the CoreSync folder? If you save a .PSDC, do the backup .db and image files get saved to the different location, and will Photoshop still open the reconstructed file if you are off line?

By @rob day

No, I haven't.

But Symlinks are handled on the system level - it's completely tranparent for the installed applications - so if there are multiple places that Adobe uses for the syncing - all of them would have to be relinked.

[Leonidasss]

I do not what these formats are, I save in a local Creative Cloud file folder on my Windows PC. I only use: .psd, .png and .jpg for saving in photoshop.

[rob day]

I save in a local Creative Cloud file folder on my Windows PC

If you use the CCF folder for cloud backups, just be aware that Adobe is discontinuing its sync service. You’ll have to move to another cloud storage service like Dropbox for cloud backups.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/eol-creative-cloud-synced-files.html

[leo.r]

RAM: 16 GB

By @Leonidasss

@rob day has just brought up your RAM issue, and I asked you about your RAM a week ago.

I wonder if you have ever tried the same process on a machine with a decent RAM amount (that is, anything above 16 GB)? While low RAM isn't necessarily the culprit for your problem, you won't know until you try.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Leonidasss

Maybe some of your linked PSD files are corrupted?

Can you try to export separate PDFs - for each spread?

Then when it hangs on a particular spread - export each page of this spread separately.

You could also try to export in bulk from the export dialog - but it might hang anyway - that's why I'm suggesting "manual" approach. 

This should point you to the problematic page and links. 

Start from removing this page / spread entirely. Then one object at a time. 

Of course, problem might not be related to links - font or something - but could be a good start. 

[Leonidasss]

It are not corrupted files these are files that I worked on in Photoshop my self and I had this problem for on different machines and OS versions.

Seperate or spread sometimes works, but not allways.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

For a while my Indesign crashes/freezes 8 out of 10 times while exporting PDFs of magazine pages [...] 

By @Leonidasss

Do you remember when it started? 

Can you rollback few minor versions? 

Or maybe even go back to InDesign 2023?