InDesign crashes when updating InCopy ICML files

Report · Jul 01, 2010

I created an assignment file with around 20 different stories. The next time I opened InDesign the writer had input text to most of the story files. One story file was a couple of pages of text, the rest were just a few lines of copy, nothing huge. Every time I tried to update the ICML files InDesign crashed. I didn't matter if I only tried updating one story or all of them, it always crashed. I was working on a PC when this happened. I moved over to my Mac to try and updated the ICML files and it crashed there too.

The actual InCopy ICML files on the server were fine. The writer never realized there was a problem. All of the copy was sitting there, so I was able to go back and re-import all the copy.

I did all the basic stuff to resolve the issue like restart, trash the prefs, convert to INX, and try on different computer. Nothing worked, crashed InDesign every time.

I'm currently using CS5, but this same issue came up last year on another project in CS4 as well.

Has anyone had this happen and/or know of a fix other than re-importing all the story files?

Report · Nov 18, 2010

Any resolution on this? I've just run into the same issue.

Report · Nov 18, 2010

No, unfortunately I haven't found an answer to why or exactly what causes the issue. My fix has been to recreate the document. You can import the ICML files for the content, but you need to create a new file. Whatever gets corrupt carries through if simply you do a Save As.

Report · Nov 18, 2010

Try IDML...

Harbs

Report · Nov 19, 2010

YES!

I have this happen on a regular basis.

I can't even re-import stories. If your document has too many images, or anything too complicated, this software just crashes your InDesign app.

If I HAVE to use InCopy in my workflow, I have the editor send me each assignment (not too big, because the app can't handle it) and test each one, so they aren't wasting all this time entering corrections.

Unless Adobe fixes this simple issue, this application is worthless.

Sorry, this doesn't help, but others are having these issues.

Very frustrating!

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I discovered that I can place the InCopy story into a new empty document and then copy and paste it back into the layout. I have to unlink the IC story in the layout to do this, but once I have it up to date, I reexport it over the top of the existing ICML. A bit of a time-consuming work around, but at least I don't lose the edits. It's less cumbersome than exporting every single document to IDML--which I'm not sure will work in this instance. Luckily, I have flowed the whole complex text stream into a single story, so this work around isn't too bad. For multiple stories, it would be time-prohibitive.

I have exported the next lesson (of many) into IDML and back before exporting it to InCopy, but I'll have to wait to see whether that fixes it. My editor is out of the office today.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I'd also be checking for corrupt fonts and a wonky network connections.

Bob

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I don't think it's a font issue, but it very well could have something to do with weirdo network

connections. The real problem is, once it happens there's no way to repair the indesign file.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

Try copying everything to the desktop to test it out. If it works, you've just found a possible problem.

As a workaround to the network...try using a Dropbox folder. If you don't have an account you can sign up here for a free account with 2.25 gigs of space: http://db.tt/h98jXF4

Bob

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I'm just curious . . . do either of you have tables, anchored text boxes, or spanning text in the affected stories? In my exerience so far, ID CS5 is very finicky when tables are in use and even worse when tables and spanning text are combined in the same story. My layout has all three, and I'm also using the Side Heads plugin (which loses its configuration when I export to IDML--which is why I'd like to avoid that). I skipped from CS3 to CS5, so I can't say for CS4, but CS5 seems to be really unstable in complex story flows. I suspect the problem may just be the app itself--considering that the editor can open, edit, and save the stories in InCopy--even edit within the ID layout--with no problem, and the stories themselves don't seem to be corrupted.

I've had a good day if I can work all day without crashing ID CS5 at least 3 times.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I'm coming to the conclusion that the InCopy/InDesign workflow can only be used for very simple files (typesetting a novel, etc.)

I think it's too risky to use InCopy for large, complicated documents. You never know when it's going to fail.

Back to plain old marked-up PDFs for me...

Very troubling.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

In a stable environment it should be working just fine.

I would avoid opening documents created in earlier versions of InDesign but besides that what you are seeing is most certainly not the norm.

Bob

Report · Nov 19, 2010

My files were created from scratch in CS5 on this particular project. This is the first time I've had problems with updating InCopy stories in CS5, but it isn't the first time I've had problems with ID CS5. Just about every time I work with tables in CS5, I've had problems with unexplained crashes. That's why I think it may have something to do with the tables, the embedded text frames, or the spanning text (or a combination of all three).

CS5 has been for me a true trial. I've already uncovered two reproducable bugs in the application (at least one of them had to do with long tables). I suspect this is another bug.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

I've worked on a few large document projects over the past couple of years with CS4 and CS5 and this issue always comes up

a few times during the project. I love the indesign/incopy workflow, so I just deal with the issue and keep hoping an update will fix it.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

Unless we submit bug reports with specific details on how to produce the bug, Adobe is unlikely to notice the issue. That's why it's important for those of us with the problem to try and compare notes and see if we can track down exactly what is causing the crash.

Did you see my question about if you were using tables in the affected workflows? Anchored objects? Spanning text? What makes your particular layout different than a simpler document?

Report · Nov 19, 2010

Yes, always submit those bug reports! Good point.

I primarily work on long documents and books. They can be as simple as novels, or as complex as text, tables, photos with captions, etc.

When I open the package sent from an editor, the InDesign CS application crashes—acts as if it's struggling to update the assignment.

I have experienced this issue with files that have a more complex structure...

Photo anchors, captions, tables, etc.

Exporting to IDML seems to fix the crash issue, but introduces new issues, such as defaulting fonts.

Report · Nov 21, 2010

If it's defaulting fonts, that's a pretty good sign that the doc has corruption to start with (which is probably casuing the crash...)

Report · Nov 19, 2010

The type of files that I work on are large proposal documents.They're a combination of tables, photos, AI files, and anchored objects. I don't think there's anything that complex about the files.

Report · Nov 19, 2010

Well, it does sound like we're all using tables and anchored objects. I know that I've successfully used anchored objects in an IC workflow without any issues, so maybe it's the tables--which wouldn't surprise me since I've already run into a couple other table-related bugs in CS5.

Report · Nov 30, 2010

I've been working on a big project for the past month without any problems until now. The document that died was 42 pages with text and tables only. I tried exporting to IDML and reopening, but that didn't work, it never has. I have about 40 other documents that are still working fine, but they are all much smaller in page count. That may just be coincidence, not sure.

Report · Nov 21, 2010

E Diane King wrote:
My layout has all three, and I'm also using the Side Heads plugin (which loses its configuration when I export to IDML--which is why I'd like to avoid that).

FYI, The newest version has an option to import Side Head definitions, so you can happily export IDML, and then re-import the definitions from your original file in one click...

I skipped from CS3 to CS5, so I can't say for CS4, but CS5 seems to be really unstable in complex story flows. I suspect the problem may just be the app itself--considering that the editor can open, edit, and save the stories in InCopy--even edit within the ID layout--with no problem, and the stories themselves don't seem to be corrupted.

There's a good chance that there's corruption in the style definitions...

Harbs

Report · Nov 19, 2010

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the IDML export helps, but then some fonts default.

I am using opentype fonts... could that be the issue?

Hmmmm.

Either way, it would be great if the applications worked the way they're supposed to...

Report · Jan 27, 2011

Yep - me too. I am struggling again with InDesign crashes when opening an indd book file that has exported InCopy stories. Stories which have been edited and are ready for update back into the .indd file. Opening the .indd is fine, but when I try to check out/update the InCopy stories, InDesign crashes... hard and has corrupted the file now. Yippee!

So frustrating! I am ready to write off InCopy as an editing tool as it has always caused issues. Before there would be crashes and corruption of data when the InCopy editor would have a newer or older patch build of IC than the exported story. Now, who the heck knows why we have this issue. Ugh!

I have a book file with multiple indd docs, interactivity built-in, InCopy stories, tables, anchored graphics, links, embedded video, the whole package... and now, it is corrupt! Good news, I can open the .indd file in InCopy and see the edits perfectly. Updating the .indd file is just not going to happen. Now, on to plan B... again.

Sure wish Adobe could get this right. It would be an awesome tool if it worked. As of now, its just a good, yet expensive Concept!

Report · Jan 27, 2011

Hey Steph,

It's a work around, but it does work . . . open a new document and place the IC files that need to be updated into the new document. Select all the text in the story, copy it, then open your original ID file, DO NOT UPDATE the stories. Unlink them and then select with in the story, select all, and paste over. Make sure you paste the correct IC story into the correct story block in the ID file. Once you have all the undated stories in the ID document, export the document to IDML (InDesign Mark Up Language) and then open the IDML file and save over the old ID document. Re-export your IC docs and the crashes should stop.

I've managed to correct all the files that were crashing on me through this route. However, the IDML export seems to be necessary even if you've created the document from scratch. One thing that might prevent this hangup with complex files is creating the file with all it's complexity and then exporting to IDML before exporting to IC. Just a thought.

Report · Mar 18, 2012

I have same problem in my workflow with InDesign and InCopy CS 5.5!!!

I'm working with Live Edit Workflow with InDesign CS 5.5 (updated to 7.5.2) + Incopy CS 5.5 (updated to

7.5.2).

We have 3 Macs running Indesign and Mac OS 10.6.4 (Leopard) and 1 Mac with 10.7.3 (Lion).

The problem happens with all Macs (OS independent):

Indd File Description:

* 3 layers: content, graphics and master items

* Content layer: mathematical formulas (produced in MathType and converted to *. Eps through in the

Word + MathType) and text.

Problem: InDesign can't open *.IDAP (or *.icma) file: Indesign warns that the *.indd associated with *.idap is

damaged (asks if I want to open anyway) both selecting "open" or "cancel" the software close

unexpectedly.

When I opened the file Indesign insistently crashed permanently, only returning to load (even with no

file open) after quench in some cases preferences and reinstall InDesign.

Similar with problem described in: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/847/cpsid_84791.html but our problem

occurs between Windows and Macs and between Macs.

Adobe drive me crazy: I am a consultant, my client bought 30 licenses InCopy for publishers of didactic books and everything is in chaos...

I had no problems with CS4 (some even had solved with updates). The problem is that the publisher is new in Brazil and Adobe Brazil don't have downgrade policy.

I contacted the support, the attendant almost fell off his chair when I told my case!

(said it would take the issue forward but not returned)