Indesign Spell Check causes missing text

[Lambo8033]

While making a final proof of my book, I encountered a big problem using Indesign Spell Check. It highlighted a word ("throughout"), and I clicked on the highlighted word to insert a hyphen. After pressing the hyphen key, Indesign removed all the text in my document from that point on. A total of 40 chapters vanished in a few seconds. The pages are still visible and even contain the running header and page numbers. Text threading shows no problems, and there are no indications of there being any overset text. Only the last page is still visible. I immediately attempted to use Edit > Undo, but nothing changed. I closed out and exited Indesign and then restarted it. No changes. I tried to find an earlier backup version on my laptop and on the cloud but have been unsuccessful. Has anyone experienced this problem before and found a solution?

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from cc desktop">

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

When you exited InDesign, did you save?

Do you have a backup?

[Lambo8033]

Hi David...Yes, I did save before closing Indesign thinking the auto-recovery feature of Indesign might fix the issue. No such luck. Can't find a backup copy on my laptop, or in the Creative Cloud. I had it set to automatically save the doc so what's been saved is the current version without any text past chapter 11. I use Backblaze to back up my computer, but retrieving those files and trying to sift through thousands of them was unsuccessful. I hope that the fact all my pages are still present with the running headers and page numbers is a good sign. That maybe the text is just hidden somehow. All attempts to search this specific problem online have proven a disappointment.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Auto-recovery is in case you crash. Otherwise, it doesn't do anything. 

Without actually looking at your files, it's hard to help. 

However, some suggestions for the future:

Do your own manual backup once or twice a day. I zip my project folder, add the date to the zip file name, and manually copy it to an external hard drive.

I work with a desktop/cloud sync system such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box. They keep previous versions, usually for 30 days. It also syncs files between my various computers, incuding Mac and Windows.

Remember that not saving (or reverting) is your uber-undo.

[Lambo8033 · Accepted solution]

Great suggestion on the manual backups...I'll start doing that today. Thanks! 🙂

I opened up the Story Editor panel and it appears that the remainder of my document was somehow moved waaayyy down the page. I believe I can salvage it now. Thanks again for your assistance. Really didn't want to have to start the format process all over again!

[Lambo8033]

Hi Dave,

I was able to fix the issue with the missing text using the Story Editor Panel. Now for another problem...I was going to try your suggestion to do a manual backup of my Indesign project file (which is not completed yet) and then save it to an external hard drive that I have on my desk. [I also have OneDrive and Dropbox as other options.]

Searched online for step-by-step instructions on how to create the zip file and save it to the hard drive, but the directions make it sound like I'm trying to save a finished project with all the packaging instructions, etc. Do you go through that process twice a day? If you can recommend a video tutorial that would walk me through the process, that would be much appreciated. Thanks 🙂

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

On a Mac, you right-click on the folder and select Compress.

On Windows, you right-click and select Send To, then Compressed (zipped) Folder. 

I actually use 7-Zip on my Windows computer, which is a free open-source utility. 

I don't always back up twice a day, but for files with many changes, I do. Basically, you have to ask yourself "how much time am I willing to lose by re-doing any edits if necessary?". 

Also, you don't have to backup (zip) the graphics folder everytime if your edits are strictly in InDesign. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Lambo8033

If you want to backup just your INDD file - depends on your ioperating system - you can ZIP it, then copy this ZIPed package somewhere else. 

If you want to backup WHOLE project - then it depends on where you've you're linked files. 

If in the sub-folder next to your INDD file - then procedure would be pretty much the same - but you'll need to ZIP whole folder.

If you've your links in folder "above" the folder where your INDD file is - then you would've to perform File -> Package - to a new folder. 

But, there are some drawbacks - all files will be copied to the same folder - so you'll lose sub-folders structure. And if you've files with the same names they'll get overwritten.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Lambo8033

If you've saved before closing - then recovery won't occure.

Can you share your file? 

And again - have you checked Story Editor?

Running Header on the following pages is probably only showing contents of the "previous" text. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Lambo8033

Can you share your document - please click my nickname if you prefer to share it privately. 

Or post some screenshots. 

Have you checked Story Editor? 

[Lambo8033]

Hi Robert,

Here's a screenshot of the project. Don't know if it will help. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Hi Robert,

Here's a screenshot of the project. Don't know if it will help. 

By @Lambo8033

That doesn't even show bottom of the page 😞 

And you would've to turn on Show Hidden Characters. 

[rob day]

Hi @Lambo8033 , Your capture is showing a Preflight error. If you click on the red arrow at the bottom left of your layout window  and choose Preflight Panel what is the listed error?

Sorry I missed @Robert at ID-Tasker  post

[rob day]

Also, maybe check Type>Show Hidden Characters to make sure you didn't accidentally add some kind of break character:

[Lambo8033]

Hi Robert...me again. Checked the Story Editor and it appears all my text has been moved way down the pages. Here's a screen shot of the Story Editor Panel.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Hi Robert...me again. Checked the Story Editor and it appears all my text has been moved way down the pages. Here's a screen shot of the Story Editor Panel.

By @Lambo8033

And now we're talking 🙂 

It looks like you're text is there - but overset - red line on the left? 

Can you - as a first step - select EVERYTHING in the Story Editor and paste into Notepad - to see if everything is still there? 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Lambo8033 

And it looks like there is "Drop Cap" style applied - try editing it - does it have NoBreak applied?

[Lambo8033]

Thanks for your help. I'll work on your suggestions later and let you know how it goes.

[Barb Binder]

Hi @Lambo8033:

There are two parts to your question: 1.) What the heck happened with Spell Check? and 2) Where is my content!

Like the others, I'd say 2 is the priority and it sounds like your content is still there, just dramatically spaced out with multiple returns. I wondering if perhaps you were using multiple returns ¶s to add vertical space instead of relying on the more reliable method of using InDesign's spacing controls? We don't know your level of InDesign knowledge but that is a common mistake for newer users. And if your dropcap paragraph style has Keep Options on it and it was mistakenly added to a long list of returns, this exact scenario could unfold.

You might enable Type > Show Hidden Characters so that you can see all of the ¶ ¶ ¶ in the layout view or the story editor view and then assign a neutral style (perhaps [Basic Paragraph] or Body—we don't know which without seeing your file) to all of them. Does the file look more normal in layout view? 

If it were me, I'd just use Find/Change > Query > Multiple Returns to Single Return to remove them all, but there is a possibility you put them in on purpose and I don't want to mess you up while trying to help.

~Barb

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...] I wondering if perhaps you were using multiple returns ¶s to add vertical space instead of relying on the more reliable method of using InDesign's spacing controls? We don't know your level of InDesign knowledge but that is a common mistake for newer users. And if your dropcap paragraph style has Keep Options on it and it was mistakenly added to a long list of returns, this exact scenario could unfold. [...] 

By @Barb Binder

As per @Lambo8033 initial post, he tried to insert hyphen in the middle of "throughout" - but then text, for some reason, disappeared.

Empty paras were most likely added later - in an attempt to "rescue" the situation.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I doubt the hyphen caused the problem. 

Looks like what happens when my cat steps on the return key...

The best thing for the OP to do is upload a copy of the file OR message one of us to look at it privately.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Dave Creamer of IDEAS

I bet a CharStyle - named "Drop Cap" - got applied to the rest of the text - and it has NoBreak 😉

[Eugene Tyson]

I'd say it's just overset text - something has nudged it out of the text frame - if you can share the file it will help track down the issue so you can avoid it in the future. It could be numerous issues with it.