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K
krisca022871
Participant
June 18, 2018
Answered

InDesign Style Find/Replace

  • June 18, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1092 views

Issue:

Updating files to new set of paragraph and character styles from previous year edition. Usual way is to delete the set (ie 2019) and identify the replacement style (2020) for both paragraph and character styles. Right now all it does it replace all styles with No Style. Which means reassigning every style and character style to everything including reassigning all nested character styles on all paragraph styles as well.

Issues began with windows update as always. Have tried:

1. Trashed preferences several different ways

2. Uninstalled InDesign removing all preferences

3. Reinstalled Indesign

4. Exported files to IDML

5. Searches on forums for similar issues.

Nothing works and so far it only randomly affects certain documents. However some of the documents are 300 pages or more.

Any ideas?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Barb Binder

    Usually each year if styles change due (ie corporate branding) I create a master template and restyle all the styles then build off the master template.

    In this case some documents were originally created in 2016 and now are going into production for 2020 and things have drastically changed.

    I have never had issues replacing the styles this way until now. Prior to the last InDesign update and a recent windows update it worked fine. However, now it won't. Figure it has to be some setting somewhere that has been altered or changed enough to cause these issues - just can not find what is doing it.

    And the changes are usually way more drastic then color and size, new scripting added to the styles to eliminate having to use multiple similar styles into one style that adapts. Most are named the same hence the use of the style folder and this way there is very little chance of a remnant remaining behind (old font like Arial or some character style that uses a style override that doesn't meet new standards).


    Ok. Thanks for taking the time to explain. If you suspect it is a bug with the latest upgrade, you can install an older version via the CC Desktop app, and you can report the empty "Replace with" list here: Adobe InDesign Feedback.

    ~Barb

    1 reply

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 18, 2018

    Hi Kris:

    May I clarify the workflow? Here's what I think you are saying:

    1. You have documents with existing paragraph and character styles with the look used in 2019.
    2. Rather than edit them for a revised look for 2020, you are creating a brand new set of paragraph and character styles.
    3. To retrofit the documents with the new styles, you are deleting one 2019 style at a time and mapping it to the revised 2020 style, but InDesign is not populating the Replace with list with the other styles in document?


    Did I get that right?

    ~Barb

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    K
    krisca022871Author
    Participant
    June 18, 2018

    Yes I tried mass deleting the 2019 style folder and replacing each one at a time that way  - everything came out no style so hit undo and tried deleting one at a time - right now its a 50 50 whether it works or not

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 18, 2018

    Theoretically, that should work, and the steps you already mentioned in your first post should correct whatever is making InDesign not populate that list, but since it's still an issue, are you open to another workflow?

    What about just refining the existing styles in a single file—let's say a Head1 was Myriad Bold 10pt orange in 2019, so you redefine it to the 2020 look, let's say Minion Bold 11pt Blue? By using the original names, you can update one single file, and then just load the updated styles into as many other documents as you have, replacing and updating the definitions as you go.

    ~Barb

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
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