Skip to main content
J
JKingAOC
Participant
October 24, 2023
Question

PDF export error from indesign. Any help please?

  • October 24, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 342 views

Hi all, i have had a recurring issue on Indesign from my office computer.

So far this has seemed to happen in both Indesign 2022 and 2023. Using an M1 imac, on iOS 11.6 Big Sur.

 

My files often export to pdf with no error message, but the pdf it creates is a zero mb, and cannot be opened.

The same indiesfn file can be succesfully exported to PDF on multiple other machines - including older iMacs we have in the office and my own Macbook Pro, both running iOS 10 Catalina. Buit when i tested again on another M1 iMac i ran into the same error.

Its worth saying, it doesnt happen with every indesign file - and the same file i was working on most recently exported successfully yesterday evening - but this morning (after adding in a number of additional slides and attachments) the same error is happening!

 

Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Is it a known issue? and is there a work around?

 

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    J
    JKingAOCAuthor
    Participant
    October 25, 2023

    I have found the culprit by pdf-ing as separate pages - isolating to a single placed object on one of the pages that was causing the error. However i am still lost as to why this was only an issue when exporting from one of the machines in the office - a newer M1 iMac. When no errors are encountered on the others.

    Colin Flashman
    Community Expert
    Colin FlashmanCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 25, 2023

    There is a feature introduced into indesign back in May 2010 where exporting PDF/IDML was now done as a background task. However, I do not like this feature as I no longer have appropriate dialogs telling me that there may be an issue. There is a way to disable the background tasks and have the exports brought to the foreground like "the good old days" and this link describes the procedure: https://creativepro.com/a-new-workaround-for-that-pesky-background-export-issue/

    If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 24, 2023

    Did you wait a while as it often takes a long time to see an existing file with more than 0mb?

    J
    JKingAOCAuthor
    Participant
    October 25, 2023

    I have left it for several hours - to no change. I have also tried splitting up into sections which doesn't seem to work thistime around. 

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices