Persistent Error in Adobe InDesign: ‘There Was an Error Updating the Artifact

[Chris Tammar]

When I go to update a review link in InDesign, I keep getting this error message "there was an error updating the artifact". After that, the link does not work for most people. I am signed in to Adobe. Everything is up-to-date.... But this issue still persists. Can Adobe please fix this issue? It's emarassing when I go to send the review link to my leaders and they just get an error message when they try opening it.

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[SaraBequette]

I get that message from time to time, too! Just got it now and grabbed the screenshot below. 

Note: my software is up-to-date. I made one small adjustment and want it to reflect on the reviewer’s side.

[user8773624]

This is a constant error for me as well. I keep my software up-to-date with the latest pushed updates from Creative Cloud. It's definitely happening when that Update content button is pushed. This has been happening for YEARS.

[tom_cog]

Pretty sure Adobe has this next on their list of things to fix. After they finishing adding more AI features that nobody asked for or needs to do their actual work.

It's a very, very long list apparently.

[NOcreationsBE]

My thought also 😉

[mogsta]

New version, high hopes... same error. I've been getting this dumb error for months. What's worse, in the newest version (currently 20.0.1) it even occasionally crashes Indesign.

Can't wait to finish my contract with the current client so I can ditch Adobe's overpriced bloatware. In my 25 year design career, Adobe's gone from amazing, groundbreaking software to a bug-filled nightmare of useless features. (Yes, it has tons of great, useful features too...)

[FranHarrington]

This is STILL broken.

[tom_cog]

Yeah, but you can ask Photoshop to put a santa hat on a photo of a chipmunk!

So cute!

[Marko36931758iy7m]

Is there any solution for this? I just tried this reveiw feature for the first time and - bam - it doesn't work.

I get the Artifact Error as well.

Indesign 20.1 x64

I mean, isn't this a core functionality that teams rely on? 

Or how do you out there let others review the current state of documents?

[tom_cog]

And it's an actual problem (you listening, Adobe?) because it's not feasible, or even possible, in most settings to send around native InDesign files for others to review. PDF is the way to go. Y'all invented the damned format, yet you can't figure out how to properly handle them now?

Look, if you're simply never going to fix this feature just remove it. Stop being a bunch of jerks about it.

Sure, we'll have to get accustomed to exporting PDFs and sharing them via other methods, but at least we'll have a reliable process folks can get accustomed to.

[NOcreationsBE]

@tom_cog I understand your frustration (let's hope Adobe will have more meaningful competition in the near future)! In the meantime, would you check to see if it works despite the error message? Because I noticed that the document actually always updates, just a little later sometimes. If a customer does not see the update, it is often because they react very quickly. Refreshing the screen usually helps so far.

[lydiao2438454]

In case this helps anyone else: I get this error when I update the content before saving the file. Once I save the file, it seems to update the content automatically. I got the error, saved my file and jumped online to figure out a solve. I found this thread, gave up and went back to my file and was about to try one more time when I noticed it said 'Updated 3 minutes ago' (while I was looking for answers). I tried this a few times and the same thing happened. 

[NOcreationsBE]

@lydiao2438454Interesting, I thought I always saved before updating, but I am not sure. I am going to try that out!

[NOcreationsBE]

@lydiao2438454 Unfortunately... tested today, saved and still got the error message. So (not) saving apparently has nothing to do with it after all. 😢 When I went back to the file later, it did say it updated 5 minutes ago (after I clicked away the error message), so that is inconsistent info, but does suggest that the 'lack in time', which was mentioned earlier, is probably the issue. Also, after updating the file, the asterisk/star next to the file name suggests you did not save the file, even if you did (ID wants to store the udate-session by saving the file again, I think). Maybe that is why you thought you did not save it before updating?

[lydiao2438454]

​Ah no! Here are the flows I've tested:

Try 1:

• Made updates, resolved comments.
• Updated link without saving
• Get error
• Save file
• Update link, no error.

Try 2:

• Made updates, resolved comments.
• Saved file.
• Updated link, no error

Try 3 onwards:

• Made updates, resolved comments.
• Saved file.
• Update link, get error
• Update link, get error

• Update link, get error

• Click away error, file updated!

It seems to be very irratic, but it seems to update either immediately or after a few minutes despite the error message.

[NOcreationsBE]

Yes, I recognize this. So far the update always happens, error or not and more often than not immediately. Refreshing the page with the online document to see the update is necessary though.
Also, in my experience, once ID starts to show the error message, it almost always keeps popping up after every update.

[Henrik Engedal Nissen]

I have exactly this error. Is there still no solution? 

MAC OS 15.4.1

Indesign 20.3.1

[tom_cog]

I think it's fair to say that Adobe is not concerned with this problem and is not working to fix it.

It's simply not possible that a company with Adobe's resources would be unable to fix a bug in its software over this length of time if they were actually trying.

About a year ago, some dude from Adobe popped in to say, "Well it just worked for us so are you SURE it's actually happening and also maybe you're all just doing it wrong" then disappeared back into the mist...never to be heard from again.

This suggests to me that Adobe does not even officially recognize the issue, isn't tracking it, and certainly isn't trying to fix it.

Adobe made like $5.5 billion (with a b) in profit last year. Which is apparently not quite enough profit to devote any more of it to making its products work correctly.

But please, keep using that cash to develop more tools to put artists and designers out of work.

I just paid for the full Affinity suite, and will transition away from Adobe as quickly as possible. I recommend anyone who can avoid using Adobe products, do so, until they realize they have to actually provide value for the money they collect (rather than rely on lack of other viable options).

https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/

Oh, for fun, here's *another bug* related to this apparently totally unimportant feature (screenshot attached).

[tom_cog]

Oh and also...

[Henrik Engedal Nissen]

Yes, I agree. This is thing about saying "Do you REALLY think it's happening"  is so ridiculous. I am dissapointed in Adobe. 

[NOcreationsBE]

@Henrik Engedal Nissen  It seems Adobe is not (interested in) working on it right now. After the latest 2 updates, I did not experience this issue though. It could have nothing to do with the updates or with the fact that I do now save the file before sharing (an updated version) and after sharing online, but I will keep an eye on it.

[Henrik Engedal Nissen]

So sad. This is a small but also a big deal when you work with clients. Maybe Adobe needs more competition?

[NOcreationsBE]

@Henrik Engedal NissenYes, we all are wondering what some good competition would do to Adobe. And I believe that moment is getting closer and closer... 😉

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi Henrik Engedal Nissen, 

I'm really sorry to hear that you're still experiencing this issue. I completely understand how frustrating this must be.

To help us investigate further and report this to the product team, could you please share the following:

 - A screen recording of the issue you're encountering on version 20.3.1. 

 - A sample InDesign file where this problem occurs.

This will help us reproduce the issue on our end and work toward a resolution more efficiently.

Thanks so much for your patience and cooperation, I really appreciate it!

Abhishek 

[Henrik Engedal Nissen]

The screenshot is exactly the same as several people have posted in the thread already.

It's just a normal indesign file with text and images like most indesign files.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Henrik Engedal Nissen,

Thanks for the update. Could you confirm if this issue happens consistently every time you try to update the Share for Review link, or is it more random and intermittent? 

I know it might feel repetitive, but any extra detail you can share helps us bring more clarity to the product team. I'm here and following up with them closely, so please feel free to share whatever you observe.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Abhishek