Place file from Dropbox into Indesign not working

[aaikele]

I’m using Indesign 2022 17.2.1 on Mac OS Monterey 12.3.1. In the past I was able to place (command D) a Word document and/or image from Dropbox into Indesign. Now when I place (command D) a document or image from Dropbox a "import failed" error pops up. I reinstalled the Dropbox app, still doesn't work. I opened the file in Dropbox so it will download on my Mac then tried placing the file in Indesign, that worked. The problem is I work with alot of files from Dropbox and need the "place"(command D) to work.

Thank you 

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

You might want to check your Dropbox Sync settings. If your files are set to online only, they might be only symbolic links and not actual files you are trying to place, and although "placing" one of these should activate its download to your local DropBox folder, it may not be as instant as InDesign expects. based on your Internet speed.

As far as this workflow, I don't recommend it, especially if many people have access to the same files and can change/delete them at will. It's safer to copy files over to your document's Links folder.

[aaikele]

Thank you for the information. I found out this is a known issue with Dropbox. Dropbox is working on an update. 

[BobLevine]

Who told you that? There is nothing for Dropbox to fix. Smart sync is a terrific feature for most people but InDesign expects the file to be available and if it's not it will time out. You'll have the same problem with OneDrive or Google Drive.

[the drop · Accepted solution]

Dropbox says it here:
https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/macos-12-monterey-support

[BobLevine]

That is irrelevant. This is an issue on all operating systems. InDesign times out waiting for files to fully download. 

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"That is irrelevant"

Sorry, Nope. That is exactly the issue. Dropbox has acknowledged it and now includes a warning when you attempt to place an Online-only file into InDesign in Monterey.

[BobLevine]

Fair enough, but we're not even sure if that's the problem here. InDesign has been timing out on Windows and Mac operating systems since the "cloud only" option has existed. Same thing happens with OneDrive.

[markh35947808]

That's not true. InDesign used to convert "cloud only" linked files to "locally synced" when selecting 'Update Link' on modified linked files in macOS Big Sur. It's not been working since macOS Monterey, and instead, when you select 'Update Link', you just get an "Import Failed" error message. Nobody wants to own this problem, but after troubleshooting with Dropbox, it seems most likely that Adobe have not updated InDesign to work to works as it used to, and instead, everyone is just saying to leave InDesign, and jump all over the place in Finder and convert cloud files to locally synced. See this video for proof! Dropbox Big Sur InDesign Dropbox Big Sur InDesign 

[Francois5FD7]

Hi all. Where are we at with that one please? We can't have all files offline due to the local drive size. And you all know that InDesign got several links to multiple pictures, it'd be painful to make them available before being able to open the project. Is there a way to ask Dropbox to download automatically the needed linked files? And, when importing a picture to an InDesign project, the same way, dropbox will download it, instead of ending with an error message.
Do you have that issue too, please?

[BobLevine]

While I'm guessing at some point the engineers may be able to allow more time for a download before timing out, I'm also guessing that it is far from a priority. But this is quite dependent on how many links, how large they are and how fast the internet connection is.

In the meantime, buy bigger harddrives or make those files available locally before working on them.

[BobLevine]

BTW, if your issue is the actual issue that Dropbox has acknowledged specifically to Big Sur, AFAIK, that's been fully rolled out.

[Francois5FD7]

Sadly not, and when touching base with Dropbox, they're also suggesting to make the files available offline. They seems to still be working on a new version tho.

[BobLevine]

Based on other reports on both Windows and Mac, I sense that even if this does get fully rolled out it's not going to be a complete cure. Your best bet is increase the storage on those machines and archive old project using selective sync instead of smart sync.

[erinsuwwan]

I am very tired of this issue too between Dropbox & InDesign. I open multiple InDesign files a day and have to deal with resynching all the linked elements because they have switched to "online-only." This takes up so much of my time. The quickest work around I have found is to select all the links that have the warning symbol at once, then Control Click > Edit With > Preview. Once you do this, all the files will open in Preview and then when you go back to InDesign they are all updated. 

[sydmac03n20204064]

@erinsuwwan you absolute legend! I have been struggling for hours trying to work out why all my images are coming up as an import error. I normally have to resync and wait for ages when working from home, but today after upgrading to sonoma have had nothing but issues and files corrupting, images not importing. Your little trick of opening in preview fixed them! So many thanks. Merry xmas 

[erinsuwwan]

@sydmac03n20204064 I'm so glad my trick helped!! The only files it doesn't work with is Illustrator files (.ai, .svg, .eps). I still have to find those separately on the finder and make them available offline. We've been hassling with this workaround for a loooooong time now. You would think that Dropbox would have found a solution, but I guess they don't care that much. Maybe time to look for a new cloud server...

[BobLevine]

Your "trick" is not a trick.

It forces all of the files to download to your hard drive. Turning off smart sync is the way to avoid these problems.

[erinsuwwan]

@BobLevine It's true that turning smart sync off will also work, but for those of us who work on multiple projects with large image files placed within them, we need the smart sync because we don't have enough space on our hard drives to hold everything we are working on. My workaround is for making multiple placed files in InD "available offline" so that they resync to the document quickly rather than finding them individually and activating them.

[BobLevine]

That's what selective sync is for.