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I have a large suite of Technical publications to manage. Many of the files contain linked .wmf exported drawing files. Since the 16.3 update the fonts in those files has been replaced with whats shown in the attached screenshot. This is a major issue for me as we are talking about hundreds of images. What has cuased this and how can i fix it? i guess rolling back the version might work but thats not a decision i can make for my company at this stage. Your help appreciated.
{Renamed by MOD}
I also wonder if the issue is related to this new bug with 16.3.0.24 on Windows, all text is substituted:
Whereas the same file placed with InDesign 2021 version 16.2.1 or InDesign 2020 is showing right:
See the whole story here:
Corrupted fonts since 16.3 update
Jospeh Isherwood, Jul 15, 2021
https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/corrupted-fonts-since-16-3-update/td-p/12178990
If you think that's the same bug, vote for fixing the issue at InDesign UserVoice:
Problem with *.wmf file
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Hi Joseph,
I'd like to test that. Could you put one of the .wmf files on Dropbox or a similar service and share the download link?
Thanks,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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thank you for your reply. hope this works:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8eiv3rjmotgjywi/PS%28S%29001.wmf?dl=0
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I think the first thing you may want to try is to roll back to a previous version of InDesign. I think maybe the fastest way to "fix it" right now is to sidestep the problem.
This may get you past the problem for today. Hopefully Adobe developers can find you a better solution going forward.
Hope this helps,
Randy
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thank you for your reply. Yes i guess that might work but i am reluctant to do so at this stage as the CC subscription is managed by the IT section of my company and i probably dont have relevant permisions to do so. i would see this solution as a last resort.
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FWIW, the subscription would be unaffected; only the InDesign install would be.
But if you have an IT department managing your systems, you may want to have someone there review this support thread and advise you of your options. Even if it takes the administrative equivalent of an Act of Congress to get that help. Because in the near term, I think that would be your fastest course of action.
Uwe's suggestion to convert the affected graphics in Adobe illustrator, then re-place them instead of the problem graphics would also work, applied on a case-by-case basis as you need it. Wish I had more for you, but this is the best I can come up with.
Good luck,
Randy
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Hi Joseph,
well, tested with InDesign 2020 version 15.1.2.302 and InDesign 2021 version 16.3.0.24 on Windows 10.
16.3.0.24 is showing that bug,
15.1.2.302 is doing ok.
Report the bug at InDesign UserVoice:
https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs
Maybe directly in category Graphics/Images/Assets:
https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs?category_id=209044
Please come back when done and post the link to the report so that everyone who is reading this can vote for fixing it.
I take from your post that this bug is brand new and was not there with a previous version of InDesign 2021 like perhaps 16.2.1.102 that directly preceded 16.3.0.24.
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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FWIW: just tested with 16.3.2 on Mac and it imported and behaved fine, so maybe it's a Windows-specific bug? (I also tried it on Win10 on 16.3 and was able to reproduce the problem there)
Another oddity, a document saved with the "corrupted" file on Win 16.3 opens just fine and intact on Mac 16.3.2.
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Also exported to PDF from both versions of InDesign.
The bug is visible with the PDF from InDesign 2021 version 16.3.0.24.
So that's not only a screen redrawing error of sorts…
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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Someone else has a very similar issue: i added my comments to that post:
Problem with *.wmf files in InDesign 16.3 – Adobe InDesign (uservoice.com)
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Thanks, Joseph!
I commented and voted.
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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A workaround:
If you must use InDesign 2021 version 16.3.0.24 for that project for whatever reason, you could install InDesign 2020 side by side to 2021, place the *.wmf files there, export to PDF/X-4 and use the exported PDF with your InDesign 2021 16.3.0.24 layouts.
Here I failed:
I tried to convert the *.wmf file directly to PDF using Acrobat Pro, but it seems that file type *.wmf is not a supported file format if you use File > Create > PDF from File… in Acrobat Pro.
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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i have tried exporting some of the affected drawings into pdf format and linking them into indesign and they are fine.
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Another workaround:
I was able to open the *.wmf file with Adobe Illustrator 2021 without any issues.
In Illustrator I could switch the document color space to CMYK and finally convert the colors of all selected objects to gray. In effect, that means that full black is now 100% K. Better than working with the original wmf file that comes in RGB.
No issue to place the AI file in InDesign.
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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Thanks for your help Uwe. Whilst the above may be a useful workaround, the problem affects hundreds of images many of which must be in colour so is not a complete or very time practical solution when attempting to meet contract deadlines.
At this point i think i will wait a few days to see what happens but after that i will be forced to attempt the version roll back solution in order to progress.
btw the other commenter in that bug report post is also me, as you may have guessed.
Many thanks for your help, once again.
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Hi together,
going back to 16.2.1.102 is an option for now!
The developers are already investigating the issue.
Hope, they will have a fix for 16.3.0.24 soon.
And yes, this is a Windows only issue.
Thanks for testing, roaringmousegraphics!
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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To Jospeh- Exporting your files to PDF sounds like a good solution for now. I suggest confirming the fonts are properly embedded in Acrobat (File> Properties> Fonts) all fonts should say embedded or embedded subset, if they don't, run an Acrobat preflight fixup to embed the font, or check your export settings to ensure the embed fonts option is selected (if there is one).
Using Illustrator (as Uwe suggested) is also an option, but be aware of possible font substitution and you will need to edit the artboards to avoid cropping the image, you can select the artboard option to match the artwork bounds (double click the artboard tool).
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@Jospeh Isherwood. I recommend Luke Jenning's @Luke Jennings3 reply. Embed the fonts.
Looking at your original screen capture of the file, it appears that the fonts were not embedded into the .WMF file when it was exported from its original software program.
The WMF file format is a fairly old format, originally from the early days of Windows in 1990s. Although the standard for it has been updated over the years, other more common file formats do a better job of saving (and rendering) the vector, bitmap, and font information in the drawing.
If you can, see if instead of WMF files, the original program can export to PDF with the fonts embedded (drill down in the PDF export options to find the controls for fonts). That will produce the best-quality and most compatible version of the file. It should retain the fonts and the printing quality, too.
If that's not possible, two other options to try:
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I am trying to "Place" a graphic into InDesign. When I do so the image is seriously degraded. I have tried various file formats, e.g. png, jpg, bmp, wmf, pdf - none seem to import correctly. Does anyone have any thoughts?
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Chances are you are just seeing a lower-res screen version of the graphic. Try View >Display Performance > High Quality Display
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Thank you. Tried that - it didn't help. The degradation remains, including when I print the page in question.
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In that case, the most likey reason is that the image is no longer linked to the InDesign file, or the image was not hig-res enough to begin with. (If, for instance, it was greatly enlarged in size after being placed into InDesign)
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im working using mathtype to write equations on indesign,i copy the equation from mathtype to word then finally to indesign and for the past two years it was always perfect when i exported the file to a pdf but suddenly today all the equations were replaced with greek letters when i exported the file to a pdf(btw when im working in indesign and i write using arabic) does anyone have a guess on what can i do to solve this and make the equations normal again?
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Hi Zed5DDA,
what happened? Did you do an update of InDesign recently?
What's your current version? What operating system?
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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Hi! thanks for the reply
im using adobe indesign version 16.3. 2 on windows 10.
but i dont remember updating indesgin and i think it updated automatically and thats what caused the problem