Problems with Alt Tags (Object Export Options)

[Peter Grecco]

PROBLEM 1: Whenever I attempt to add Alt Tags to images in InDesign, it only sometimes remembers.

PROBLEM 2: I also have to do certain steps twice to even add the Alt Tag in the first place. Specifically, I mean that when I attempt to select "Custom", I have learned that I have to select "Custom", then leave the dialogue box, then come back in and add the Alt Tag in the Custom field. This is a bug within a bug! Repeat steps to add the Alt Tag, but then it forgets them half the time! The reason I even do it in InDesign so that I don't have to keep doing it to the PDF each time I export one. If InDesign worked correctly, it would mean I only have to enter the Alt Tag once.

PROBLEM 3: Furthermore, having read the forums (and through personal experience), the Alt Tags might STILL be forgotton when it gets exported to PDF! Triple-whammy bug! Please, Adobe... Stop adding features to all your software and fix more bugs!

Note: before someone suggests bringing Adobe Bridge into the workflow... I have stopped using it altogether because it sucks balls.

[Mike Witherell · Accepted solution]

What version of InDesign are you running? What OS version?

Problems with dialog boxes and interfaces within InDesign often suggests a suspicion on corrupt cache files. They can be reset. Read about the methods to reset, including a focus on cache files, in this compendium of reset advice.

[Peter Grecco]

Using Mac OS Ventura 13.7.8. 

As for the InDesign version, this has been happening through several versions, and still happened with the latest one I updated earlier today – 21.0.2

I have reset the preferences and I think this has fixed the problem. At least for the first few attempts. Thank you. I may reset preferences on other programs as well.

FYI, My frustration in my original post is not just about this one issue. It has been a buildup with several Adobe programs (Premiere, Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop) and various types of issues, as well as a very poor search engine on Adobe Stock (and that one is for sure not a preferences reset issue). Anyway, thank you. I'm hopeful this has resolved the problem.

[Mike Witherell]

El Grecco,

I'm glad that helped. I wish we didn't have to troubleshoot these programs as much as we do.

For what its worth, I think Adobe Bridge is really useful at times. I wish they would continue to add industrial-strength file-renaming capabilities in it.