Resizing pages isn't working...

[LindaMAu]

I typeset book interiors. I've done this before with two other books in this author's series: We resize the layout pages a little for a hardcover edition. But it's not working this time.

I go into Document Setup and try to change the page size on this 240-page document from 8 x 5.25 to 8.5 x 5.5. When I click OK, the process never completes. The OK button highlights and stays highlighted and nothing else happens. I can't cancel it or try again. I have to use Task Manager to close the program and open it back up.

I've tried this on two separate computers now. It's happening even on my brand-new computer. (I had thought maybe it was the fault of my older, slower computer.)

Any clues what's happening here and how I can fix it?

[Barb Binder]

Hi Linda:

Hmmm, no. I'm not sure why InDesign is hanging up. There is another approach though—let us know if it works.

1. Window > Pages
2. Click the first page icon, scroll down and Shift+click the last page icon
3. Select the Page tool (3rd one down from the top)
4. Type in the new size in the Control panel

An advantage of this approach is that you could work with smaller groups of pages—I'm wondering if maybe InDesign can't handle updating 240 pages at one time.

~Barb

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Try exporting the document to IDML. Open that and try again.

[LindaMAu]

Exporting to IDML first (which I'd never done before) worked. I could then use Document Setup easily, then changed the margins. I'm now exporting the file to a PDF for the author.

THANK YOU!

BarbBinder... I was wondering if the number of pages was a hangup, but the previous novel was longer than this one. I may try your method too, just as an experiment. If I do, I'll come back and post those results for posterity. 

[Barb Binder]

Well, Linda, I'm just happy Bob's suggestion worked. Glad you are back on track.

~Barb