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Inspiring
October 26, 2024
Question

Screen Blanks Out When Using Cursor in InDesign

  • October 26, 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 1620 views

Following up my previous post, I have realized the screen blanks out when I press the cursor for any reason: moving an object, editing text, etc. It makes using InDesign extremely difficult. Any ideas as to why this is happening? I'm starting to wonder if my computer has been infiltrated, but no problems found with scans for malware.

 

 

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3 replies

Community Expert
October 29, 2024

Hi @Grundoon Groundhog ,

I can see this issue as well. With InDesign tables and inserting text in a text cell.

20 tables with around 300 rows and 11 columns on 10 pages in the document. 2 tables on every page.

InDesign 2024 on macOS 12.7.6, iMac from 2017, 32 GB of memory.

 

Did not try it on a better machine (MacBook Pro from 2021 with a M1 processor and 32 GB of memory)…

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
October 27, 2024

What version of InDesign and what operating system are you using? Did the problems begin after an upgrade of either InDesign or your OS? Have you tried resetting your InDesign preferences? This will restore the program to its defaults which, hopefully, will fix the problem.

To do so:

For Macintosh Users: The User Library folder in which InDesign’s preferences are stored is hidden by default on most Macintoshes. To access it make sure that InDesign is closed and click on the desktop to launch a Finder Window (Command-N). With this window in column view follow the path User>Home folder (it’s the folder with an icon that looks like a house—it may have the user’s name rather than “Home”) and click on the Home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. “Library” will now appear within the Home folder. Within the Library folder find the folder called Preferences and within it find the folder called “Adobe InDesign” and the file called “com.adobe.InDesign.plist” and delete both that folder and that file. When InDesign is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults.

For Windows Users: You can try the quick way of resetting on a PC which is to hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift when launching InDesign and respond affirmatively when asked if you want to reset. There have been some recent reports that the window asking if you want to reset is not popping up but that the prefs are being reset anyway. If this works great but if it doesn’t you may have to manually delete them.

To do so: On Windows 7 and above the preference files are hidden. To find them go to the Control Panel and open Folder Options and then click the View tab. Then select “Show hidden files and folders” or “Show hidden files, folders or drive options” in Advanced Settings. Then delete (or rename) the folder at the end of this path: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>. Make sure that InDesign is closed when you do this. When you relaunch the program it will create new preference files and the program will be at its default settings.

The advantage of manually deleting preference files is that after you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, you can create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete.

Inspiring
October 28, 2024

Thanks. I think this started happening after I made the mistake of upgrading my Apple desktop computer to Sequoia. (I've tried without success to go back). I don't know how to make a screen recording, unfortunately. It happens very quickly.

Known Participant
November 30, 2024

I also had this occur immediately after installing Sequoia.

 

leo.r
Community Expert
October 26, 2024

Do you have the same problems in InDesign 2024? (You can install it from the Creative Cloud app as a separate installation).

Inspiring
October 27, 2024

I am using ID 2024.

Abhishek Rao
Community Manager
Community Manager
October 28, 2024

Hi @Grundoon Groundhog,

 

Thanks for the update! It would be helpful if you could share a screen recording of what happens when the screen goes blank. This could give us better insight into the issue. Also, could you clarify if this problem started after any specific changes, like an update to InDesign or your operating system? Was everything working fine before?

Looking forward to your response!

 

Best, 

Abhishek Rao