stop an action in the background in indesign

Report · Apr 28, 2025

regularly Indesign tries to activate a font in the Adobe-collection which I don't need anymore, because I changed it by anothjer font., but this action keeps going on in the background. result: it is impossible to make a PDF, because Indesign keeps trying to activate that font in the background.

to solve this, I have to close all my open indesignfiles and restart the application.

how can I stop an action in the background without having to restart Indesign...

greetings,

k

Report · Apr 28, 2025

There's 2 options here to try - it disables the background export

https://creativepro.com/a-new-workaround-for-that-pesky-background-export-issue/#:~:text=After%20dow....

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Is the font listed in Type>Find/Replace Font ?

If it is - it might be used by a style or something, so you can remap it there and update your Style at the same time.
By ticking the option

Redefine Style When Changing All

Report · Apr 28, 2025

hi eugene,

the font is not used in a style and I don't need it at all.

i prefer to leave the background tasks 'ON', but I see that the script you provided is to chose to switch the background tasks OFF. that's not really what I want... only when it occurs that the some backgroundtasks are 'hanging', I want to be able to 'close/quit' those actions...

Report · Apr 28, 2025

If the font is no longer in use, then InDesign may be looking due to excess left over data in the file.

Try export to IDML and then open that and resave as a new InDesign file and see if the issue persists.

Report · Apr 28, 2025

Hi @stekker:

In addition to @Eugene Tyson's answers, I have one clarification and two additional questions.

Just clarifying... the X to stop a task is missing from your Background Tasks panel? (Your screen shot seems to be cropped on the right.)

And if you open Type > Find/Replace Font, is the problematic font as being used still being used somewhere in the file? If yes, click the Font name and use the Find First button to locate (and remove it).

Finally, is Auto-Activate Adobe Fonts enabled? Does turning it off help?

~Barb

Report · Apr 28, 2025

hi barb,

thanks for your reply,

it all is a font problem.

I'm working (in this case) with a Arno Pro Bold Subhead (OTF) but indesign goes on seeking to open Arno Pro bold in the Adobe collection... I don't need the bold-version.

there's no X in the corner to stop.

if I have to save the file as an IDML, it's the same effort as restarting my indesign.

but when I have to do that every time...

I'm looking for a way to avoid 'closing and restarting'.

it seems like I'm the only one who has this problem, so I think I do something wrong.

greetings,

k

Report · Apr 28, 2025

HI @stekker:

It's evening in the UK, so I don't think we will hear back from @Eugene Tyson until morning, but I think he recommended saving as IDML as a one time thing. If there's corruption in the file like a lingering font reference, it can straighten it out. I first answered early morning in my time zone, and realize now that Eugene also asked about if the font appeared in Find/Replace font. (Sorry, Eugene!!)

As for your fonts, it looks like you aren't using Adobe's versions of Arno Pro—you likely licensed them elsewhere. Note the difference in the naming conventions and more. Having similarly named fonts from a different foundry can cause issues. Either uninstall your versions from your computer and replace with Adobe's or vice versa.

~Barb

Report · Apr 28, 2025

Hi Barb,

Thanks for chiming in it's great we can tag time the international time zones - I am indeed on Dublin GMT.

Firslty I'd like to stress I'm in Ireland, not the UK 😛 (just a little clarification there)

@stekker As Barb points out the IDML is a one time effort to clear out redundant info in files. It's an XML variant and when InDesign opens it it essentially rebuilds the file.

Any time anything goes glitchy for me in a file (rare enough) I immediately Export to IDML, restart InDesign and open the IDML file and keep working.

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As for your font activation and it happening in the background, I've recently heard of this personally - and I offered the disable background solution because I remembered it from years ago - it can help to disable the background export process if you're really stuck and can't get past it.

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Look for other installs of Arno Pro and remove them temporarily to see if it clears up the issue.

What font management software are using (if any)?

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As we've now established the UI is glitched too without the X symbol to stop the background process (I've rarely had success in pressing the X button on background tasks, then again, I rarely have to go near it, and only if there's an issue.) - usually restarting InDesign fixes the glitch.

But the UI missing the X - you should try rebuild your prefereneces too.

InDesign 19.3 and newer go to Preferences > General > and click on "Reset Preferences on Quit" and then quit and restart.

Or
Windows: Start InDesign, and then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
macOS: While pressing Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
A dialog will appear asking to delete the InDesign Preferences, select 'Yes' on this dialog.

More in-depth cleanse of preferences
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/indesign/kb/indesign-preferences-support-file-locations.html

Report · Apr 28, 2025

hi both,

thank you for your support.

it is indeed so that I don't (always!) use the Adobe version of a font. in that case, Indesign keeps trying to force me to do so instead. so every time I open that particular file, it's the same 'battle'. 🙂

I'm using Extensis Connect to manage my fonts.

I think to solve my problem, I'll have to 'obey' and give up the battle that I can choose the font version I want...

I don't know all the Adobe fonts by heart. It's only when I see that Indesign's 'circle' of backgoundactivity is constantly turning, that I realize that there is no escape...

thank you for the help with rebuilding my preferences.

Report · Apr 28, 2025

As Barb points out - you can turn off the Adobe Fonts in the Preferences.

I have it off all the time while using Connect Fonts, unless it's not in Connect Fonts, then I'll turn to other sources.

But sounds like you have a font conflict going on.

Report · May 05, 2025

thank you eugene,

turning off the auto-activation of the Adobe fonts will be the only solution, which is a bit sad in one way.
sometimes it's useful, other times it causes trouble. so I guess it's for the user to choose.
working with Connect Fonts ànd the auto-activation of the Adobe fonts doesn't work...
the ideal way would be that there is a way to give priority to one of them: "if there is a set in Extensis, don't start looking in the Adobe collection. if there isn't, Adobe is allowed to activate the font he finds in his own collection." wouldn't that be wonderful?! 🙂

thank you for your help.

Report · May 05, 2025

You're not the only one - seems to be an on going issue and hopefully a resolution will be made sooner than later.

Report · May 06, 2025

seems to be an on going issue and hopefully a resolution will be made sooner than later.

Hi @Eugene Tyson , This does seem to be an ongoing problem going back to Adobe’s introduction of their "cloud" font library. The common thread seems to be when there is a font with the same name as an Adobe cloud font installed in one of the local font folders. Most recently discussed here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-falsely-claims-a-font-is-missing/m-p/15...

A variation of the problem is a font that has the same name but different version numbers and in some cases different meterics. Google fonts are a real problem—Adobe’s version of Open Sans v. 1.1 has a different Ascent line than Googles version 3.003, which shows up in the first baseline setting if you switch versions:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-falsely-claims-a-font-is-missing/m-p/15...

I think the solution is not to keep locally installed versions of fonts you activate at Adobe Fonts.

Report · May 06, 2025

Yeh I think so - turning off Auto Activate Adobe Fonts in InDesign preferences seems to clear up some issues.

I don't know what's going on really, it's very intertwined tapestry and I haven't had much experience of it personally, but I've helped a few people here on the forums to untangle the font problems recently .

Let me see if I can dig up any more info.

Report · May 06, 2025

There is a local version of an activated cloud font file installed and hidden deep in the System.

I think InDesign gets the local version, so there is a delay as a newly activated font is downloaded and installed before it can be used. I think a font with the same name installed in a local System font folder gets in the way.

The downloaded .otf version of Apotek Extrawide

Which InDesign lists as a named cloud font: