Text Variable behaving strangely

[Gopa C]

In a document I am working on teh text variables are behaving strangely. It is only in one document. In a multi-page document Instead of showing the page number, (which is on the master page as "current page number") I get the word "variable" instead. Then on just the recto pages, the character style applied to the running head is ignored, so instead of coming out in all small caps, it comes out as u&lc. I have tried to fix this every way I can think of. There are no extraneous or competing styles. there are no greps. The only way to fix it seems to be to override the master page item on each page where the error is, and that sort of spoils the whole point of a master page! Saving as IDML and reopening in 2018 doesn't help. If I save as IDML and then open it in InDesign 2017 everything works correctly, so I think this is a bug. Or am I missing something?

[Barb Binder]

Are you able to share a few pages of this file via dropbox? You can post a link here (public) or message me (private). I'm happy to take a look.

~Barb

[Gopa C]

Hi Barb, I'd like to message you privately as I don't feel happy posting a link that contains as-yet unpublished material and fonts . . . How shall we proceed?

[Barb Binder]

Hover over my name and click on message to message me directly.

~Barb

[Barb Binder]

I can't find anything wrong with the way you set up your file, and I exported to PDF 3 times with no issues. It has to be something with the PDF export, the Job Option or Acrobat.

​You might try:

1. ​a different job option

2. ​removing Acrobat and reinstalling it.

3. ​last option—remove acrobat and indesign and reinstall.

The issue is in the conversion and not in the file.

​~Barb

[Gopa C · Accepted solution]

Thank you for looking Barb.

A couple of hours ago I did what I guess I should have done to start with: I restarted my computer . . . problem gone!

Gopa Campbell

[Barb Binder]

No way! Well, that's good news. And even better news—you wouldn't believe the crazy stuff I find in other people's files. I fully expected to uncover layout mistakes, but your layout was perfect. So that's cool!

I do a hard reboot about once a week, or when things just seem a little off. I glad that is all it was.

~Barb

[Gopa C]

Barb, I am sooooooooooo picky about my files. I don't care if no one else can see what's under the hood. They have to be, as far as possible, technically pristine. Yesterday I spent an hour and a half explaining to a prospective assistant why he couldn't put extra hard returns to make spaces and he kept looking at me as if I was brain damaged. He didn't get the job . . .

[Barb Binder]

Haha. I feel exactly the same way.