Trouble Renaming Groups/Objects InDesign

[dshannon321]

I am working with the InDesign 15.0.1 and I am having trouble renaming Groups and Objects in my documents.  

I have to click the Group/Object at least 5 times for the option to change the name appears.  It's extremely frustrating.  Is there a way to fix that?  Or a way to create a keyboard shortcut?

Thanks!

[Steve Werner]

I'm not having that problem on my MacBook Pro with Catalina. Running InDesign 2020 15.0.1.

I'd try restoring your InDesign preferences:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/setting-preferences.html

[Manan Joshi]

You could use the Layer panel to rename your objects. Select the object, and then click over the text on the layer panel to name it. See the movie below

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c64gnfxz2p5egih/screen%20recording%202020-01-01%20at%206.26.59%20am.mov?dl...

-Manan

[Steve Werner]

I assumed that you were naming the object/group in the Layers panel. That's what I do successfully, as Manan suggested. Try that.

[dshannon321]

I am able to change the group/object name by clicking on it within the
layers panel but only if I double click five or six times. A standard two
click double click never works. I have to click several times for every
time and it’s very frustrating when I have many items to rename. Is there a
way to create a keyboard shortcut for this action?
--
Darleen J. Shannon
Packaging Designer
Mobile: 406-941-1256
Web: darleenjshannon.myportfolio.com

[Manan Joshi]

If i remember correctly, you just need to do a single click, try that

-Manan

[Steve Werner]

A single click does it in the Layers panel, that's correct.

[dshannon321]

Yes it’s supposed to work with just a normal click but for some unknown
reason I am having to click many times before i am able to change the name.
I have no issue changing names in other programs like Illustrator or
Photoshop.

Is there a way to create a keyboard shortcut for the action? I am guessing
there is not since no one is answering my question directly.
--
Darleen J. Shannon
Packaging Designer
Mobile: 406-941-1256
Web: darleenjshannon.myportfolio.com

[Manan Joshi]

Hi Darleen,

We are sorry that you are having trouble, but we have added all information that we could to help sort out the issue. I will summarize it below

• The feature should work with a single click, and as tested works fine for us on the latest version of InDesign. I tested it on a MAC, if this is something that you notice only on WIN or some particular machine/OS configuration let us know
• You could try trashing InDesign preferences as Steve mentioned.
• As far as i know there is no shortcut that is available for this or if it can be assigned. Someone can add this information if needed
• If nothing works we can create a simple script and assign it a key combination, which when pressed will pop up a window asking for the name of the selected object.

In a nutshell for now we can't conclude that this is a bug as its working for us so it should work for you as well, trashing preferences, reinstalling etc should be tried before looking for a workaround.

-Manan

[BobLevine]

You still haven't told us what operating system you're using.

[Nathan Klaus]

I encountered this issue on a new work PC while adapting from the familiarity of my home Mac. Instead of repeatedly clicking the layer name, which did eventually work, just click the name once and let your cursor hover over it for a second. The name will then open up for edits and save you a lot of clicking.

[dannyinformal]

inDesign is just a horrible piece of software. I have the same problem, you click once and it flashes to indicate you could have changed the name, but only if you're able to write it in a nanosecond. It's ridiculous how often Adobe is dropping the ball recently.

Their software is as unstable as it can get. They discontinued Muse but didn't implement it's features in Dreamweaver, inDesign and XD are convoluted, buggy messes. It's just all garbage.

This year is the last year my faculty is going to use Adobe software, we're switching to the competition, all 1347 of us which will also save us a TON of money, I might add.

[dannyinformal]

Even their forum is trash; why can't I edit my own post and fix the typos?

Incredible.

[Justine 109Lagence]

Bonjour, 

j'ai le même problème, impossible de renommer un groupe (dans mon cas même en cliquant 5/6 fois) 
je suis sur Indesign 16.1 et Mac OS Big Sur)

Merci beaucoup

[Laubender]

Hi Justine,

could be a bug with InDesign 16.1 on Mac OS.

Renaming can be done by scripting when the object is selected on the page.

Rob Day wrote a script for this purpose with a UI to insert the new name.

You can find the ExtendScript (JavaScript) code here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/can-t-rename-layers-indesign-2021-16-0-also-happened-in-2020...

How to make a script file out of copy/pasted code, how to install the script file so that InDesign can see the script in the Scripts Panel and finally how to run the script, follow Marc Autret's description:

https://www.indiscripts.com/pages/help#hd0sb2

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[MelanieT123]

Hi guys,

I know my answer arrives pretty late but I found a solution - which is not really a solution since it doesn't fix the bug but it still allows you to rename your layers - :

Most of you may have the Layers panel attached to one side of the screen (left, right ...) and when you double click on the layer's name you don't have enough time to rename your layer, correct ? 

So, simply try to make your layer panel float in your work space and try again to rename you layer. You should now be able to get the rename dialogue box. Don't really know what's going on, some rumors say that Big Sur is responsible of this but I'm pretty sure that I had this bug before Big Sur. 

Well, this is a simple temporary fix that might help some of you 🙂

Best day,

M

[ethanp37255617]

this actually helped, thank you for following up and posting a real solution

[Laubender]

Thanks, Melanie, that you posted this solution here.

Note: We had other threads with the same issue where this was suggested.

Having a floating panel should work.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( CAP )

[rob day]

I’ve noticed that if you hover over the default name and get the hand icon and double click—which I intuitively expect to work—the name doesn’t select.

Try two single clicks with a pause between. Or click once to the right of the default name (the icon is an arrow) then slide to the left until you get the hand icon and click once.

[rob day]

Sorry, after posting I realized this is the old thread about the 16.1 bug