Why can't I copy/paste my gradient from Illustrator into InDesign?

[Gast]

I have followed every tutorial, reviewed every other forum on this, went step by step with all preferences and my gradient still pastes as an image. Is it the new update that refuses to copy/paste swatches between the two? Please help. Thank you.

[Laubender]

Hi erpdesigns ,

what do you want to accomplish? Storing a gradient from Illustrator in the Swatches panel of InDesign?

You still can do this. But only with gradients where the colors are in the CMYK color model.

Linear gradients and radial ones. Not the new free form of Illustrator CC 2019.

Regards,
Uwe

[Gast]

All I want to do is try to bring the gradient swatch over from Illustrator over to InDesign. At one point you could copy and paste it but it does not work. Everything that has been suggested has been done

[rat_013]

The key here is to have both workspaces in CMYK, i was just blasting my brains here not getting it to work, until i noticed, that the initial gradients illustrator file was in RGB. Switched workspace to CMYK from illustrator and works like a charm 🙂

[Mike Ottenhoff]

I keep forgetting this but it almost always helps to switch to cmyk

[keith_1526]

Dude thanks. Again the simple sh!t kills me and this was a great find. I still have the old school CMYK rules drilled into my head...

[barbara_a]

I have found that usually only simple shapes with solid colors will copy from Illustrator and paste into InDesign will remain vector, without being converted to an image.

[Steve Werner]

It's also based on how complex the graphic is that you're copying. The vector graphic needs to be less than about 500 paths as described in this old article I wrote years ago:

The Magic Number - InDesignSecrets.com : InDesignSecrets

[Gast]

All I want to do is try to bring the gradient swatch over from Illustrator over to InDesign. At one point you could copy and paste it but it does not work. Everything that has been suggested has been done. Thank you for your article which Ive read and thats why I posted the question. Im stuck

[Laubender]

Hi erpdesigns ,

did I ask too much from you?

Regards,
Uwe

[Gast]

Hi Laubender​,

Don't be rude. I'm trying to have a constructive discussion on this and every possibility simply does not work. There is a bug.

Thank you for your efforts and I appreciate everyone's time

[rob day]

What version of ID and AI are you using? And can you confirm that the AI document’s color mode is CMYK?

[jane-e]

In the other thread mentioned, I tested this.

Copy and paste with a gradient from Illy to InDesign works in 2018. It fails when pasted to InDesign 2019, even when created in Illustrator 2018. It is a reproducible bug.

[Eugenio.NYC]

Hi, I am using IND and AI 2019 Mac, if I copy paste the gradient works

Doesn't work on the page but will save the gradient on the panel

E

[rob day]

I think it is broken in 2019. The thread I posted in #4 shows the same problem.

[Laubender]

Hi Eugenio.NYC ,

yes! That's exactly the behavior I can see with CC 2019.

The gradient will show up in the Swatches panel, but it is not applied to the pasted object. Or it is applied in a strange way to the pasted object. I assume, that one of the base colors of the gradient is applied…

Our OP here may be plagued by a different problem: No new gradient in the Swatches panel.

But I'm not sure about that.

Regards,
Uwe

[Laubender]

Hi Jane,

do you have a sample Illustrator file?

I cannot see, that the gradient will not appear in the Swatches panel.

However, I can see that the gradient is not applied to the pasted element from Illustrator.

Regards,
Uwe

[Laubender]

erpdesigns  wrote

All I want to do is try to bring the gradient swatch over from Illustrator over to InDesign. …

So I thought, that this is not working.

And I still think, the discussion is very constructive. Never thought differently.

Regards,
Uwe

[Gast]

All I want to do is try to bring the gradient swatch over from Illustrator over to InDesign. At one point you could copy and paste it but it does not work. Everything that has been suggested has been done

[Laubender]

Hi,

so we need some real samples to play with.

Do an Illustrator file with your gradient only and post it here.

Dropbox, WeTransfer link or a similar service.

Regards,

Uwe

[rob day]

It looks like there is a problem with CC2019, and you also have to set the Clipboard preferences correctly in both applications before you cut and paste. Check this thread:

https://forums.adobe.com/message/10736367?et=watches.email.outcome#10736367

[jane-e]

Here is the link on User Voice where the bug has been reported to the engineers. As of now, it only has one vote:

I have problems copying illustrations from illustrator into documents InDesign. – Adobe InDesign Fee...

[Laubender]

jane-e  wrote

… As of now, it only has one vote:

I have problems copying illustrations from illustrator into documents InDesign. – Adobe InDesign Fee...

Just voted to fix the bug.

Thanks for the link, Jane!

Regards,
Uwe

[Gast]

Laubender​

It is constructive if my question was how to do it in general. That is not the issue.

Your comment of if you asked too much of me was not necessary and also condescending.

Please choose your words differently.

Thank you and this forum is answered.

[Laubender]

erpdesigns  wrote

Laubender

…Your comment of if you asked too much of me was not necessary and also condescending.

It was not meant this way. Sorry, if you recieved it like so.

Maybe I should have asked if you could do some screenshots first to illustrate the problem.

My fault.

Regards,
Uwe