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

[Guest]

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.

[Ludovic29924883eoep]

I'm unable to upload the .ai here is the pdf

[Laubender]

Hi @Ludovic29924883eoep ,

the issue is clear. Inspected your PDF and opened it with Adobe Illustrator 27.6.1 on my Windows machine.

The gradient is in RGB. To get the gradient copied over to InDesign's Swatch panel you need a CMYK version of the Illustrator file.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Ludovic29924883eoep]

Hello,
Thanks for your feedback, it's now partialy working depeding of the gradient. This file in particular produce only a black and white gradient instead of a marine blue one.
the shape was converted from rgb to cymk in illustrator. This issue is resolved when i correct decimals into the CYMK numbers manualy from illustrator.
However i used to get this kind of gradient into indesign without doing this manoeuver.
And, what if i wanted to paste a RBG gradient for web pdf export ? I was able to get it work properly before i switched to pc.

Best regards,

[Laubender]

Hi @Ludovic29924883eoep ,

what worked for me with your sample PDF:

[1] Opened the file in Illustrator 27.6.1 on Windows. Illustrator default installation. I did not change anything in Illustrator's own preferences. The file opened in RGB.

[2] Did a new CMYK Illustrator document.

[3] Copied over the rectangle with the gradient from [1] to [2]; that involved a color conversion according to the settings in color management of Illustrator. Source sRGB, target CMYK ISO Coated v2 300%, relative color metric.

[4] Copied the rectangle in CMYK to the clipboard.

[5] Pasted to an InDesign page, InDesign version 18.1.0.56.

The gradient now is in InDesign's Swatches panel. No issue at all:

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Ludovic29924883eoep]

Hello, 
I tried different gradient with cymk to cymk but still getting inconsitents results. Work on some colors but not all. I'm having a hard time finding why. 

Best regards

[Laubender]

Hi @Ludovic29924883eoep ,

thank you for the sample file. I see the same.

The left rectangle's gradient will not be copied over to InDesign as is.

Hm…

Changed the color of the one color stop from CMYK 54.3 , 1.95 , 1.17 , 0 to CMYK 54 , 2 , 1 , 0 and now it does work. But that does not mean that values with dot percentages of CMYK principally do not work. The other one right to the not working one will copy/paste OK to InDesign. And its first color stop has also CMYK 54.3 , 1.95 , 1.17 , 0; exactly the same value as the other gradient for the first stop that does not work.

Best do a new bug report at Adobe InDesign UserVoice. Attach your sample file with the report:

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Works fine on my Windows 10 system.