InDesign CC 2018 13.1.1 crashes when DOCX files are placed

[Sam A.]

My InDesign version has decided to crash after I place a DOCX file. The crash occurs when I load the cursor and try to link two text frames. This has never happened before.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the DOCX files. They're only about ten to forty pages long and contain only body text (incl. footnotes), nothing special (no track changes, index marks, comments, or tables).

I tried saving the files as ODT, and also as RTF, and placing these instead, but the crashing behaviour does not change.

I'm on a very tight schedule and don't know how to resolve this. I fear updating to the latest InDesign version will cause new problems I don't know yet about, so for the moment I'd very much prefer going on working with the current version that has done its job faithfully – up until today, that is.

What would you recommend I do?

Thanks
Samuel

InDesign 13.1.1
macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (18G6020)

[Randy Hagan]

Try opening the Word .docx file(s) use the Save As command and save them as Word 97-2003 (*.doc) files in MSWord. This will eliminate things like hyperlinks in the file, and maybe some placed graphics within the word processing files, but should get you past the issues you're having. Then place the .doc files into your InDesign document and you should be fine.

It's always worked for me. Hopefully it'll work well for you too.

Good luck,

Randy

[Sam A.]

Thank you, Randy. I've now done as you recommend, but alas, no change – ID keeps crashing.

[vladan saveljic]

have you try to save .docx file as .rtf and then place the file into your indesign?

edit:

sorry I didn't saw that you have already tried with rtf file

[Sam A.]

Update: The problem does not seem to lie with placing the files (of whatever format) but with linking the two text frames.

Rather than "placing" a text file I now did a copy-and-paste, and then tried linking the first text frame with the second – no change, ID crashed.

I'm now really at a loss what to do. InDesign, please don't let me down ...

[vladan saveljic]

First of all I would update InDesign.

The last version is 15.1.2.

Could you try it and then let us know?

[vladan saveljic · Accepted solution]

does this happens with all word files or just with this one?
and/or does this happens only with this Indesign file or with all?

[Sam A. · Accepted solution]

It happens just with this InDesign file.

I've now created a new InDesign file from scratch (with all the text styles loaded from the old file), and was able to place the DOCX files properly – it works as expected! So something must have been corrupt with my ID template.

Problem resolved! Thank you!!