Indesign CS6 hand tool gets stuck and can't use selection tool

[dslottdesign]

In Indesign CS6 using Mountain Lion, the hand tool appears and I can't select or work with any other tool. All I can do is move the document around. After trying the space bar and other key commands I restarted and it worked for a while. Then it happened again. I work on a Macbook pro, so when I removed the mouse and worked only with the trackpad there was no change. When I quit and reopened, no change. I then deleted prefs and restarted and it worked, but it's been happening from time to time. Anyone know any other fix without restarting or deleting prefs.

[Peter Spier]

dslottdesign wrote:

Anyone know any other fix without restarting or deleting prefs.

Find the conflict that's causing it. This is not normal, so something else on your system is interacting.

[Gast]

Check your space bar one more time, it might be sticking. My MacBook Pro has a spacebar that sticks just a tiny bit every once in a while and it causes exactly the problem you are describing. The space bar is a short cut for the hand tool and while you can select other tools, it will always immediately revert to the hand tool as soon as you move your mouse back over the document.

[Birmingham Mike · Accepted solution]

Sometimes it's the simplest things!
Thanks.

[paulw81635599]

This IS the solution... I tapped my spacebar a few times a bit harder than usual, and yes it fixed the issue... thanks Serafina2000!

[Mylar61]

This did the trick! Thanks.

[Mello CMG]

i dont think a million people have a space bar problem.

i have to quit so indesign so many times. and so many people have this problem.

i have the best most updated system/ programs at work and wish they would fix this.

come on adobe!

[Derek Cross]

Please will you start a new thread, indicate your exact version of InDesign and OS and give details of your issue.

[Srishti Bali]

Locking this old thread. Duplicate thread Hand tool stuck in InDesign and Photoshop on macOS Mojave

[Charles Dumont]

I'm getting the same thing!! What the heck! Someone please help...I can't work!

[Peter Spier]

have you tried trashing the prefs?

[dslottdesign]

Restarting computer and trashing prefs do work. But it will and has happened again. I was looking for a way to solve the problem without doing that. Any suggestions.

Sent from my iPhone

[Peter Spier]

Since you are the second report this is either a Mountain Lion-related bug or you have the same or similar local system conflict. Thos are not things we can fix from here.

[alinaalvarez00]

Hi,

What's trashing the prefs? I am experiencing a lot of issues and need a quick fix as I am in a super tight deadline, I have restarted the app around 10 times in the last 3 days, not fixing it. Thanks

[Peter Spier]

see Replace Your Preferences

[Gast]

I tried removing my preferences, restarting my computer, running an update to 8.0.2, and restarting InDesign. I still can't use the page tools. My situation is using CS6 not via CC and running bootcamp with Windows 7 on a Mac. I haven't had any issues with Photoshop, but I'm completely dead in the water with InDesign. (EDIT) Peter, your comment on September 14th fixed this. Thank you.

[cavedogstudio]

Count me as a third - same problem... Intermittent and very frustrating.  The only reliable way to reset has been to quit the app and restart. I use ID 6-8 hours/day and this occurs 3-5 times per day.

I'm working in Lion, however, not ML. MacPro (1,1) dual Xeon 3GHz, 12GB RAM, Radeon HD 5770.  I've not experienced the problem in any of the other CS6 apps, only ID.

[Peter Spier]

Could the three of you please report this as a bug: Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

I'm not sure it is one, but it maight at least prompt someone at QA to take a look.

[cavedogstudio]

Done - thanks for your reply.

[Greg Domm]

Count me as a fourth, or more... I will also report the bug. Thanks!

[Gast]

The same thing is happening to me. I'm on a MacBook Pro Retina, running bootcamp with Windows 7. While I'm on the Windows side I'm not able to select any of the tools. Keyboard shortcuts work, but I'm not able to select most tools with my mouse. I can't seem to trash my preferences, but even when I restart I'm still unable to select the tools.

[dslottdesign]

I just reported the bug too. Good idea.

Sent from my iPhone

[Peter Spier]

eratcliff wrote:

The same thing is happening to me. I'm on a MacBook Pro Retina, running bootcamp with Windows 7.

This is much more likely a case of using Large Fonts in the Windows interface: InDesign tools and panels don't respond to mouse clicks (Windows 7/Vista)

[sohcoh]

I hd the same thing happen and I'm on an imac in Mountain Lion. Thank goodness you guys posted this and I was able to trash my preferences. I will be reporting this as well. The more people who do that, the quicker they will be to fix the bug. By the way, in case anyone reading this doesn't know or remember, to delete preferences on a mac you hold down shift+control+option+command while starting InDesign and you will get a prompt asking if you want to delete the preferences.

[Gast]

I tried the space bar trick and hit a few other keys before resetting preferences and it seemed to work. Thanks so much I was pulling my hair out!!