working from the server issues answer

[JonathanArias]

Hello,

what is the answer we members who represent adobe should give for people who report issues when working from the server?

I have seen issues been posted several times per month, and i see people giving different answers. Here is the latest post that i joined to answer where three of us are saying work local but one person is sending the person to their IT dept.

Saving to server

Should all of us that represent adobe give the same advice?

[Ussnorway · Accepted solution]

indesign and muse use a single file system and that should never be run from a server of any kind; so nas, dropbox and Adobe CC are good for backups but not two or more users sharing (and actively working from) the files.

other Adobe software like Dreamweaver can run from more than one location without files getting messed up because the important files are stored as part of the output.

most people using Muse | indesign know nothing about system files and less about networks so when you tell these people to make backups or store their files on a nas | dropbox they may misunderstand and think that running the software from this backup is a good idea... on the other hand most Dreamweaver users know something about networks so you don't tend to have to hold their hands so much.

JonathanArias  wrote

Should all of us that represent adobe give the same advice?

no... all people should read the post first and give whatever advice they feel will best help the user... even if that isn't what they (or Adobe) want to hear

[JonathanArias]

So Adobe indesign should not be run from a server is the correct answer. Thank you for clarification

[John T Smith]

Personal opinion... I would NEVER work directly from any kind of Cloud storage where an Internet disruption meant I could not work

Case in point... Facebook was not working for several hours yesterday due to a network problem with their servers

Not having FB for a few hours was not a problem... not having access to work files could be a major problem

[JonathanArias]

I work the same way and agree with you.

[BobLevine]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/John+T+Smith  wrote

Personal opinion... I would NEVER work directly from any kind of Cloud storage where an Internet disruption meant I could not work

Case in point... Facebook was not working for several hours yesterday due to a network problem with their servers

Not having FB for a few hours was not a problem... not having access to work files could be a major problem

Networks and cloud storage are not the same thing. Using a service like Dropbox is actually the same as working locally. You are working on a copy stored on your harddrive which is synced to the cloud and in turn synced to anyone else who is sharing that folder.

It works flawlessly and even if not working with anyone else I strongly recommend using it. I wrote this more than four years ago and it's still valid advice: Why I Always Work in a Dropbox Folder and Why You Should, Too!

[BobLevine]

That one person is ME and I stand by it.

While working locally is the number one troubleshooting step, if things work normally, there, it should be escalated to an IT department.

This is not 1997 any more. Working over a network should be transparent to the user and telling them to work locally is simply not a feasible solution and in many corporate environments is not even allowed. These applications are designed for collaboration.

What are you going to tell an InCopy user?

[JonathanArias]

Good question. are the technical specs the same for InCopy as InDesign?

[BobLevine]

What’s the difference?

The InDesign file still needs to be accessible to the InCopy user.

[JonathanArias]

i don't know the difference. I have never used it.

i found this:

InCopy Server Setup Guide?

By what i read here that would be an "very ambiguous question"..lol

seems to be a loaded answer....

[BobLevine]

Not the same thing and I don’t have the time or the inclination to explain it here.

[JonathanArias]

Thats fine. Not interested in Incopy anyway. i don't use it. I just honestly want to give the correct technical answer. Thats all. I agree 100% with you that it should work. But it does not....very often.

[BobLevine]

Actually it does work...way more often than not.

The posts in the forum are the exception, not the rule. Nobody pops in to say, “everything’s fine.” They come for help.

[Ussnorway]

Russian roulette with 5 empty chambers = "most the time" it will be fine

bottom line is; collaboration works but still make regular backups because file corruption will be an issue

[BobLevine]

I see more reports of corrupt files from people working locally than across networks.

Work locally was an appropriate answer in 1997. It is not any more.

[JonathanArias]

you don't have any issues when working of the server in your company?

[BobLevine]

I'm a freelance consultant/designer. I've worked with some huge companies and again, not only do they not have issues with the network workflow, they are required to use it.

[JonathanArias]

ah.. ok.. i work at a publisher house and i experienced buckets of issues. I opened tickets with IT and they go into limbo.  thats been my experience.