Wrong page numbers on PDF export (ID CS5.5)

[macromac]

The Export to PDF out of a book document (with 12 single documents in it) results in wrong pagination (30, 31, 33, 31, 35, 31 ...). Direct Export out of the same single document is right. I cannot see any difference between the single docs, but the phenomen is only in some parts of the book.

What is the thing about this? Did anybody have similar effects?

Thanks for any idea!

Carsten

MacBookPro Core Duo

Snow Leopard

InDesign CS 5.5 (Design Premium Collection)

[Peter Spier]

Failure to set the indiviual documents to section numbering can cause problems, too.

[Graphic Extensions]

I found a solution that works. The problem seems to reside on the master pages, so if you take the text block that holds the page number from the master page and paste it in place on each page (fill with paper color to block the master items), the page numbers then pdf perfectly. This saves you the trouble of having to idml and resave the files. Hope it helps!

[Shlomit Heymann]

Hello,

Got the same problem on the Middle East version 5.5, glad to see it's not an ME issue but what we call US verison.

Obviously it's a serious bug. I have lot's of books with hunderds of pages, I will just close each file seperately.

Hoping there is a solution.

all the best,

Shlomit

[Univocal]

Same problem here, its pretty disappointing that Adobe has regressed in such a key feature, and to let this bug drag on… I've just been exporting each document separately and then merging the .pdf files and haven't yet noticed any problems, its annoying but it should get me through until they patch the bug or release CS6.

[macromac]

I think this problem is too heavy to solve for Adobe. What about changing from ID2Q? Does anyone think this bug will be away in CS6? It's really funny because CS5.5 is made for people who create books and ebooks.

The post of Graphic Extensions gives a good idea where the bug may be located. So, Adobe, hurry up and do something for your true customers.

@Univocal: I am sure you will update. Otherwise you will loose your advantages for the next but one update (CS7). This is Adobe's new strategy of enforcement instead of kindness/politeness.

Nevertheless all the best for the new year,

and keep on being creative and smart

CA

[prepress_girl1]

Huh. If I duplicate the text box on the master page that has the page numbering in it, the DUPLICATE is fine, but the "original" page numbers still number incorrectly! Curiouser and curiouser...

[RobotGod]

I have this problem and it HAS cost me money because I didn't find out about it until it got to the printer. Pretty soon I'll be paying more in fixes than the program actually cost me to purchase.

In my case, I have ID CS5.5 (7.5.2) and created a book with about 30 chapters. It looked fine in ID, but exporting to PDF caused three chapters to repeat the even-numbered page numbers throughout that chapter. (Each chapter was built using the same template -- most chapters are fine, but some are not.) I fixed this by going into the Master page for that chapter, deleting the offending page number reference, copying the one that worked (on the odd-numbered side of the page), and pasting it on the even-numbered side. This seemed to fix the problem.

But being a small press without a lot of capital, this sucks.

[John Hawkinson]

Some carefully hedged speculation

If we were to imagine that, in the best of all possible worlds, Adobe has worked hard to fix this problem and it will be fixed in a future patch release of CS5.5 (I think that is a good assumption in this case), then if we look at the semi-public precursor announcements to releases, we would see that the latest CS5.5 patch release candidate was birthed on December 12, and they generally take about a month to bake before seeing public release, though everything takes longer around the holidays.

So one might be optimistic about a potential fix for this the second week in January or so.

[John Hawkinson]

if we look at the semi-public precursor announcements to releases, we would see that the latest CS5.5 patch release candidate was birthed on December 12, and they generally take about a month to bake before seeing public release, though everything takes longer around the holidays.

So one might be optimistic about a potential fix for this the second week in January or so.

Unfortunately it looks like another release candidate was cut today (see above link), so please reset the optimism for the 2nd week in February.

[Jochen_F__Uebel]

It would be fine if this bug could be fixed too

[Graphic Extensions]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you duplicate the text box on the master pages, you duplicate the text boxes to each individual "live" page (you can even remove the master item if you want). I had limited success fixing this by synching the Master Pages and variables from a chapter that had working page numbers. I think the bug is either on the master page or in the variable definition, however moving the page number to the actual page clears the issue very consistently.
Should mention that this works with the US and ME versions. We run both.

[prepress_girl1]

No, I got that bit... was just playing about trying to "save" the Master Page numbering, since copying + pasting onto each page seems to defeat the purpose of Master Pages! LOL!

[Shlomit Heymann]

I just wanted to add that no only the page number is wrong, but also section markers.

The problem does not show up in CS5 only 5.5. I have left some jobes in this version.

My only solution was the export each file sepreately and combine them all via acrobat pro.

this makes me really sad

[Liz_P]

I recently developed this problem, too. US InDesign 5.5 v7.5.2; Mac 10.6.8; export smallest file size; booked file of 18 documents, each with 22 pages or less. Happy to find workarounds but disappointed there is no cure yet.

[John Hawkinson]

Happy to find workarounds but disappointed there is no cure yet.

Funny you should ask, Liz_P.

More carefully hedged speculation

Over in the semi-public precursor announcements to releases, this morning (Apr. 2) there was an update: "InDesign Family CS5.5 7.5.3 dot release tentatively scheduled for 4/30/2012."

So, if we take that at face value, and again assume that the bug likely to have been fixed (something I think is likely given its severity), then we could assume that this bug fix is tentatively scheduled to be released at the end of this month.

[Liz_P]

How tentatively encouraging.

Thanks for your quick response, John!

[John Hawkinson]

"InDesign Family CS5.5 7.5.3 dot release tentatively scheduled for 4/30/2012."

So, if we take that at face value, and again assume that the bug likely to have been fixed (something I think is likely given its severity), then we could assume that this bug fix is tentatively scheduled to be released at the end of this month.

A few days late, but it seems to be out! The release notes list:

Import / Export: Wrong page number on export book to PDF [2940448]*

[xSarahHx]

I just installed the 7.5.3 update and it seems to have solved the page number issue on my problematic book from last year. Woohoo! Thanks for the info, John, and glad this issue finally made it to the top of Adobe's priority list.

[ralfellis]

Had the same problem – drove me mad. Only one or two chapters in each book were effected. And because we did not spot this, we were selling books with the same page number all through a chapter.

Solution.

I found a solution that works every time, and it is quite simple. The problem lies in the Master Pages section. 

The solution is to create a new Master Page (but not copying the previous Master). Copy details from a Master Page that works! Make sure the new Master has the same dimensions and indents as the old one.

Then change all the pages in that chapter to the new Corrected Master. (A global change to all pages – easy to do). 

Presto – you should have proper page numbering in the resulting pdf.

Cheers,
Ralph