TechNote (Archived)

Troubleshoot for damage in a document (InDesign 2.x, CS)

What's covered

Checking for system-level problems

Troubleshooting for damage

Further suggestions

An Adobe InDesign document may be damaged if errors or other unexpected behavior occurs while you work in it but not while you work in other documents. Though InDesign has an automatic document recovery feature that can prevent damage caused by system crashes or power outages, it cannot prevent damage caused by other system-level problems such as software conflicts, low disk space, or viruses. This troubleshooting guide can help you isolate and resolve damage in an InDesign document; it can also help you isolate and resolve system-level problems that appear to be document damage but are related to other causes.

Checking for system-level problems

Because system-level problems can cause errors and other unexpected behavior, make sure that the system is relatively free from problems before assuming that a document is damaged. For example, you may want to run a disk utility or perform basic system maintenance before performing the tasks in this guide. System maintenance may even repair potential causes of document damage. For more information about system maintenance and how to troubleshoot system-level problems, see Related Records below.

Troubleshooting for damage

Complete the following tasks in the order presented:

Note: Before you begin troubleshooting, create a backup copy of the document. Some of these tasks require that you change or delete information in the document, so a backup copy of the document lets you easily restore information. If the document is on a network volume or removable media (for example, Iomega Zip disk), move a copy of the document to the local hard disk.

1. Search the Support Knowledgebase for solutions.

If the problem is recurrent, search the Support Knowledgebase at www.adobe.com/support/products/indesign.html before continuing with this guide. The problem may be caused by circumstances that require specific solutions covered in a support document.

If you cannot open an InDesign document, consult one of the following troubleshooting guides in the Support Knowledgebase:

-- 324679 : Troubleshoot unopenable documents (InDesign on Mac OS)

-- 325341 : Troubleshoot unopenable documents (InDesign on Windows)

2. Troubleshoot for a damaged preference file.

InDesign stores information about plug-ins, features, and the application itself in its preference files: the InDesign SavedData and InDesign Defaults files. A damaged InDesign preference file may cause unexpected behavior with an InDesign document. You can easily determine if the problem is related to the preference files by re-creating them.

Note: Re-creating the InDesign preference files restores settings to their defaults. Make sure to close InDesign before you re-create the preference files or InDesign may behave unexpectedly.

To re-create the InDesign preference files in Windows:

1. Quit InDesign.

2. Open the Search Results window:

-- In Windows XP, choose Start > Search > All files and folders.

-- In Windows 2000 or Me, choose Start > Search > For Files or Folders.

-- In Windows 98 or NT, choose Start > Find > Files or Folders.

3. Type "InDesign SavedData" (including the quotation marks) in the All or Part of the File Name text box (Windows XP) or the Named text box (Windows 2000, Me, 98, or NT).

4. Click Search (Windows XP) or Find Now (Windows 2000, Me, 98, or NT).

5. Select the InDesign SavedData file in the list that appears, and choose File > Rename.

6. Rename the file (for example, to "backup SavedData") so that you may restore it later if desired.

7. Start InDesign. InDesign re-creates the preference file upon startup. If the problem recurs, repeat this procedure for the InDesign Defaults file.

To re-create the InDesign preference files in Mac OS X:

1. Quit InDesign.

2. Choose File > Find.

3. Do one of the following:

-- In Mac OS X v. 10.2-10.3.x, type "InDesign SavedData" (including the quotation marks) in the text box (labeled "Contents Includes" in v. 10.2.x), and then click Search.

-- In Mac OS X v. 10.1.x, click the hard disk icon at the top left of the Sherlock window, type "InDesign Saveddata" (including the quotation marks) in the text box, and then click the magnifying glass icon.

4. Select the InDesign SavedData file, and rename it (for example, to "backup SavedData") so that you may restore it later if desired.

5. Start InDesign. InDesign re-creates the preference file upon startup. If the problem recurs, repeat this procedure for the InDesign Defaults file.

To re-create the InDesign preference files in Mac OS 9.x:

1. Quit InDesign.

2. Choose Sherlock from the Apple menu.

3. Type "InDesign SavedData" (including the quotation marks) in the text box next to the Contains pop-up menu, and then click Find.

4. Select the InDesign SavedData file, and rename it (for example, to "backup SavedData") so that you may restore it later if desired.

5. Start InDesign. InDesign re-creates the preference file upon startup. If the problem recurs, repeat this procedure for the InDesign Defaults file.

If the problem recurs after you re-create both the InDesign SavedData and InDesign Defaults files, the problem is not related to preference files. To restore custom settings, delete the newly created preference files and rename the backup copies with their original names.

3. Troubleshoot a converted document in its source application.

If the document was converted from Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXPress, or a previous version of InDesign, try reconverting the document. If the problem recurs, troubleshoot the original document for damage before you convert it. A damaged PageMaker or QuarkXPress document most likely remains damaged after you convert it.

For information on troubleshooting a damaged PageMaker publication, see Related Records. For information on troubleshooting a damaged QuarkXPress document, visit the Quark website at www.quark.com/support /.

4. Troubleshoot for damaged styles.

Styles that you create in InDesign or import with word-processing files may be damaged. To ensure that character or paragraph styles in the document are not damaged, delete them and then resave the document.

To delete character styles:

1. Open the document in InDesign, and choose Type > Character Styles.

2. Select all styles in the Character Styles palette except for [No character style]. To select multiple styles, press Shift as you click them.

3. Choose Delete Styles from the Character Styles pop-up menu.

To delete paragraph styles:

1. Open the document in InDesign, and choose Type > Paragraph Styles.

2. Select all the styles in the Paragraph Styles palette except for [No paragraph style]. To select multiple styles, press Shift as you click them.

3. Choose Delete Styles from the Paragraph Styles pop-up menu.

5. Check for font damage.

To determine if the problem is related to a damaged font, try switching all fonts used in the document to a standard font (for example, Arial or Times New Roman).

If the problem recurs after switching fonts, it is not font-related. If the problem doesn't recur, the original font may be damaged or out-dated (that is, created before 1992). Try reinstalling the font or obtaining an updated version from the font manufacturer.

6. Check objects and graphics for damage.

Try to determine if the problem is caused by a specific element on a master page or a document page. To isolate elements, first delete empty pages and unnecessary elements, such as those on a pasteboard or hidden layer.

To delete pages:

1. Open the document in InDesign, and choose Windows > Pages.

2. In the Pages palette, use the selection tool to select the pages you want to delete. Press Shift to select multiple pages; press Command (Mac OS) or Ctrl (Windows) to select a discontinuous range of pages.

3. Click the Trash icon in the Pages palette.

4. Click OK to confirm deletion.

If the problem recurs after you delete unnecessary pages and elements, delete half of the remaining pages and save the document with a new name. Then try to re-create the problem:

-- If the problem recurs, one of the remaining pages may contain a damaged element. Continue to delete pages until you determine the page that causes the problem.

-- If the problem doesn't recur, one of the deleted pages may contain a damaged element. Replace the deleted pages until you determine the page that causes the problem.

After you determine the page that causes the problem, remove and replace elements on it, including imported graphics, InDesign-drawn objects, and text frames on the page.

7. Copy page elements into a new document.

Copying page elements into a new document leaves structural (internal) damage behind. If the problem recurs after you copy page elements into a new document, remove that page and then re-create it.

To copy page elements into a new document:

1. Open the original document in InDesign.

2. Choose File > New and click OK in the New Document dialog box.

3. Choose Window > Tile to display both documents.

4. Click the original document to activate it.

5. Choose Window > Pages to activate the Pages palette.

6. Drag a page or spread into the new document window. InDesign copies the page or spread into the new document, adding pages as necessary.

7. Save the new document and try to re-create the problem.

-- If the problem recurs, the damage is not structural (for example, on master pages or document pages). You may need to repeat tasks 6 and 7.

-- If the problem does not recur, the damage is probably structural, so you should repeat steps 4-7 for each remaining page or spread.

8. Obtain another copy of the document.

If you received the document via e-mail, FTP, or removable media (such as a CD or Iomega Zip disk), obtain a copy a different way or have the document re-sent. Damaged media or a faulty e-mail transmission can damage a document. If the document is sent via e-mail, have the sender compress it first (for example, using WinZip or Alume Systems StuffIt) to protect the data.

Further suggestions

If you have completed the tasks above and the problem still occurs, try one or more of the following suggestions:

1.Work in the document on another computer.

By changing to a different system environment, you may remove variables that cause the problem.

2. Visit the Adobe User to User forums.

Other customers may have experienced similar problems with a document and posted a solution. The User to User forums are on the Adobe Web site at www.adobe.com/support/forums/ .

3. Re-create the document.

If all else fails, re-create the document. Make frequent backup copies, and periodically test the document to ensure that imported elements are not the cause of the problem.