Tools' backgrounds are blackened out

[Walker 123456789]

Hi. I have trashed the InDesign preferences and tweaked the preferences within the program, along with setting the desktop theme to have a white background. Nothing seems to work as the tools and some other areas in the software are blackened out. Please advise. Thanks, Tony

[Barb Binder]

What version of InDesign and what operating system specifically?

This may be an issue with using an old version on a modern operating system.

~Barb

[Bill Silbert]

You can also try deleting your InDesign cache files (which is not the same as deleting preferences). This can be helpful in solving interface problems.

To do so:

For Macintosh Users: With InDesign closed launch a Finder Window in column view and click on your home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. Within the Library folder find the “Caches” folder. Within the Caches folder find and delete the entire folder “Adobe InDesign”. I find that deleting the InDesign cache folder completely leads to a lasting change. 

For Windows Users: On Windows 7 and above the caches files are hidden. To find them go to the Control Panel and open Folder Options and then click the View tab. Then select “Show hidden files and folders” or “Show hidden files, folders or drive options” in Advanced Settings. Then delete (or rename) the folder at the end of this path: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\<Language>\Cache.

[Scott Citron]

First thing I would do is uninstall/reinstall InDesign. Also, try following Bill Silbert's advice and delete your ID cache files.

[Bill Silbert]

If as, Barbara opined, this could be an older pre-CC version which could run into a serial number issue if you try to uninstall-reinstall. So I would try deleting the caches first as in my first post.

[Walker 123456789]

Barb and all -- the version is CS4, the operating system is Windows 10-64 bits, Dell computer with Intel Core i7--basically 2-3 year old system. Some background: after not using the software for +/- 5 years, but did have the license and key, went online recently to download the software. Clearly a blessing to have ability to do this nowadays. Anyway, this laptop doesn't have any CD driver (which would have helped since I DO HAVE the CDs), and so I'd like to avoid uninstalling/reinstalling at all costs.

Bill -- I'll try deleting the cache files now...

[BobLevine]

CS4 is not supported under Windows 10. You can try running it in Windows 7 compatibility mode but I'm not sure even that will help with software that old.

[Walker 123456789]

Bill -- I've renamed the cache folders and no change in tool background color.

Bob -- the following thread is old (https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1899722) but perhaps you are correct and if it works--as it does--there might be bugs in compatibility. Should I try this I'm unsure how this might affect all my other software. I might just have to live with it until I can upgrade.

Any suggestions are helpful. Thanks!

[Bill Silbert]

I agree with Bob that this is undoubtably the result of CS4's incompatibility with Windows 10. You should be aware that Windows 10 continually updates itself automatically and as it does the chance of successfully working with the pre-CC versions of InDesign becomes more and more remote. Using an older system, perhaps on a used machine bought off of eBay would probably be the only way to be able to rely on CS4. Otherwise, it is time to upgrade.

[Bill Silbert]

I just saw your last post—after I'd just posted. I'm happy it worked out for you but please consider that with Windows 10 and CS4 it is only a matter of time.

[Walker 123456789 · Accepted solution]

Bill & All -- I chatted too soon. After restarting the computer, tool background color appears light gray and all now normal.

Thanks much!

Tony

[Walker 123456789]

Thanks for the followup. And after I just mentioned it worked fine, the next file I loaded it then reverted back to blackened backgrounds. Ugh! Anyway, I realize the compatibility is the issue and will have to live with it until the upgrade.

Thanks again!

Tony

[Barb Binder]

Hi Walker 123456789:

It sounds like my initial suspicion was correct. A important take-away is that if you don't want to upgrade your software, don't upgrade your operating system. The long-term solution is that if you are using Win10, upgrade to CC. I know that isn't the answer you were hoping for, but it's only going to get worse with future Microsoft upgrades.

~Barb

[jane-e]

In addition, reports have come back that Windows does upgrades without permission. The next upgrade might break CS4 completely. Back up everything if you choose to proceed!

[BobLevine]

Let’s not get into paranoia here.

[Abambo]

Windows 10 forces upgrades on users. Windows Professional users can defer upgrades, but they will be applied. The user has no influence on this.

Keeping the old OS up and running after the end of support is, however, no good idea as security flaws will result in very ugly problems.

Windows 7 is currently the oldest Windows version still supported for security updates.

However, Windows rarely breaks compatibility to older software. But CS4 is kind of very old...but was supported under Windows 7.