InDesign opens multiple chapters of a book (when only opening one) and hangs.

[thedesmodus]

Let me explain my workflow first.

I have a 400 page document with Cross-references, and 2 people need to work on it. So we decided to split it into a book.

I added the original .indd file (Deel 1.indd) to a new book (TestBook.indb). Then I created an empty document (deel 2.indd) and added that to the book also.

Then I transferred a number of pages from Deel 1.indd to deel 2.indd through the Pages panel (move pages).

Then I set the numbering to continue in deel 2.indd from Deel 1.indd.

But now, when I open either Deel 1.indd or deel 2.indd. InDesign decides to open the other file as well (I see this because the .idlk files appear). And at this stage InDesign freezes and the .idlk file (from the .indd I never opened) keeps appearing and disappearing (updating the Date Modified in the meantime).

This happens both with the TestBook.indb opened and closed.

Moving one of the .indd files results in InDesign lagging and then stalling and crashing.

I think it must have something to do with the cross-references going over multiple documents (two in this case). But it is an old setting in InDesign, so it should not give any troubles.

Anyone any advice??

[Laubender]

Hi,

what is your exact version of InDesign on what OSX ?

Is the other person using the same version of InDesign?

Did you try the following:
Saving a duplicate and instruct the other person only to work on distinct pages?

All without using an InDesign book file…

Regards,
Uwe

[thedesmodus]

Hi Uwe,

Forgot about that. I am using OSX 10.12.3 and CC2017 12.0.0.81.

I cannot even open up 1 of the documents (without using the book file). Somehow InDesign finds the other file and tries to open it and then hangs.

Today I will try to remake the book and the split files and then perhaps create an .idml file and see if that works.

[thedesmodus]

Well, tried it again and no succes. I get the same behaviour out of InDesign.

I opened my Document, Exported to IDML.

Opened the IDML and saved as INDD

Made a new book

Imported my INDD

Made a new INDD document with the same settings as my original

Added it to the book

Made sure all Sync options are turned off in the book (also auto page numbering update).

Moved some of the pages from the original INDD to the new INDD.

Saved both INDD files and the book.

Closed 1 INDD file and the book gave me a notice that the file had changed (yellow triangle).

Closed the other INDD file and after saving also a triangle.

Then I opened 1 INDD file and the same as before. InDesign just becomes unresponsive and does a lot of things on the background. It looks like it is opening and closing the other INDD file in the background... changing the IDLK Modified date whilst doing that. About once a minute the IDLK file (of the file I never actually opened) disappears.

It sure feels like a bug to me. Or am I doing something in a wrong order?

[thedesmodus]

Update:

I tried it in CC2015 and all works like a charm. This is a bug in CC2017.

[Laubender]

Very interesting. Thanks.

What exact version of CC 2015 are you using?
CC 2015 11.4.1.102 ?

Regards,
Uwe

[thedesmodus]

This is indeed InDesign 11.4.1.102.

The problem is that there is no Hang report. InDesign just stalls and becomes unresponsive. I have let it sit like that for well over an hour. I always need to force quit the application.

When the document is done I will send it to Adobe with my comments. Right now I am not at liberty to publish it.

One weird thing we encountered. When I create the docs in CC2015, they seem to work perfectly fine in CC2017. The documents can be opened and saved with no issues whatsoever. So it seems CC2017 is messing up the way it handles the cross-references during the splitting of the documents. I remember reading somewhere that Adobe changed the way it handles Cross References in CC2017.

Thank you for your responses.

[Laubender]

thedesmodus  wrote

… I always need to force quit the application. …

After that usually there would be a crash report addressing Apple.
Don't know the details in what cases this does not happen.

However, if there is a report the word "hang" would be present in one of the first lines of the report.
You could copy the text to a text file and make that available together with your bug report.

Maybe it is useful for the Adobe engineers.

Good to find a solution with CC 2015 and you do not rely on a fearure that was introduced with CC 2017.

Regards,
Uwe

[Laubender]

Also:

Document the workflow. Save the hang reports. Provide the InDesign doc and books. Pack it all together in a zip file and upload it to your Dropbox or a similar service. Then do a bug report and provide the link for downloading the documentation. Also refer to this thread here.

To do a bug report see here:

Wishform - Adobe InDesign

Regards,
Uwe