While trying to export an InDesign file in to PDF getting " Background Task alert"

[markiza7]

Hello,

In design is driving me insane since yesterday!!

At first It kept crashing so I followed the instructions  which were to-  clean your InDesign cache and preference

It did not work so I've updated In design to 2017 version.

I was able to open my file and work on it until now.

I am trying to export the file as PDF but - a background task alert - 1 problem ( 1 failure) was found with a background task: export "portfolio 1st june. pdf" (1)

I never had this problem before so I assume its somehow related to my previous one.

Please help!!! I am printing my portfolio in 2 hours.

Thanks in advance.

***** Title renamed by Moderator "VS" *****

[Dan Rodney]

Here are some things to try:

• Export the file as IDML and reopen it in InDesign. Try to make the PDF again.
• It's possible there's something bad in your InDesign file. To figure out where it is, delete the second half of the file and see if the PDF export works. If not, undo that and delete the first half. Export the PDF again. Whichever part doesn't work contains something bad. Repeat this process to narrow it down to the page and see what might be causing the problem.

Good luck!

[Sri_Murthy]

Hi,

Even I have the same problem with the background task error while exporting as pdf.

I work on a user guide and it consists of 80+ pages. I cannot apply the method which you mentioned.

I have tried exporting it as IDML file and exporting to PDF. Its not working out.

Just yesterday I have upgraded my ID to 2017 CC. I had an issue with missing fonts and that got fixed.

Now, I have this background task error.

Could you please let me know what could be done.

Thanks,

Sri

[Willi Adelberger]

This has to do with some corrupted fonts. Can you check, if the fonts you are using are ok and take care that you have installed every style of those fonts you have installed.

Search for used fonts in Type > Find Font … It should list any problem. But it fails often if you have a character style used in a bulleted or numbered list used, either applied in the document or defined as style for further purpose, check these styles (or if done without style those accurances) in your document.

Avoid T1 fonts, use in the best case OTF fonts.

Check if all fonts are embedded in placed file. Use only PDF file for import, avoid EPS as these documents can cause also problems, often with missing fonts or with renamed and not embedded fonts.

[Test Screen Name]

Why can't you apply the "delete half" method? Working on a copy of course!

[Eugene Tyson]

I wrote an FAQ for this type of dilemma

Re: File Crashing on Output - printing/PDF/other

[Bill Silbert]

A method that has been sometimes successful for me in removing background corruption in a file is by moving all of the pages of the infected document to a brand new one of the same size using the Pages Panel. To do this place the old document over the new one with the pasteboard of the new one showing. Make sure that all Master Page items for all of the pages are unlocked and select all of the pages in the Pages Panel. Drag all of these pages directly from the panel onto the pasteboard of the new document. You'll get a prompt as to where you want the new pages placed. Click OK and the pages from the old document will now be a part of the new one.

I've seen this method clean up some really strange stuff in my ID files.

[Himanshu2017]

Hi,

There are multiple factors both internal and external to InDesign application that can lead to document corruption. However, we can take a look and see if the file can be repaired. Please email your InDesign file to corrupt_indesign_docs@adobe.com and we will take a look at the document.

If the file is larger than 10 Mb, you can zip (and password protect) the file and upload to Creative Cloud account (or Dropbox) and send us the document link.

Regards,

Himanshu Kapoor

[jane-e]

Please report back what you find. Thank you!

[winterm]

Being in your shoes I would try to abandon PDF export as a background task, and go back to 'old school' routine.

Try Solution 4 from here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/pdf-export-background-task-hangs.html

[anthonyh13165301]

I have had this problem a couple of times and it can be two reasons:

1. you are trying to export it to a folder that has permissions on.

2. you have a bad image in there.

if it's the later, you'll have to trial and error each image by removing it and re-exporting until you find the image that the problem lies with

[matthewg93601341 · Accepted solution]

So export the document to PDF in blocks of several pages at a time. When you have a block of pages that produces the error start exporting one at a time until you have ID'd the problem page.. Then delete an image at a time on the page and export until you have found the corrupted image. For me it was a bad PDF image.