InDesign CC 2017 files opening directly in CS6

[Peter Villevoye]

A course attendee who followed an InDesign training in a version CC 2015, would like to open their files in InDesign CS6 (which is good enough for her work). Of course, we could have saved a separate IDML file or created a package (with the IDML automatically included in the folder).

But as I recall correctly, from a certain version on, InDesign CC went on to save IDML resources into the native INDD file itself ! So the InDesign CC file should open directly in CS6, prompting the obvious warning that the conversion might omit certain newer features. I just tried it and it works. But I can't find a trace of this new behavior in any Help resource or New Feature list. (I'd like to refer the user to a URL explaining the procedure.) Am I dreaming, or... ?

[Ian Blogs]

It is explained here:

http://indesignsecrets.com/cs6-update-opening-newer-cc-files.php

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Peter Villevoye wrote:

… But as I recall correctly, from a certain version on, InDesign CC went on to save IDML resources into the native INDD file itself !

Hi Peter,

no. That's not the case.

What's going on is that a CS6 v8.1.0 (maybe also CS6 v8.0.2) licensed and running under Creative Cloud and at least with OSX 10.7.5 or higher is able to call a special service that is tied to an InDesign server on Adobe's server farm somewhere on the net where the newer version file is opened by InDesign server in the background, an IDML is written, the IDML is opened with your CS6 and saved with your CS6 to your convenience.

This service—called Simple Saveback—can only reached with a fully licensed CC app ( for at least InDesign, I think).

FWIW some details:
So if you even have a license for CC and running InDesign CC and CS6 on an old OSX 10.6.8 the service will not work, because there is no CC app for OSX 10.6.8 available. The old Adobe Application Manager on OSX 10.6.8 is not able to connect to the service.

Regards,
Uwe

[Peter Villevoye]

Wow !! Thanks for these two insightful replies.

This is really something. With Ian's reply I realized "Oh no, it's that first subscription version of CS6 again". But with Laubender's reply explaining the nuts and bolts behind this behavior, I had a very rare jaw-dropping and eye-popping experience...

So: it's not a feature, it's an online service !

[Laubender]

Hi Peter,

I would wish, that InDesign someday would save a double layered document where IDML is included as a second layer of information. Technically no problem I'd think. Then the Simple Saveback Service would be obsolete and InDesign versions back to CS4 should be able to open any InDesign document higher (with all consequences of course). But for the old versions that would also mean a small addition in functionality to detect the IDML in the data stream of a document file…

Regards,
Uwe

[BobLevine]

Those old versions of InDesign would have to be patched to detect that portion of the INDD file. Not going to happen.

[Laubender]

I know, Bob.
That could be the job for 3rd-party plug-ins 🙂

Regards,
Uwe

[BobLevine]

Again, though, I doubt very much it would be commercially feasible.

[Peter Villevoye]

I don't think so either, and to be honest: I think it's not needed or something to be expected or claimed. There are enough ways to reach out to users with older versions: let others simply save the IDML for you, or use a trial for a week to batch-convert any newer files. The world will move on. I was just curious to know what was going on with these assumed embedded IDML Save/Convert features.