Missing tools in toolbar after activation

[D***@adobeforums.com]

This is one of the strangest things I've seen in a long time.

I purchased InDesign CS2 about two years ago and have been using it without issue in that time. However, the system I'd originally installed the software on crashed recently, making it inoperable due to the processor and motherboard going out.

I had a new system built and loaded the same InDesign I'd been using for two years, went through the activation process, expecting to be instructed to deactivate first, but it went through with no problem and I've been using it since. But today while in the middle of a major magazine layout with a client here in my office, a notice popped up that my 30 day grace period had expired and I needed to activate my InDesign before continuing. So I went through the process, received another popup window thanking me for activating. I thought all was ok....until the client said he wanted a color background on his page, which required using the rectangle tool to draw the box. I went to the toolbar and to my amazement, several tools were all of a sudden missing, including the rectangle tool. Also missing are the line segment tool, free transform tool, gradient tool, and zoom tool. Also, using my favorite keyboard shortcuts for zooming don't work anymore...CTL/Spacebar to zoom in, and CTL/ALT/Spacebar to zoom out.

Everything else seems to be there that I use...Links, Character/Paragraph, Text Wrap, Para Styles, Swatches, Pages, Layers, etc. It's just those particular tools missing from the toolbox.

I tried reopening InDesign and didn't help. I rebooted and nothing helped. The tools are still missing.

Also, when I reopened it, the same notice popped up again, telling me I needed to activate the software. So I went through the activation process a second time, again receiving a "thank you for activating" popup. I closed and reopened again, and this time got no window instructing me to activate.

By now, the client had to leave to make another meeting.

I contacted Adobe Customer Support but was like talking to a brick wall. The "tech" suggested I create a case explaining the problem, which I've done...then reloading InDesign. What worries about that is running into having to activate after I just activated. I mentioned this concern to the "tech" and was told they'd override the activation. How would they know to do that? And if I attempt to reload InDesign, would I run into the possibility I may not be able to use it at all? Would it be seen as trying to load it on a second machine (which I don't have)? Right now I can at least use the program without those tools and work around it until things hopefully get worked out.

While waiting on my case to be reviewed at Adobe, I just thought someone here may have a suggestion to get those tools back.

[C***@adobeforums.com]

Have you tried resetting your preferences? That might do it.

Cyndee

[unknown]

System specs please, but I will tell you the CS2 is unsupported under Vista.

Bob

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I'm running Vista Home Premium but everything was fine until I received that notice telling me I needed to activate. Immediately at that point, those tools disappeared. If it's a case of CS2 not being supported under Vista, why would it run without a problem under Vista for that 30 days, then instantly remove those tools when I did the activation? Not trying to sound like a smart a**, Bob, because you've always been a big help to me....I'm just wondering why CS2 would work perfectly for the 30 days under Vista, then, well,....not.

I'm really in a bind here being in the middle of the layout scheduled to go to press next week. I do a lot of backgrounds using the rectangle tool, and not being able to use the shortcuts for zooming is really slowing me down. Not your fault....it's just really aggravating since it was working fine before this thing came up.

Cyndee...I looked through Preferences and don't see anything that can be reset involving the tools.

I may just take a chance and reload InDesign. But the activation thing concerns me.

[unknown]

That's why it's not supported...because everything could be fine one
minute and then the next...boom!

That said, the only things I can think to try would be to update the
video driver and if that doesn't work, try trashing your prefs.

Bob

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, Bob. The video driver is the most current driver. How do I go about trashing the prefs?

[unknown]

Launch InDesign and IMMEDIATELY press ctrl+alt+shift. You should be
prompted to reset your preferences or something along that line.

If you don't get the prompt, you didn't act fast enough.

Bob

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Bob,
The only thing that comes up is that d*** registration page. In fact, it's coming up every time I open InDesign. Odd thing is, I recently received the following e-mail from Adobe:

"Dear Denny Cannon,

Thank you for purchasing and registering your copy of Adobe InDesign CS 2. Please take this opportunity to select your complimentary benefit. We hope you enjoy your new software and this extra benefit."

You know, I've heard horror stories about Vista and was fully expecting problems when I had to go with the new system and Vista. But actually, Vista has been running flawlessly. I'm running a LOT of programs and have had no issues with any....EXCEPT Adobe. There was the Arial Narrow font issue of the Arial Narrow family not showing up in any Adobe programs, Pagemaker 6.5 not compatible with Vista that required me to have to resort to borrowing another computer with XP and Pagemaker so I could retrieve over 300 Pagemaker files and copy them to Word docs, and now this. My only problems with Vista have been Adobe related.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

You can rename the preference files manually and they should be replaced when you restart ID (Make sure ID is closed when you do this).

The files you need to rename or delete are InDesign Defaults and InDesign SavedData, and on Vista they should be in a directory that looks like C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version 4.0\, which may well be hidden, so be sure you show hidden and system files in Explorer before starting your search.

Peter

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, Peter!!! I moved those files to a holding folder (so I'd still have them just in case), opened CS2, all the tools are there and the zoom function is working again.

Many, many thanks.

DC

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Glad it worked. I was worried you might still have other problems. :)

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Everything seems to be working fine, but now I'll be more aware of possible issues that may pop up. When I can afford it, I'll upgrade InDesign.