Why do MAC InDesign files sometimes not open on PC?

[l***@adobeforums.com]

I have a very few customers that send me indesign files that they make on a Mac. Usually i have no problem open it on Indesign on my PC but I dont know what those few are doing to theirs but it will crash my Indesign. What is it that they are doing or what is it that I can do to fix this?

[unknown]

All I can tell you is that it almost certainly has nothing to do with
the fact that they were created on a Mac. We'd need a lot more to go on
such as what version of ID for you and the creator and how exactly
you're getting these files.

Bob

[l***@adobeforums.com]

Im using CS2 on a PC. I dont know what version the customers are using. I only have 2 people that i have this problem with but i never have problems from anyone else who sends them whether they were made on Mac or PC

[J***@adobeforums.com]

What's the file transfer method? E-mail can and does break ID files, unless
they are compressed (zipped) before being sent.

-John O

[l***@adobeforums.com]

wow really? I dont recall how others were sent but this most recent was not zipped and it was emailed. Is there any kind of fix to that? If emailing unzipped does hurt the file, does that mean it wouldnt be able to open on a Mac either? I may take it home with me and try that at home.

[unknown]

That would be a good test for corruption for sure. Email can corrupt an
unzipped file. That doesn't mean it will. Zipping is always recommended.

Bob

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Right, it doesn't *always* happen, but certain file types seem prone to
getting destroyed, and .indd is one of them. I've seen it happen a couple
times, despite very reliable email systems.

Once the file is busted, nothing can fix it. They will have to zip it and
try again.

-John O

[l***@adobeforums.com]

I assume this also goes for .SIT files?

[unknown]

If by that you mean to use stuffit instead of zipping, then yes, that's
okay, too.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

You aren't trying to open .sit files directly in ID are you?

[J***@adobeforums.com]

One can only hope the answer to that is no.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Well, obviously, but not everyone on the PC side knows what a .sit file is, and if it comes from another designer who says, "here's the InDesign file," they might try to open it directly instead of decompressing.

To complicate things, WinZip won't decompress a .sit file, as far as I know, and a lot of Mac Users are clueless about that and send them anyway, instead of selecting zip in Stuffit.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I have an odd situation right now with a client. I zipped a script and e-mailed it to him. He had reported that attempting to use the version I posted at an http address had failed because the script didn't have any returns in it.

But he reports back that the zip is password protected.

Now, I've done these things hundreds of times with probably 50% of the users (or more) being on Windows, so I'm mystified.

As always, I made the zip by using Mac OS X's Create Archive feature (no need for Stuffit), and as far as I know that has no capacity for attaching a password to a zip.

I'm strongly suspecting that this client as some kind of virus (or perhaps even filtering software that he has knowingly installed) that is interfering. But I don't know enough to give him specific advice.

Do these symptoms sound at all familiar to any Windows users?

Dave

[unknown]

Not at all, Dave.

If you'd like to send me the file, I'll be happy to take a look here.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Dave,

That does seem odd. The only thing I've ever run across which is even vaguely similar is trying to send a zip file to an AOL address, which never seems to work.

If you like, you can send the zip file to me at spammercatch at comcast dot net and I'll see if it behaves it self here. At least that would point to which end of the system is causing the problem.

Peter

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Bob. I'll e-mail you the zip.

Dave

[unknown]

Got it. Nothing wrong with the file at all.

Bob

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Bob, that's what I thought.

Dave

[jefbak]

I just recieved a mac originated InDesign file that will open, but crashes everytime I try to save it.

There is one External plug-in: InBooklet SE.4x.pln.framework
Non Opaque Objects :On Page9

FONTS
3 Fonts Used; 0 Missing, 0 Embedded, 0 Incomplete, 0 Protected

Fonts Packaged
- Name: MyriadPro-Regular; Type: OpenType Type 1, Status: OK
- Name: MyriadPro-SemiboldCond; Type: OpenType Type 1, Status: OK
- Name: Times-Roman; Type: TrueType, Status: OK

1. IMMI Promo n Traffic.indd; type: Adobe InDesign publication; size: 1441K
2. MyriadPro-Regular.otf; type: Font file; size: 91K
3. MyriadPro-SemiboldCond.otf; type: Font file; size: 91K
4. Times.dfont; type: Font file; size: 1586K
5. IMMI bluetooth-store.tif; type: Linked file; size: 22726K
6. IMMI_Type_Jan9.eps; type: Linked file; size: 386K
7. revised no games2.tif; type: Linked file; size: 104

I can't use the Times.dfont of course. I tried just using my windows times font and using Crossfont to translate the times.dfont.

Nothing has worked so far. I can't make any changes to document without crashing the app.

[unknown]

If you want to post the file somewhere, I'd be happy to take a look here.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Have you tried using Find Font to substitute something for that times.dfont? It's not totally clear from your post.

Have you also tried exporting the file to Interchange format (.inx) and opening that and resaving?

Peter

[jefbak]

I have tried both those ideas without sucess. I had the file resent to me as well.
I am trying a re-install now to see if there are any issuse there.
Sometime InDesign just crashes when I start it. Then I try starting it again and it works. All my other creative suite apps are rock solid, so I don't know what's going on here.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Ditto.

Those "sometimes" crashes could be indicative of a bad font or an inadequate video driver. The driver is a lot easier to diagnose -- turn video acceleration to zero and see what happens.

Peter

[jefbak]

Thanks for the help. Since I mostly edit video I do have the video set to full acceleration.

<http://www.threegeese.com/IMMI> Promo n Traffic Folder.sitx

I should probably have created a new zip file, but this is the original. The link might need to be cut and paste due to the spaces in the file name.

-Jeff

[unknown]

Post by jefbak
I should probably have created a new zip file

If you want me to look at, I'm afraid you'll have to.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

It's crashing on my system, too. I'll try to find some time to see if I can isolate the problem.

I got a C# Runtime error saying InDesign was terminating in an unusual way and I should contact Adobe.

Peter

[jefbak]

Thanks. The link to the zip file:
<http://www.threegeese.com/immi.zip>

All I know is that it works on mac on version 4.04 according to the person that sent it too me.

[unknown]

Bad link.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

So far I know the problem is on page 7 of section 1 (or at least that's the only page I can't copy to a new doc. I think it may be link related, but it keeps crashing before I get the links palette open.

I tried deleting page seven but it still crashed on "save as" so maybe that's not the page.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

I don't know exactly what the problem is, but it appears to be related to the inline table on page 7. Any time I try to select or otherwise access that object I crash, other stuff on the page is OK, and I have no problem with the doc I made by copying all the other pages to a new document.

I think you should ask the person you got this from to copy all the stuff into a new document and resave, then send it to you again. Let them know it looks like the table is the problem, so if it's linked to an external file (doesn't appear to be) it should be updated, otherwise, maybe they can rebuild it in the new file.

Peter

[P***@adobeforums.com]

By the way, that table appears to be the only non-opaque object in the document, but because of the crashing I can't verify what sort of transparency is involved.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

I take back what I said about the table not being embedded. The report included in the package says there is one embedded image, and it isn't on any of the other pages according to the links palette.

[jefbak]

Hi, I fixed the link to the zip file verision.

Since I am a novice at the InDesign portion of Creative Suite, what should I asked of the files creator? Or is there something I can change to get it to work?

This is all great stuff, just whoosh, you know, right over my head.

[P***@adobeforums.com]

If that was directed at me as far as what to ask,I'd say replace the table, save a new file and resend. Ask them to zip compress instead of stuff, but that probably has nothing to do with the problem, just more universal for decompression.

[jefbak]

Thanks Peter, I asked for a new file to try.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Hi there, I just read your discussion re: Mac files not opening on a PC and would love some advice. The template for a newsletter I'm working on was sent to me by a MAC user. The template was created using InDesign CS2. I'm using the trial InDesign CS2 and Windows 2000. When I try to opening the template file by double clicking on the file itself, then opening using InDesign, the program open but then I get a "Cannot open file (name). Adobe InDesign may not support the file format, a plug-in that supports the file format may be missing, or the file may be open in another application." I have check the plug-in's and all are installed. I'm not what could be called a savvy computer person so the remainder of the message is lost on me. Can you help? Thanks, Jane

[unknown]

How was that file sent to you?

Bob

[jefbak]

In the end someone else with a mac got to complete the project because I could never get it to work.

The file was sent via email using ZIP compression.

I had the sender also email files without being zipped but that did not work either.

Perhaps email was to blame?

Looking back, I would probably have all indesign files uploaded via ftp without compression in the future.

But, I would add that I get lots of zipped and other files via email that have never caused me any problem...

[unknown]

The only thing I can tell you is the same thing that's been pointed out
over and over. ID files are completely crossplatform. Whatever went
wrong had nothing to do with Mac vs Windows.

Bob

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Bob. The file was sent to me by e-mail. When talking to the person who sent it, it sounds like he has added fonts in the document that are not part of the original InDesign program. From reading other forum discussions, fonts sound like they can cause problems. My thought is that this is what is happening here. I appreciate your help and input. Best,Jane

[unknown]

Fonts wouldn't cause that type of an error.

Bob

[P***@adobeforums.com]

I've seen that sort of error message before about not being able to open because the file may be in use -- not that it's necessarily the same thing -- and I was finally able to get around it by opening as a copy rather than as normal. I suspect file corruption, though. Also, does the file have a .indd or .indt extension? Any other "." in the filename besides the one before the extension?

Peter

[jefbak]

I just got a intel based mac pro a few weeks ago and just opened this file on it without the errors or problems I have on the windows version. The mac software version is 4.0.4 I believe.

So what else might be going on in the windows platform (I am using XP SP2 for my windows platform)?

[jefbak]

Sorry Peter I was editing my last post when you wrote your reply.

I saw your attempt to open the file listed earlier in this thread. I didn't think you were able to open it and save it from what I read. Was that the case?

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Was that the OS version, or the InDesign version?

I'd take a really close look at the filename. But I'm thinking there might be some problem with Rosetta that is behind this.

Peter

[P***@adobeforums.com]

That was, indeed the case. You were able to open the same file you posted? Can you select that table?

Peter

[jefbak]

Just to get everyone up to date: It is the same file as I uploaded here.

I don't know if the file originally came from an intel based mac or not (I can try and find out) but it was created on version 4.0.4.

When I try to open the file on my windows XP Pro SP2 platform I get the font substitute warning and then the file opens, when I attempt to save or save as, I get a Serious Error message and InDesign shuts down.

On my new intel based mac the file opens and can be saved without any problem. I opened the file from the location I orinally unzipped it to on a shared directory on my windows system. I performed a Save As on the file to the same directory that the problem project file is located.

When I tried to open the new file in Windows I recieved the same error and crash as before.

So that is what is going on a best as I can tell.

[unknown]

Open it on the Mac and export it as INX. What happens when you open that
on the Windows box?

Bob

[jefbak]

Resulting INX files opened on my PC sucessfully! I saved the INX file on the PC to an INDD file and that file opens and saves just fine on the PC.

Now the graphics don't look so good in the INX format. What are the ups and downs of using this workflow?

[jefbak]

I fixed how the images looked by choosing High Quality Display from the right-click options for the image...

Onward with learning Indesign! Thanks!

[P***@adobeforums.com]

.inx should have no effect on the graphics at all. Check your display performance settings, both on the menu and for the individual graphics if "allow object level display" is enabled.

Peter

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Time lag is a wonderful thing. :D

[jefbak]

So have mac users send INX versions if problems arise between platforms? Or is there more to this than meets the eye?

Thanks again for everyones help.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

inx appears to be a sort of "power wash" for ID files. It fixes all sorts of
problems, in part by stripping the file down to absolute essentials. It
wasn't intended to do this, I bet, but who's complaining?

-John O