InDesign files lost

I have just lost ALL my InDesign files from my computer AND my external backup hard drive along with every other file in the same folder and sub-folders. I have taken my computer to two technicians but neither has been successful in recovering any of my files. I have lost three years of work on a book I was doing for a friend along with some 900 JPEG files that have been individually restored from old photographs.
Has ANYONE else experienced such a calamity with InDesign?

I suspect InDesign as having something to do with my lost files because all folders containing any .indd files are the only folders and files that have been lost. All Word documents, JPEG files, html files, etc., etc., remain intact in folders where there is no .indd file or an .indd file in a higher folder. On my two internal hard drives, plus my external hard drive, ALL folders containing any .indd file have disappeared. Can anyone explain how that could happen? Despite paying a couple of hundred dollars to technicians to recover the files, they had no luck. I did not save a single file from the time I lost my files, but took the computer straight to the technicians. InDesign was open at the time but I was accessing the internet and had just authorised Google Chrome to load as my new browser; I was sick of saying no every time I accessed the net. Within seconds of clicking on Google Chrome, my desktop became flooded with icons of what looked to be every file I had on my computer. Totally bemused and dismayed, I right clicked on the desktop and was given a menu to restore my default desktop icons. I clicked on Restore and my desktop returned to normal, but thereafter I realised my working file and all other InDesign files had disappeared.
My OS was Windows Vista - I now have Windows 8 installed and am going through the tedious process of restoring all my software and available updates on two new hard drives.

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Lost indesign file please help

Hi guys,
last night I was working on some coursework, I had just done saves throughout the night multiple times to the same name as ''Design.indd'' on my desktop. I then plugged in my HDD. I then right click ''save as'' and then went over my design.indd on the desktop to make sure it was saved correctly. I then did control c on my ''design.indd'' file on the desktop and pasted it on my hdd. As it began copying indesign crashed and gave some error. I then looked on my desktop and my file of 'design.indd' was gone but instead one a weird not .indd file but new one appeared called '' design(.indd1058499230551)'' I then opened as an indesign file this one and then when It opened it opened a version of my ''design.indd'' courework a few weeks ago.
I have found some recovery files in my cache which are DBT followed by (randomnumbers). files.
I really need to get back to where I was working before hand.
Can anyone add me?
I can talk on skype also and willing to pay a small fee if you can help.
Thanks guys,
Luke

Can’t help with this but give this blog post a read to avoid having to go through this again:
http://boblevine.us/why-i-always-save-files-in-dropbox-and-why-you-should-too/

Problem involving saving over indesign file and pdf

Kind of a strange one this one....
I'm currently working on a magazine and have several InDesign files in one folder that i'm working on and a seperate folder where I have saved exported pdf versions of these files. The files are the same names in ach folder eg '1 - 40' '2 - 39' and so on
I accidentally saved over one of my InDesign files so I understand I will not be able to recover it as I wasnt using any backup utility.
However before I saved over the file I had created a pdf version of it and saved it in my pdf folder. So i'm thinking not all is lost as I can use the pdf file to send to the printers.
Now here's the strange bit - I am using PC and when I open explorer I can see the folder icon where all my pdf files are saved and can actually see the 'lost/saved over' pdf version as one of the mini thumbnails for that folder - but when I click on the folder to view the files inside it isnt there - instead it shows a thumbnail of the file i saved over it with...!?!
I'm thinking is there somekind of automatic updating PDF export setting that I may have selected or is it possible that folder icon is using a snapshot of what was inside at a certain point??
Either way I could really do with recovering this PDF - if anyone has any suggestions i'm more than happy to hear them.
Thanks
Mark

i thought this would help a little
This is the folder icon - in which all my pdf's are. The top left thumbnail is the 'missing/saved over' pdf. So you'd think it would be in there?
Below is a view of the contents of that folder - (for those of you with good eyesight) you can see that the top left thumbnail from the above picture is nowhere to be seen in this folder!!

Does anyone know of a good digital asset management software solution for cataloging InDesign files?

Hi all,
I am coming to this forum with this question because this amazing community of design professionals has helped me SO MUCH over the past few years...so I come to you for help once again as I search for a digital asset management solution that will also catalog InDesign files. I first used to use Canto Cumulus many years back, and then used Portfolio Standalone but both of those had their issues and are now discontinued. I am now looking for something else. It is for my small business and needs to handle all of my InDesign files and all associated artwork (I have a HUGE library of files....this also includes all of my image files, pdfs, etc.).
Extensis Portfolio Server is just WAY overkill and WAY too expensive for what I need. Also, the cheapest option (which is $1,999) only handles "thousands of files" whereas I have tens of thousands. I am also not interested in storing my "asset catalog" within the cloud...I just want it stored locally.
Please please can someone help point me in the right direction? I have been scratching my head searching for something...there is SO MUCH out there...the majority of which won't properly handle InDesign files as well, which is a NECESSITY.
Thank you so much as always,
Christine

Purple_Jim, for some reason I just lost my new reply, so am writing again:)
I just checked out the program and one CAN easily update the database when changes are made to the volume(s) as files are added/removed/renamed/moved, etc. This is GREAT!! I am busy trying it out and it is WONDERFUL and EXACTLY what I need! And it is SO SPEEDY too...I LOVE it!
I just had to contact their support tho' as it doesn't seem to want to add in all of the images. It APPEARS to be adding them but not all of the folders are showing up. If I can get this issue sorted out then this program would be IDEAL:) It's great to know that you haven't had any issues:) That gives me hope as this program looks PERFECT!!
Thank you so so much for letting me know about it:)
**UPDATE**
In CASE you can shed any light on my issue...
I just did some more testing and it seems that the problem occurs if/after I hit “STOP” when the volume is being scanned. Once I try to update the volume after that so that I can continue adding images, then it seems that nothing is added to the directory in Tri_CATALOG after the point when I chose to hit “STOP”.
It does not seem to be cataloging everything:( I just tried adding a new volume but it appears to have stopped adding images to the database even tho’ it SEEMS as if new items are still being added in the “Scan Volume window”.
Here is an example: The image below labeled “469-00625” appears to have been added to the “Clients/Ascot Supply Corp./Buyer’s Guide/2014 Buyer’s Guide/Archive/z_buyer’s guide image library_jpg/06_valve hardware/JPEG” folder but when I do a search for the image it cannot be located, and this folder also does not appear in the catalog directory (second screenshot below). No matter how many times I try to update the volume, the number of images for the “Clients” folder below remains at 811 pictures (as if it has stopped scanning, even tho’ new ones are still being added) and I am not able to add anything else. The Tri_CATALOG database appears to have stopped adding images after the “2011 Buyer’s Guide” folder below even tho’ there are still several new folders still need to be added….see third screenshot for ACTUAL directory on the volume.
From Tri_CATALOG: (Won’t add anything else below “2011 Buyer’s Guide"
Screenshot of ACTUAL directory from volume I am trying to scan into Tri_CATALOG:

Convert pdf files back to indesign files again

my computer crashed recently so I need to recreate some idesign files from exported pdf files. Is there a program that can import PDF files and make them Indesign files again with all the original componets there and ready to edit? I created many pdf files with Indesign program but lost many original indd files when my computer crashed.

PDF2ID from Recosoft gets fairly good reviews, but don't expect miracles, and you won't get styles because they don't make it into the PDF. I belive Markzware is currently beta testing a plugin as well and you may find information on that on their site.

I want to remove some images from hard drive, how to tell they are linked to InDesign files?

Is there any way I can find out if the image is linked to an any InDesign file? I have a thousand .indd files on my hard drive, if I open one by one and see the links panel it would take me ages...

Willi Adelberger wrote:
That's said, if you package all files from InDesign you don't get links to linked ai files. Although they are complete for the use in InDesign you might loose the editability of linked AI files if their links are lost. So it would be a good idea to package linked ai files too but this functionality is only available in the Cloud Versions from CS6 and CC, not in the permanent license.
Wait...what?
Maybe I misunderstand the post, or I've missed something along the way, but I've been using InDesign since it was introduced, and I've never heard this before. I output packages using pre-CC versions all the time, and I've never experienced any link or editability breakage with .ai files, or any others for that matter. Can you clarify Willi? What am I missing?

How do I import multiple Ai files into one Indesign File - whilst still keeping the Ai Files editable and up dateable for the one Indesign File?

Hi All,
Im relatively new to Ai and Indesign, and have been doing Uni work over Christmas, and have a rather urgent question thats stressing me out.
I originally had many art boards in my ai file, but due to the number, I split these into single files to help my computer run better.
Now I want to organise them into one document to save. From searching online Indesign can import these and save as one file, yet automatically update if the original ai file is updated. I would like to do this but just don't know how to do this correctly?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Im using CC Ai and indesign.
Thanks in advance
Sam

Yes, effectively I would like to catalogue the files into one collection so i can save as one PDF and Print as one.:)
I know I could save each AI as a pdf them then merge the pdf's together in acrobat, but I have nearly 100 files so would feel more comfortable seeing them all together before print / saving.
My concern is that if I insert them in Ai, will the file resolution reduce? and will the ai still be editable and would it update the indesign file?
Thanks for the quick reply

I can open my new InDesign files by going up through the menu and opening that way, but when I try to just double click on an InDesign file I get error messages telling me that certain plugins aren't available.

I upgraded my Mac a few weeks ago to 10.10.2 Yosemite, and I joined the Adobe cloud so I could get access to all the new apps. I read a blurb somewhere about converting older InDesign files to the new CC version I'd have to open the old files in my old InDesign CS3, export to an ins file, then open that file in the new InDesign CC, then export it again to an idml file, then open that file and you shouldn't have any of the usual conversion problems. For the first few files I had to convert, it worked just fine. Now for some reason, whenever I try to open one of these converted files just by double-clicking on the file itself, I get an error message that says, "The document ____ uses one or more plug-ins which are currently not available on your system. Do you want to open anyway?" When I click OK, then I get another error message that says, "Cannot open ____. Please upgrade your plug-ins to their latest versions, or upgrade to the latest version of Adobe InDesign." I thought this CC version of InDesign was the newest. Can somebody please tell me what gives with this? Any help will be very much appreciated.

Did you reinstall CS3 after CC?
For that matter, doing an in-place upgrade on the OS is always a gamble with Adobe programs. Reinstalling all the versions you need, in order, would probably solve your problem.
And you shouldn't need to save as IDML after opening the .inx in CC.

I am in the middle of a job using CS 6, but at the same time opening the Creative Suite apps. I created an InDesign file in CS 6, saved it, and now I can't open it. I'm getting this message: Cannot open file because it was saved with a newer version of A

I am in the middle of a job using CS 6, but at the same time opening the Creative Suite apps. I created an InDesign file in CS 6, saved it, and now I can't open it. I'm getting this message: Cannot open file because it was saved with a newer version of Adobe InDesign CC (10.1). You must use that version or later to open the file." AARRGGHH! So how do I access the file?

Sounds like you opened and saved it in CC, so now you need to go back to CC and either complete the project there, or export to IDML to take it back into CS6.

I exported an indesign file as a pdf saved to my desktop, now all indesign files on desktop are turned to pdf. HELP PLEASE

I exported an indesign file as a pdf saved to my desktop, now all indesign files on desktop are turned to pdf. HELP PLEASE

If you are using Mac, press Apple + I to get the information. It show a table. There is a section call Open with. Change the file with pdf icon to open with indesign. If using PC, just click on the second button on the mouse and open with Indesign.

I can't save an old InDesign file to the new version

I can't save an old InDesign file to the new version. I keep getting this message:
I can only save the file as .IDML.

This happens to ALL old InDesign files on my iMac (problem does not happen on my Macbook pro). I have saved the files as .idml and opened them again. I get the same error when I try to save the file as .indd. They can ONLY be saved as .idml.
I never embed images and do not have font issues (file was created on the same iMac as it is being opened on now).
Sometimes I get an error when I first try to open an old file - it ays the file is damaged and can't be opened. I try again right after and it opens fine.

Image in indesign file not showing in pdf export - help!

Hi there -
Exporting my indesign file to a pdf has been fine up til now - all the images and text are showing up fine except for one. The image is one that I edited in Photoshop (CS4) - it's a drop shadow layer. I then placed it in Indesign and fiddled with its opacity. And then I exported. Literally, everything else in this rather substantial file is fine. I increased the opacity of the image to 100% and it did actually show up in the pdf, as it appeared on indesign. Then I tried decreasing the opacity by a minimal amount (to 85% - I'm aiming for around 45%) and it disappeared again. Not sure how to fix this. Thanks for any help
(in Indesign) (in the pdf)

Just so you know that Steve isn’t blowing smoke, this is a well known problem with Preview. It works just fine for PDFs out of Word and the like but is simply not up to the task of handling advanced features.
Bob

Animated GIF in InDesign file?

I am designing a website in InDesign CS3 on a Mac and I am also creating an animated GIF file as the banner for the website homepage. Is there a way to insert the animated GIF and have it actually animate in InDesign? Or, is there a way to export the Indesign file as a PDF and have the animation appear?
Thanks!
Jessica

You are using the wrong program for web design. InDesign is not a web layout program. There are ways to export InDesign files to XML or HTLM, but the result is not an accurate reproduction of your layout. Before you get too far into the design you should switch to a more appropriate program like DreamWeaver or FreeWay.

Can anyone help me open these InDesign files?

I've been trying all day to open files for a project I was working on in March with InDesign. I could open them in March but now my computer is either crashing from trying to load the folder that contains the files, or it gives me one of two error messages. The first saying I don't have permission to open the file, the second saying the file is already open with another user.
I have tried opening from my computer and from an external drive, neither work. I have tried restarting. I've tried opening as a copy, original and normal. I've tried opening InDesign as an administrator. I have tried phoning Adobe and have been on hold for 25 minutes so far. I have tried the online help but nobody available there. I don't know what else to try.
I can create a new InDesign files and I'm not having any trouble with any other Adobe products. My subscription is until 29th August. Any ideas appreciated.
Thanks,
Angs

If you open it in a plain text editor, what do the first few lines look like? If there's no lock file, the next most likely cause for this error is that the files aren't really .indd files.

InCopy Crashes when trying to open InDesign file.

InCopy just spins when trying to open an Indesign file and will eventualy cause InCopy to crash. When InCopy is then reopened the file will be recovered but the only tab available is layout view, both story view and gallery view are missing. The editor needs story view to make corrections.
The designer sets up the file with InDesign CS6 v. 8.0.1 on a mac w/osx v.10.7.5 the editor was using InCopy CS6 v.8.0.1 but has received new hardware and is on v8.0.2 windows 7. One of our Editors does receive this message Adobe InDesign is missing required files, Please reinstall.
We have upgraded editors hardware to allow more resorces.
Please advise what may be the cause.

Why would one of your editors receive a message about "Adobe InDesign is missing required files, please reinstall"? Aren't they using InCopy (not InDesign)?
Re the InCopy crashes, it sounds like the INDD file might be damaged. You can test this by having the InDesign user create a new test document and export one story to the workflow. See if the InCopy user can open that INDD file over the network, check out the test story, make a change, save it, check it back in, and then the InDesign user update the story on their end.
AM

InDesign files lost

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