Recently, I wrote a post pointing out some new bugs in InDesign 17.2. For those folks who had already updated InDesign to this version and were having problems with the new bugs, I suggested using the Creative Cloud app to roll back to version 17.1. However, I need to point out that doing so is also potentially perilous, as you will lose customizations ranging from workspaces to scripts.
When you start the roll-back process, the Creative Cloud app does warn you, but probably not enough.
Ideally, it would list everything that will be wiped out when you roll back, so you can take proper precautions. Maybe even add a touch of blood red to the design of the dialog box to trigger our lizard brains to recognize there is inherent danger here.
In my case, I carelessly rolled back to 17.1 just to quickly test and document the process. I didn’t bother to back up anything. To my brief horror, when I launched 17.1 and opened the Scripts panel to run one of my favorite scripts, the User folder was completely empty.
In the default workspace, no one can hear you scream.
I normally keep over 600 scripts in there. That collection is the fruit of years of effort to find, install, test, and organize scripts from countless sources. Seeing that empty folder and the thought of losing everything it contained, just because of a moment’s carelessness stunned me. I briefly considered ditching it all and buying a beet farm. But then I remembered that I had, in fact, backed up all my scripts in multiple places because they are so indispensable.
A quick copy and paste of the folders into the right location and I was back in business.
So, my little heart-stopping story had a happy ending. But I share it as a cautionary tale. If you have a script collection too, please be sure it’s backed up on a regular basis. Because even if you never encounter this exact same roll-back/wipeout scenario, you never want to feel that gut punch of looking at an empty Scripts panel in InDesign.
This article was last modified on April 11, 2022
This article was first published on April 11, 2022
Commenting is easier and faster when you're logged in!
