An important announcement about CS3 crashes from Adobe
The following was posted in the Adobe InDesign User to User Forum:
Topic
InDesign CS3 Crash: How to Avoid
We?ve taken a look at the crash and have determined the cause. The crash typically occurs when one hits backspace several times very quickly in a story of over 500 characters. Our code is incorrectly stepping through the contents of the story when calculating the character count to display in the Info panel.
We will be sure to fix this bug in a future dot release, although we do not yet have one scheduled. In the meantime, you can avoid this particular crash by hiding the Info panel while editing. Not satisfactory, I imagine, but I hope the information is helpful.
The bug is a bit of a timing issue related to InDesign trying to update the Info panel while editing. So if you do some editing with the Info panel closed, then reopen it to get the character count, you will not crash and the character count will be accurate.
Thank you to those who are submitting crashlogs. We look at them regularly and we will continue to investigate and fix the most frequent crashes when we can identify a cause. We encourage you to include your email address when submitting a crashlog. While we cannot respond to each person who does so, it can be very helpful to have a contact when tracking problems down.
Tommy Donovan
Development Project Lead
InDesign/InCopy Development
Adobe Systems, Inc.
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Thanks for posting that, Sandee. Note that not everyone has this problem. I have tried numerous times to get InDesign CS3 to crash on my MacBook Pro and it just won’t crash! Dang…
I encounter many crashes while editing text and hitting the backspace.
I’m having loads of trouble with CS3 at the moment, and not when using the storyboard, but when I have illustrator and photoshop open and are working between them. I will notice InDesign beginnning to respond really slowly after a time, and then just stop responding all together.
it’s really frustrating :(
And I have a long time to wait when I close ID down on my G5PPC when I also have used Illy, PS and Acrobat all day. Lots of whirring and noise from the box. I’m going to reformat my drive (due anyway) and will see how i sounds then.
All the Adobe CS apps seem to take a long time to quit after you use them for a long time. I sometimes run InDesign for several days before quitting and it can take minutes to quit. Acrobat, too. I think it’s a bit better in CS3, though.
In general, I think quitting and relaunching all these programs once or twice each day is probably a good idea.
thanks for the update, Sandee. It sure has been helpful, but, i tried to get my MacPro to crash, but darnit, it wouldn’t do it. I’ll keep on tryin’
I can’t seem to get past the serial number set up screen in CS3. I click the next button and then it crahses. Any ideas, adobe is on speed dial right now?thanks Tom
Tommy, if you have not run the uninstaller for CS3 beta software it is in the applications under the utility folder, run Bridge and PS(adobe uninstallers). Use this link for a full clean up if that fails =
https://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cs3clean.html
Yes, it’s extremely important to get rid of any bits of beta stuff on your machine. (Tom, I removed your email address from your post, just so you don’t get spammed.)
Other than the beta issue, I can’t think of what the problem would be.
I didn’t run the beta, and yet I can’t get it started. I tried on other machines with no success, until I tried it on a friends dual core. Don’t know what else to do but buy a new machine?
I’m having a problem on CS3
When I print my files to PDF,
if the indd file has images that i placed in photoshop,
the image quality is damaged when in PDF format, like
a minimum quality JPG as if i saved it that way on Photoshop. But on In Design CS2 (I installed it again to test
& be sure of) this problem doen’t ocurr, only on CS3. I already revised all configurations on Distiller, and it’s all right. Did someone notice that problem? ANything, please help me.
I have not experienced this particular crash, yet. But now I will know it when it happens! However, the bit about the CS3 apps taking a long time to quit happens to me all the time – terribly annoying. Add to that that ID can take an awful long time to launch, particularly if I double click a file to launch and open. This is on a Macbook Pro 2.1ghz/2g ram.
I?m having some troubles with CS3. When I have InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop open and am working between them then they respond quite slowly, eventually seeming to hang for varying lengths of time. Also the new PS, AI and ID icons flash continuously when I am using these programmes – often with other flashing artifacts on the right hand side of my screen. It’s driving me mad. Any ideas on how to cure this?
Forgot to say in my last post (11th June)that I am using a PC with XP Professional. My flashing screen and lethargic response times problem got so bad in the end that I uninstalled all CS3 elements and reinstaled CS2. no kore problems.
Serious problems with CS3 Indesign and Acrobat. Indesign crashes whenever I place a .psd file. It crashes itself when it’s doing a recovery from the previous crash. When exporting to PDF the file is fine, the PDF is fine, but when it’s attached to an email half the file is gone!!!!
CS3 is the worst release ever. If you want to know what a buggy realese is…well have a look at CS3.
An average of 20 crashes per day! Saving, opening, typing…
I would have done better throwing the money straight into the litter bin!
Forgot to say… The company where I work has marked the CS3 as:”unusable at the present state” and has forced everyone to switch back to CS2.
Anyone who is having 20 crashes a day (or even 3) is not running into bugs in CS3. They’re running into something else. (Font corruption, preferences corruption, or something else…). Yes, CS3 has some bugs, but Paolo, I think your company has some kind of other issue it needs to figure out.
My CS3 Indesign crashes frequently. I could not see this release being stable in a collaborative environment. Seriously David I am inclined to believe Paulo. Its usable but highly annoying. I believe it may be a PowerPC issue, my Macbook Pros yet to crash but my G5 PP is awful!
Hi guys, i have a real problem when applying styles automatically to imported/importing XML, CS3 just crashes out every time!
If i simply import the XML its fine, but as soon as i try to automate styling using para and char styles it goes bonkers and crashes…
Mark, that sounds bad. My first guess would be that something is wrong with one or more of the paragraph or character styles. See if you can apply each of them manually. Perhaps a font has gone bad? Also, try regular troubleshooting techniques, such as rebuilding preferences and so on.
Do you have any suggestions for me David? InDesign will crash even when I do something as simple as a cut and paste. The CS3 ‘upgrade’ is forcing me to say goodbye to my bonus, since all i do is trouble-shoot CS3 problems with the IT guys all day…
I have now successfully imported the XML I needed too. The problem arose from table imports, we were using the adobe specification to import tables, this seems to conflict with CS3… once these were removed it imports and styles without a problem.
I have now encountered another problem! If i try to edit the imported and styled XML in the frames, CS3 crashes out again completely.
I’m getting somewhat frustrated as we had this working in CS2 without ever crashing out on any size document.
Well, add me to the list! CS3 has been causing my computer to crash so much that I feel like I’m living in the PC world again! (Has Steve been collaborating with Bill?) I anxiously await some updates to fix the problems.
Add me to the list of CS3 InDesign frequent crashes. I have a DS2 document that I can open but cannot print (crashes while flattening the first page). I tried opening the inx file made from CS2 and it crashes on opening repeatedly. Other crashes but this is the crash of the moment. Looked for an ID CS3 update, nothing yet.
Agree with Paolo – CS3 is unusable. Indesign just crashes when opening a file. Checked a lot of infos from the web, with no result at the moment. It’s really annoying.
When I open a cs2 file with cs3 and save-I get the browser-it doesn’t save the files to their original location-a pain in the butt if you have to go thru your server every time. The command+option+shift+S doesn’t work like it sez in adobe help. Its not just in the server files either-if its on my hard drive same thikng-really annoying-anyone know why and if there is a fix???-thanx
Phil, Command-option-shift-S is “save all open documents,” right? Is that what the docs say?
As for remembering what folder you were in… are you saying that when you just Save a document, it brings up a Save As dialog box? That usually happens when you’ve converted a file from an earlier version or when you’re working in a template.
By the way, I find the Default Folder utility an essential tool for working on the Mac OS. It does all the “folder remembering” for me.
If I read the help doc correctly, command+option+shift+Save sends a file to its original folder but that didn’t happen-Adobe said it just doesn’t work all the time. Must be the version thing you were talkikng about-someone needs to fix that faux pas. Will look at Default Folder-thanx for your help!
I’m not having any crashing problems, and have been able to work successfully in both CS2 and CS3 on a Mac Mini, but when my art director opens my CS2 files on his G5 dual, he’s been crashing — and only since I installed CS3. Anyone heard of this or have a remedy?
I find CS3 to be the worst release altogether.
Everything from the install onwards is just horrible.
The macromedia product always sucked, especially the User Interfaces.
Now, Adobe are implementing the inferior Macromedia UI making Illustrator terribly illogical and a drag to get around. Instead of being a help the UI is something I’m fighting on a daily basis.
Brushes in Photoshop are sluggish and almost impossible to work with.
No release of GoLive in CS3 either. I’m sure the contract offered Macromadness stated this but IMO is a step backwards.
CS3 is an unfinished product rushed to release. Constant patching and updates are proof of this.
Indesign is so unstable it shouldn’t be out of beta testing.
We pay good money for these products. Money right down the toilet – buying CS3 is like buying a car with no tires, grinding along on the rims. I’m not going to buy an Adobe product again, unless I’m 100% sure everything works like it should.
I’m tired of this dumbing down nonsense Adobe has subjected us to since Photoshop 7 (or even 5.5 perhaps).
So, friends. What alternatives save for old versions of Adobe suite are out there?
Oh – really we shouldn’t spent hours on forums getting our programs to work somewhat.
They should work right out of the box, right?
Seb, there are always alternatives. But I wouldn’t chalk all your problems up to Adobe. For example, if InDesign is that unstable for you, I think you’ve got other issues. The vast majority of InDesign users have very few crashes. Perhaps your preferences have become corrupted, or you’re using old plug-ins or something else that is causing the unstability.
All software crashes sooner or later. (If you don’t crash sometimes, you’re not trying hard enough.) But it shouldn’t be enough to make the product seem unstable.
I have had major problems keeping InDesign CS3 open and working. I have also lost the ability to hide the app. Last Friday I did a complete wipe of my HD, installed the new Mac OS (10.5), then my applications. I am still having trouble.
The trouble’s not with the backspace though. It crashes while I’m either trying to export or trying to place a document. Two functions I absolutely NEED. Any news on when this will be fixed?
:)
m
Melissa, I haven’t heard of any widescale ID CS3/Leopard bug with placing or exporting.
When you re-installed OS X and your apps did you also start a new user account (or did you migrate your old one). I ask because the problem might likely be in your user account; a corrupted font or preference or something. Reinstalling ID CS3 does not affect existing user pref files.
The best way to test is with a new user account on the same machine. See if the problem persists there.
Please see Steve Werner’s recent post about crashes in InDesign due (weirdly) to a Version Cue update.
I’m having serious problems with indesign cs3, copying and pasting between docs will cause a crash. So does using my object library. Even the satin effect crashes it everytime. I have never had this many crashes on a mac before.
I have a G5 Dual. Indesign CS3 must really be the bummer! It crashes when I try to export a file, save a file, open a file and I can go on and on about other crashes. What I want to know is what computer did Adobe test CS3 out on? I can’t believe they were convinced that their product was stabled enough to be released.
Glad it’s not just me then, with all the crashes in InDesign CS3 since I upgraded to Leopard. Some of the possible causes sited (corrupted preferences or fonts) sound plausible, but I could use a little help here – for those of us who haven’t given a second thought to our preferences files since OS9, what do I do to fix it?????
Hi there. I thought I should add this solution to this post as after much trouble shooting.
https://www.morrisonsoftdesign.com/index-7.html
Font Doctor diagnoses font issues that may be causing indesign to crash. It resolves the issues for you or removes the offending font if it cannot be repaired.
My belief is that CS3 handles fonts that are unstable in a much less graceful manner that CS2. Hence all the indd CS3 is less stable than CS2 arguments. CS2 was happy to work with less than perfect fonts without a crash but CS3 does not. See if you agree with this as it may solve many peoples issues? Good luck all.
Sam. :)
I am so stumped with this crashing issue. I have a clean set of fonts. But when I edit type I crash on a regular basis. I have found when I crash if I then delete the preferences I can make the offending change without a crash. What stumps me is the fact that after trashing the preferences it can still exhibit this behavior across multiple documents and the same document in a differing place. I use zevrix’s batch output and teacups type fitter. I am about to add a few more pluggins but am hesitant to as I have still not resolved my crash issues. I am going to reinstall which will be painful… Anyone got any suggestions. And yes I have exported to INX. etc….
I may have cracked this. I simply forgot to repair my permissions after font doctor repaired my font library. Maybe this is it!
I still get crashes when typing and I have re-installed indd, run Fontdoctor through my library and removed a few fonts. Cleaned every available font cache etc etc but cannot solve this issue. Any ideas I only crash when typing, across multiple fonts and documents. Exporting to inx and trashing my preferences briefly helps but then it happens again……
Hi, i would like to know how i may open a CS3 document in CS. I save my document in .inx format.Thanks a lot for your help.
Unfortunately, ylamarre, there is no way to do this other than to export as INX, then open in CS2, then open in CS2 and export as INX and open that in CS. Frustrating.
I have solved this crashing issue finally now. I have an extremely stable copy of Indesign with lots of plugins, very happy! :)
The culprit was Teacups Typefitter on a PPC not on my Intel. So any of you struggling out there with crashes on PPC’s it may be Teacups typefitter plugin that causes the crashes.
Specifically I crashed when the panel was open and edited text.
I must stress Teacup were wonderful and made me a custom build quickly and efficiently. 10/10 Teacup thanks awfully!
Onyx (1.9.3) has been the only solution that has worked for me (Leopard 10.5.2 – G5 PPC dual 2GHZ). After wasting a day searching online forums and removing INDCS3 software and reinstalling – I realised it was very similar to a problem that I previously had with Quark 7 with the OpenType font cache, (fixed using OpenType Font Cache Cleaner at the time – this problem has now been fixed by installing Leopard) which would result in numerous crashes – even more then the normal Quark.
All previous version of IND were as solid as a rock on my system, but with Leopard INDCS3 was crashing on opening, saving, exporting, relinking images etc. basically the software could not be used (No problems at all on my Intel Macbook – only on PPC machine).
In the Cleaning section of Onyx I selected ‘Fonts’ and checked the boxes ‘System and Users’ and ‘Adobe Systems’ – clicked on the execute button and restarted. InDesign CS3 now works completely……hopefully this info may help someone else.
I have kept the original installation of InDesign CS3 (5.0) and not upgraded to 5.2 just incase it breaks again……Now I have to find a solution for the Photoshop CS3 bug that means my Xerox Phaser printer prints gobbledygook. Very disappointed in the Mac OS X (10.5….) and Adobe software this time.
PS – I removed Version Cue software as some forums recommend.
hi im having trouble opening ID cs3. it worked fine on my old pc and just wont open on my new macbook pro. it keeps coming up with a “serious error”. does anybody know why this could be happening?
Mareee, that sounds bad. Did you do a clean install of InDesign on your new computer? Or just try to copy it over? I would certainly try to rebuild your preferences (see Popular Posts in the secrets area), but you may need to do an uninstall and reinstall.
i just copied it over. do you think i’d have to uninstall and reinstall all of cs3? all the other programs work fine, it’s just ID im having trouble with.
thanks for the advice, ill try rebuild my preferences and see if that works.
tried rebuilding preferences but it wouldnt even let me do that. i think ill just try uninstall and reinstall
I’ve had consistent CS3 Indesign crashes on a 2 Ghz DP PPC when Preflighting and on a 2.8 Ghz Intel iMac when saving or opening.
InDesign CS3 crashes – Mac OSX 10.5.2 – upgraded from CS2 (due to same problem) indd locks or crashes when attempting to place an image from local file. Deleting prefs fixes issue for a while and then crash will re-occur. Have benn (and will continue) sending reports, this is driving me crazy!
Has anyone tried switching to the Adobe Dialog. This worked for me using CS2 on a intel machine using Rosetta. It stopped crashing altogether. Not sure if it will help on CS3
Nobody like bugs, but when you can provide a workaround it can at least be tolerated. Thanks for the workaround.
Oh for goodness sakes… The last thing I want to hear is that everyone is having the same problems as me.
I have a 100% reproducible crash when cutting or copying GUIDES. Not a font issue. I can’t find the exact issue here in the forums, but I bet its related to thees other crash problems.
Also, I’ll add my name to the list of PostScript gibberish spewing out of my Ricoh Aficio MP4500 printer. We have a contract on the printer and the service WILL NOT CREDIT US for the HUNDREDS of pages of PostScrip errors that have been printed at 10¢ a page because IT’S A KNOWN ADOBE ISSUE!
Any one else crashing when cutting or copying guides?
CS3 – newly installed – on latest OSX Leopard will not launch – quits with a “serious error”. About to try some of the solutions suggested here. Have already re-installed, deleted prefs, caches, .plists etc. There must be some issue with Version Cue 3 as I can’t select that in the System Prefs Pane – causes System Prefs to quit. So that’s where I’m looking first, then Acrobat, then Onyx. Then… who knows?
Is there a real fix for CS3 5.0.4 issues on Crashing on Intel mac running mac os 10.5.8. There seems to be intermittent crashes when pdfing using enfocus pitstop pro 7.5, closing, opening and even saving CS3 based files.
Does moving to CS4 Fixes the issue?
How can I explain this to my boss ?
Thanks
Ravi
After 4 years of this repeated crashing, I found a solution on my system. May not work for everyone but I had tried the preferences fix, font fixes and nothing worked.
My crashes happen when I click on the “Edit” tab at the top of the screen or when I right click. I found by sheer chance that the crash is caused by the clipboard. If I’ve copied or cut in any other program, I have to remember to clear the clipboard before I go back to work in InDesign.
On Windows XP — Go to Start — Run — type in clipbrd — click okay — the clipboard viewer will appear. Click Edit — then “delete” to clear clipboard.
Since I’ve started doing this (yes, it’s a pain but a lot easier than rebooting) I haven’t had a single crash. And I work on InDesign all day/every day.
Hopes this helps!
Even with the info pallet not showing, if I delete a single character, or paragraph return InDesign 5.0.4 crashes, or more like freezes. The error messages I get indicate 100% of the CPU is being used, even though it is the only program open. Sometimes the error is dumprep.exe,
I know this is a really OLD program, but it is all I have. Is there a real solution.
Becky,
Yes, it’s very possible that your program is too old. But I have some questions.
Did this just start happening? Had you been able to use InDesign up until recently?
If it just started happening, did you do anything new to your computer, operating system, or InDesign?
What is your model computer, operating system, RAM?
If you’ve never been able to use InDesign on that machine, how did you install it?
Have you tried creating a new user and logging in and running InDesign from there?
There are a lot of possibilities so we have to go through them one by one.