this chat with adobe 'tech' charu started at 2.
a book i'm working on suddenly decided it could no longer be opened - as did several other indesign files.
i went to adobe support and sent them the packaged file, complete with pdf used for proofing.
they tell me a third party plug in has corrupted the book.
Charu:Are you using any external plugins also?
Adam Bucci: no
Charu:The file is not opening on our end also and giving the same error message.
Charu:It seems that there is some external plugin which you are using has got corrupted and that is not installed on our end also.
Charu:That is why we both are getting same error message.
there is no third party plugin. error message clearly states it to be an adobe plugin at fault.
and if they had read the instructions that get packaged with the file theyd have seen that
support person tells me a 'recovered' document has bee made and can be downloaded.
Charu:I have recovered the file but you might have to make some changes in that as per your requirements.
Charu:I am sending you back the package file.
Adam Bucci: how did you get it to open?
Adam Bucci: i have several other files that all display the same error message
Charu:I recovered it through the PDF.
Adam Bucci: and how do i go about doing that here?
Charu:It is done through scripting.
Adam Bucci: so, because of a plugin that i do not have installed for cc 2014 i have to re do all my work?
so i download it.
i open it.
and find this
an 8.5 x 11 book with a bunch of placed pdfs in it. not even close to the original document set up, and most importantly, completely uneditable.
the recovered book is just a new book with pdfs placed in it.
i tell the tech this 'recovered' book is useless as i cannot make changes.
Adam Bucci: I'm afraid this is absolutely of no use to me. i have to rebuild this book from scratch. i cannot make changes on placed pdfs
Charu:The file is editable which I sent you.
Charu:You can change the layout from document setup and then align the pages as well.
Adam Bucci: i have changes to make to the copy and some photos. how do i do that? this file is useless, you sent me a file with a bunch of placed pdfs in it. i already have a pdf for this book.
Adam Bucci: i need the original indesign document, with text i can edit and pictures i can move
Charu:Did you choose the option "Include IDML" when creating package for the file? - there is no option to include IDML when packaging, thats an export option
Charu:As I said that you can use the IDML file for that which I have included.
i open the idml file the 'tech' tells me i can use to recover my work
it looks like this
again its an 8.5 x 11 document with a bunch of placed pdfs inside it
Adam Bucci: the idml file is exactly the same as the indesign file you sent in that its nothing but placed pdfs. utterly useless to me.
Charu:Okay, let me forward your file to our senior level team and will try if it can be recovered or not.
Charu:But this may take some time.
Adam Bucci: this is supposed to be printed on monday morning my time. i have a long list of changes to make as well as extra pages to insert. i have, through no fault of my own, seen my weekend vanish as i rebuild this book in time for my client to approve all corrections and changes and for it to get to the press on time.
Charu:I am forwarding the files, we will try our best to recover them
Charu:At the moment it is the best I can do at the moment for you
Charu:Sorry for the typing mistake
Charu:It is the best I can do for you at the moment
Adam Bucci: and how long will that take? i'm paying good money for cc 2014 and to have it wipe out many days of work is unacceptable
Charu:We will let you know on Monday if we were able to recover the file
Adam Bucci: monday is too late. i'm losing a lot of money if this does not go to press on time.
Adam Bucci: could you transfer me to a senior level person who might know how to fix this?
Charu:Unfortunately, we do not have any other option at the moment. I understand that
Charu:you have lost considerable amount of work & time
Adam Bucci: and money
by this time, a couple of hours have passed and i'm getting a bit annoyed by their help
Adam Bucci: so and please correct me if i'm wrong. it seems that a fault within indesign wiped out my current work and some past work. adobe's fix for that is to insert pdfs that in no way can be altered on pages of a new 8.5 x 11 document that adobe now calls a 'recovered' indesign file.
Adam Bucci: adobe blames the incident on a corrupt third party extension even though none is installed or used.
Adam Bucci: all this leaves the designer with the task of a. explaining to client why corrections will not be sent by days end, why book has to be rebuilt, and why the book will not be printed at the date and time specified.
Adam Bucci: and there is no guarantee that won't happen again, because adobe doesn't know why it happened in the first place, even though an error message pointing out the problem is with an adobe plugin.
Charu:we are still not sure why the document got corrupted
Charu:we will try our best to recover the file
Charu:But unfortunately we do not have anyone from the senior level available at the moment to take a look at the file
What? no senior level technicians available? its 4pm on a friday. unless the united states got the afternoon off and i didn't hear of it, how on earth can adobe not have anyone quailfied at their support centre during US business hours?
the 'tech' asks how many indesign docs i have that are inoperable
Charu:How many files do you have with which you are facing this issue?
Adam Bucci: at least 5, maybe more, i have to go through every file i've worked on since i started using indesign cc 2014 - more wasted time for me
Charu:Do you remember any last action you took with these files?
Charu:Any action that you had performed on these files last time?
Charu:when they were openable?
Adam Bucci: i saved them, then closed them.
Charu:Did you install any OS updates recently?
Adam Bucci: no. nothing has been altered on my mac. its just as i left it yesterday, the day before and the day before that.
Adam Bucci: they were openable before noon today. after that indesign decided it did not want to open files it had opened earlier in the morning.
the chat ends a few minutes later, it is now 4.42 pacific time. the lag between some responses from the tech exceeded 15 minutes
it turns out there are about 17 indesign files - 10 of which were built with indesign cc 201 - that are suddenly useless - some of which haven't been opened in weeks.
its utterly unacceptable that adobe has no technicians available during afternoon business hours in the US.
i have not heard back from their senior technicians.
i cannot find any reason why at my end why indesign cc 2014 couldn't open these files.
i'm paid through october 2015 with my 'subscription' and if i can expect this level of support i'm seriously considering asking for a full refund. i lost my weekend, missed a couple of deadlines, and thankfully my client was understanding.
so adobe, if you read these forums, i just want you to know your support service sucks. you're making a lot of money forcing everyone to subscribe and receive a bunch of software most will never ever use - i do print and web design, why on earth do i need premiere,after effects, prelude, scout or even speed grade? and i'm sitll waiting for a phone call from you guys as well as a report on whatever your senior lever technicians were able to do with my document