Introduction
Below are the most common problems clients put forward in tickets with regard to the Adobe InDesign server and InDesign files.
Issue description & Solution
“Invalid file” as the result of the analysis process
If you access the workflow and see the Invalid file message, there are two possible causes for this status:
The file has an incorrect structure
Solution: In first case, make sure that a InDesign file has the correct file structure:
Avoid using text for translation inside images. Text inside raster images (such as PNG/JPG/JPEG) cannot be sent for translation.
Make sure to show hidden characters.
Use hard return correctly - to create a new paragraph, not to wrap text!
Avoid using tabulation: use indentation instead.
Use Paragraph styles to format text.
Make sure that the language attribute is applied correctly.
Pay attention to hyphenation.
2. InDesign server that is utilized by XTM to process files has either stopped or has problems with processing the file
Solution: In such a case, please, raise a proper ticket to the XTM Support team and provide details.
“No content” as the result of the analysis process
If you access the workflow and see the No content message, there are two possible causes for this status:
XTM by default is not extracting locked and/or hidden layers
If your file has its all layers locked or hidden, and no custom configuration is present, the system will mark this file as having no content.
Solution: Make sure that the content you do want to translate is not either on the hidden or locked layer because it is not extracted by XTM.
2. InDesign configuration (ITS) has been applied incorrectly by our XTM Support team or a file with a different structure has been used with a given set of ITS rules
Solution: In such a case, please, raise a proper ticket to the XTM Support team and provide details.
File has “erred out” as the result of the analysis process
If you access the workflow and see the Book icon, then it means that the file erred out and failed to process. Below you will find the most common reasons for such a state of affairs:
Invalid InDesign version
XTM for file processing purpose utilizes a specific InDesign server version. It means that if you have the INDD file created with a version higher than the one currently supported by our product, such a file will fail to process.
The IDML file, on the other hand, due to its specification, is not subject to this version restriction and XTM will process it correctly.
Solution: To amend this issue, please, either downgrade the InDesign version of your INDD file or try using IDML files instead.
2. Temporary server issues
Solution: On rare occasions, there are problems between the XTM and InDesign server. In the majority of situations, such issues are temporary and after a time, when a user will trigger the project's reanalysis, the file will be processed correctly.
If the problem keeps on persisting, please, raise a proper ticket to the XTM Support team and provide details.
The analysis process of InDesign files take too long
Solution: The InDesign Server places files in a queue and processes them one by one. In some cases, with many large files, the analysis may take quite a long time. This is because the file is still in the queue and must wait until the analysis of the preceding files is finished. On the XTM cloud, we currently have only one queue to analyze the InDesign files. Once the files are processed, they are sent back to XTM.
Fonts text overflows outside of a text box or a button
Text boxes as well as buttons in InDesign documents have no capability for "stretching". It means that each time a given text box has a predefined length, any text that will exceed this length will end up overflowing a given element.
Solution: Since XTM, due to the InDesign files' specification, has no technical means to address this issue, it is advised either to design your files to be ready for future translation or to engage in an additional DTP step. Please, design text boxes so that there is plenty of space left for translation which might be significantly longer than the source text.
Source | Target |
|---|---|
 |
|
InDesign plugin deleted on target file generation
Some clients utilize various plugins in their InDesign when creating source documents. Such plugins are likely to be removed from a given document upon the target file generation.
Solution: If you find that your XTM removed such a plugin, and it is crucial for you to have it, please, contact our XTM Support team and provide details.
Source INDD file produces INDD and IDML target files upon generation
Such generation happens if you submit an INDD file that was created using the InDesign version older than the one installed on our server. The output INDD will be updated to the version we are operating on, and for some users, it would render it inoperable. For this reason, we deliver an additional IDML file that can be opened virtually by any InDesign version.
Solution: This is expected behavior on our system's part.
Source INDD file produces only an IDML file
This is a variant of the issue above. It usually happens when the InDesign server has difficulties with producing an output INDD file. The most likely root cause of this problem is the translation overflowing text frame/box that is set in the source file.
Solution: Below are steps that you can take to either prevent this issue or to address it post factum:
Ask the file's creator to design the file in such a way that the text frame/box will have some additional room for the potential translation.
Take the output IDML file and engage in an additional DTP step in order to reshape the text frame/box. Once you are done, convert the file to the INDD format.
IDML/INDD target files are not opening
It might be the case that you generated a target file from XTM, but it is not opening in the proper software. On the other hand, there is the same file translated into a different language (or not translated but generated as target) that does open, which means that it is not a “reversor” problem. This leaves us with the inline placement issue, which may be anywhere in the file.
Solution: You can easily track down the affected segment in Workbench on your own with a few steps:
Take the faulty target IDML/INDD file and create a TEST project with it.
The analysis will most likely fail, and you will see the reason in an error message in Project editor → Workflow → (open “error message” log).
3. Unzip the IDML file on your computer and navigate to the file using the path from the above stack trace.
4. Search for the suggested keyword (in this case, xtm:style).
5. Use the translatable text in proximity to search/filter segments in Workbench.
6. As you can see, this segment causes the issue and, if possible, arrange a better inline placement.
InDesign issues pertaining to XTM Visual Mode (Visual Editor)
There is a separate dedicated article that deals with various issues pertaining to XTM Visual Mode (Visual Editor), including but not limited to InDesign issues. Please, familiarize yourself with it if you did not find the solution above: XTM Visual Mode (Visual Editor) - most common issues & troubleshooting.