*** From the Archives ***
This article is from May 7, 2009, and is no longer current.
Save Down From InDesign CS4 to CS3 with INX
Whenever we get two or more emails on a subject within days of each other, I know it’s time for a post about it.
For example, Reuben wrote:
Could Indesign CS4 save a .indd file that could be open and edited in Indesign CS3?
The simple answer is: Use File > Export, then choose InDesign Interchange (INX) from the Format pop-up menu. The resulting INX file can be opened in CS3. (If you’re using CS3, you can do the same thing to downsave — or downgrade or save backward or whatever you want to call it — to CS2. To jump from CS4 to CS2, try this trick.)
But every answer, even apparently simple ones, always come with a caveat or two. Reuben continues:
I’m currently working on a magazine on InDesign CS4. But, my printer company has requested me to downgrade from InDesign CS4 to InDesign CS3, as the designer in the printer company is familiar with CS3. So, my question is… Can I save all files in InDesign CS4 for the designer to be opened in Indesign CS3? He wants it to cross check before printing.
Well, here’s where it gets interesting. There is a reason Adobe doesn’t let you “Save As” to an earlier version: Using Save As (they reckon) should save every bit of your document; you shouldn’t have any data loss. However, moving a file from CS4 to CS3 can very easily mean losing parts of your document.
For example, lets say you use GREP Styles to apply formatting to text inside a paragraph. CS3 doesn’t have that feature, so the formatting disappears. Oops.
If you only use the features that are in CS3, then this workflow should be okay. Most stuff gets saved just fine when you downsave. But I would always proof carefully. In the situation you describe, I personally would never send him INX files. If they can’t bother to upgrade to the newest version, find a different printer.
INX is better suited for situations where you need to clean up some minor corruption in a document (especially after opening a QX or PM file, for example). Or if you’re sending a file to someone else, where you know they’re going to work on it more. Just remember it’s not a perfect interchange format.
By the way, in CS4, Adobe introduced IDML, which — we hope — will make interchange slightly more reliable in the future. But CS4 will still not be able to handle CS5 features (whatever those will be). How could it?
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I’ve also noticed that when downgrading from CS3 to CS2 sometimes text wrap starts behaving strangely. For example, when you look at an image with some text wrap applied it may look OK, but as soon as you click on it or move it, the values go back to 0.
But my first Oops was surely with table styles. There goes all the formatting! Now I always try to remember to delete all table styles and chose “keep formating”.
Concerning a printer who wants you to save down your files, couldn’t agree more with David, get another printer. Preferably one that can take a pdf/x file.
This is a difficult issue, of course Adobe want to give us greater and greater features, but the hassle saving backwards is quite a time consumer…
Currently on of my biggest clients are still on CS1 and saving down to that format is a nightmare!
I’m on an Intel Mac and no matter how much I try I cannot get the last update for CS1 to stick, so that I can open INX files from CS2! The update process each time tells me that it has been successful, and each time it still doesn’t show the little 3.0.1 monicker on the Launch splash screen – Nightmare.
I live in hope that my client upgrades to CS4 like I have and then enjoy the new benefits :)
If anyone else know how to fix the CS1 update on a Leopard Intel mac I’d love to know how… I’ve tried everything I can think of!
David, have you ever had a file that would not export to INX? I ran into this problem for the first time yesterday. I’m actually trying to save the other way, from CS2 to CS4. I use INX all the time if I suspect a file is getting a little funky, but I have never had one fail to export.
My ID CS2 file is apparently corrupt. It will not open in ID CS3 or CS4 on a PC; the program simply crashes while converting. It will open in ID CS2, but crashes CS2 when trying to export INX. It will export to PDF, but not to INX, which seems odd.
I searched this site for past blog posts, along with the Adobe forums looking for a solution. rebuilt preferences, trashed lock files, etc. to no avail.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a file failing to export to INX. Thought maybe you’d have a suggestion.
Casey
Casey,
When you open the CS2 file, can you then do a save as…? That may “rebuild” the file in which you can then open in CS3 or CS4 or make an INX.
@Casey
When you go File>Open and select the file go to the bottom left hand corner of the Open Dialog box and choose to open a Copy.
One of the other things you might try is to open the file, then create a new file to the same dimensions. In the corrupt file go to the pages panel and select all the pages and right click (cmd click on mac) and choose Move Pages. From the drop down menu choose to Move to the new document.
That might help
I’ve seen CS4 files which do not round-trip well using INX (or IDML for that matter) even using CS4 alone. Use the export to INX / IDML very carefully!!!
@Terry: Yes, I did try to Save as… from CS2, no good.
@Eugene: Yes, I did try the File>Open, with the copy box selected, no good there either.
However, I haven’t tried to move the pages. Good suggestion. I was thinking I would have to copy/paste each page to a new document to isolate the page that is corrupted.
If it works, I will post back here.
“If they can?t bother to upgrade to the newest version, find a different printer.”
couldn’t agree more with that comment. it’s a completely different issue when you’re dealing with a client who’s using an earlier version, but keeping up with software versions is part of the cost of doing business as a printer. especially with preeminent software packages like CS.
>If you only use the features that are in CS3, then this workflow should be okay.
There’s still good possibility of text reflow so I’ll also vote for the new printer recommendation.
Hey all, thanks David for the post. It really helped me.
I would like a different printer as well, but seeing that we’re a non-profit organization working under a tight budget, so choosing a different printer is not an option.
Anyway, i am guessing that the printing company just wants to check the work for the bleed and margins, so that when they cut the paper, it won’t cut into any words or pictures.
@Bob: Yeap. I’m sticking to this idea. I just hope i remember what ID CS3 could and could not do…
Thanks a lot for all the advice and help. I will consider choosing a different printer if we’re continue to do next year.
Reuben
Re: working with a different printer.
My local full-service printer has upgraded to CS4.
However, I just put together a 32 page program for a music festival that has to be printed with one of our local newspapers. I always bring my file down to the newspaper office and work with their graphics person each year. I discovered the reason why they are still at CS2- the TV paper job has a plug-in that is only good for CS2 and they use that weekly for the TV insert.
That’s probably why my other newspaper hasn’t upgraded either. And that is probably true nation-wide. Several papers use Quark for the rest of the paper- maybe that’s why they are not moving their whole newspaper design to Indesign CS4. Maybe Adobe should look into this…
?If they can?t bother to upgrade to the newest version, find a different printer.?
I have to say that the above piece of advice is really a “rude” one. With all due respect, CS4 is really HEAVY (and BEFORE someone complains I have both a 64-bit machine running with 16GB of RAM and a 32-bit machine with 8GB of RAM so I really SHOULDN’T have this particular problem). We even got some tech from Adobe try to help us out and in the end our boss told them that we were going to downgrade the machines back to CS3. Our 3 printers got the same problem and followed the example of my boss. I was looking forward for some of the nice things that can only be achieved with CS4m but the hassle of the version isn’t worth the effort. I just hope that Cs5 won’t be as heavy.
@Gina: I apologize if that came across as rude, but the problems you’re describing sound unlike what I’ve experienced. I’m not sure what you mean by “heavy.” There is no doubt that InDesign CS4 requires some power, but I wonder if something else is wrong with your systems.
But ultimately, my feeling remains: It’s inappropriate for printers to dictate to their clients what software to use. Or, if they do, clients have every right to go find a printer that will accept the files.
Similarly, I recently did some training for a company who told me their printer was still very wary of InDesign files at all, and that they preferred QuarkXPress files. Yes, there are still a lot of those folks out there. That is their prerogative, but you bet I told my client they should dump that printer.
Of course, most of this argument goes out the window when the printer accepts PDF files (preferably PDF/X-4 files that they can run on APPE printers).
@Eugene:
I attempted to use your suggestion to move pages to fix my corrupt file. I didn’t see an option to move pages to a different file in CS2, although my CS4 has it. I could only move pages within the document. Maybe that option wasn’t until CS3?
So, I had to revert to copy and paste to a new document to get everything I needed. And that took care of it; I was able to export an INX file from the new document, which I just opened in CS4.
Appreciate the suggestion, though; if it ever happens with a CS4 file, I’ll know the trick.
Casey
There is a reason Adobe doesn?t let you ?Save As? to an earlier version: Using Save As (they reckon) should save every bit of your document; you shouldn?t have any data loss. However, moving a file from CS4 to CS3 can very easily mean losing parts of your document.
Yes, but not necessarily. Adobe could have made our lives much simpler had they offered the mentioned ‘save as’ feature, like Microsoft does with its Office apps.
It seems that the reasons for these incompatibilities are more business-related than technical.
I am going through this problem just now – I have CS4 and have worked on some files, but my coworker can’t open them, because she has CS2.
I have to say that this is a bunch of BS. Everyone always complains about Microsoft this and that, and how wonderful everybody else is, including Adobe. The truth is, we should not have to do ANYTHING to have files be backwards compatible. I mean, this is not a cheap program – I have Master Collection and it was over a grand (and that’s because it’s academic pricing). Why don’t they just create a free update with a compatibility patch? Microsoft does it with all its products, for years and across multiple versions, why can’t Adobe do the same? I am so pissed right now.
I’m having to use .inx export because we’ve discovered significant reflow (not related to the hyphenation limit problem pre 6.0.1 upgrade; we’ve upgraded to 6.0.2) in numerous documents when we upgraded from CS3 to CS4.
After opening the .inx file in CS3, I’m discovering that links to images are dropping out. All of the image frames have a generic c:\fo link.
“All of the image frames have a generic c:fo link.”
@Dave: this is a known bug. According to Adobe they are working on that. I would contact support for reporting that problem. Still I’m not affected, but I read about that issue in the german language InDesign subforum of http://www.hilfdirselbst.ch (“hilf dir selbst” translates to “help your self”).
@Dave: see also the following posts and the corresponding comments at indesignsecrets.com:
https://creativepro.com/inx-missing-link-bug-in-idcs4.php
https://creativepro.com/bug-updates-601.php
To Roberto M,
Just came across this website that mentions a possible work around for opening CS4 inx files in CS2 by changing a bit of code that makes the file recognizable to CS2.
https://www.tuaw.com/2009/05/08/tuaw-tip-saving-indesign-cs4-files-for-indesign-cs2?icid=sphere_blogsmith_inpage_tuaw
@Lisa: Thanks for the note, but of course that article is just referencing the trick that Mike Rankin first published here.
Many of my clients have not upgraded to CS4 even though I have. Graphic design is about the final product not the software version it was created with. Adobe should make sure that inx files do not reflow when saved to CS3. I supposed we could always go back to using Quark Xpress.
Working for a printer…just to let all you graphic designers know…the ripping software we use to process your files can’t keep up with the new versions of software. Adobe only finds workarounds for us (sometimes) after they release their software. This goes back before InDesign even came out. Hi res pdfs aren’t the answer either since the transparency issues in all Adobe programs during ripping are still there. And what we want for hi res is not what so many customers think hi res is (I could go on for paragraphs for what that is!) Keeping up with the latest software is an expensive (and touchy) issue in this economy. So taking it out on your printer is not the answer. I have to work with everything from PC Publisher, Word (don’t get me started on Meta Files) or either Mac or PC Pagemaker 6 files to Mac Quark 3 all the way up to the latest version on either Mac or PC. Trying to get those all to work is quite stressful at times. I’m working with this CS4 to CS3 reflow issue on a current job we printed and now it is a problem. The customer saw proofs with the problem and OKd them. I’ve mentioned we need CS4, but good luck in this economy….let’s see how it goes for my boss wanting to upgrade to CS4 now.
My issue is slightly different than the others in that I work in the localization industry and exporting INX is required as an interchange format from InDesign to the Translation tools (similar to what MIF does for FrameMaker). We are NOT porting between different versions of the software; everything remains in CS4 – Mac.
We’ve only recently started using InDesign CS4 and have discovered that when the translated INX file is opened all of the text is Italic. This is not an override – the paragraph styles are now set to italic. The work around is to import all of the styles from the original IND document. However, it is unclear to me how a paragraph style could be updated like this automatically? After some tests on English INX files we have found that only the use of OTF or postscript fonts result in this error ? not TrueType.
Having been in the localization industry for 13 years and working with a similar process since the initial release of InDesign, I’ve never come across this issue and am at a loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
@Tamara: It is relatively likely that the translation software that is reading (and then writing) the INX files is introducing an error into the file. This is one of the reasons that these kinds of things need to be updated to use IDML instead of INX. INX was never really designed to be used in this manner; IDML is.
Is there any way possible to export a cs4 document that WON’T OPEN into a inx file?
I think because I made the page numbers in the file (starting over 100) in the document, the file will no longer open long enough to make the change to automatic numbering
Any help here?
I came upon an issue, where I’m exporting a CS4 indd to inx, then opening it in CS3, and nothing happens – missing links messages, fonts, then window doesn’t even open up.
Uh, yeah, trying save a cs5 file into cs3 using your interchange format is a problem. INX doesn’t work with CS3. Come on Adobe, you’re beginning to act like Microsoft. I don’t suppose there’s a plugin? This nullifies my purchase for a while until everyone’s at least on cs4 which could take a while, and I’ve not tested INX with Cs4 yeat. Hello.
OK I meant IDML won’t import into CS3, it would have been more than a little nice if backward compatibility would have been extended.
John, so far every version of CS was only able to down-save one version down. Your complaint has echoed through the decade, with each new version …
So nothing new here (alas, I might add).
I’m collaborating on a document and I need to save CS5 (on a MAC) to be read in CS4 (Windows) but there is no Export to InDesign Interchange (INX) in my pop-up menu.
That’s correct, INX was used for CS3 and older.
You’ll want Export to IDML instead — that is, if you can live with the obvious limitations this brings to your workflow …
I was having the same issues. I could not open files from ID4 to ID2. After doing research online I found the solution, it works every time (you can even open them in ID1 if necessary).
Here’s what I found
InDesign saves an INX file that’s compatible only with the immediately preceding version of InDesign. (As I found out the hard way today.) CS4 saves a file for CS3; CS3 saves a file for CS2. If you don’t have both versions on your computer, you’re out of luck. Way to Quark it up, Adobe.
An INX file is just a glorified XML file. And Adobe, clever lads and lasses they are, inserted a version number in the file. Adobe CS2 looks at the version number, sees that the INX file is targeted for CS3, and pops up an error message without even trying to open the file. Curses.
But someone figured it out last November: Open the INX file with your favorite text editor (like TextMate or BBEdit) and change the version number. Replace line number 2 (which looks like this):
with this:
Easy peasy. Open the INX file in InDesign CS2, and you’re good to go. Use caution, though: This works best for simple layouts. The more complex your layout, the more likely it will unexpectedly change when re-imported into a lesser version of InDesign.
Hope this helps.
Sorry everyone… Here’s the info again.
An INX file is just a glorified XML file. And Adobe, clever lads and lasses they are, inserted a version number in the file. Adobe CS2 looks at the version number, sees that the INX file is targeted for CS3, and pops up an error message without even trying to open the file. Curses.
But someone figured it out last November: Open the INX file with your favorite text editor (like TextMate or BBEdit) and change the version number. Replace line number 2 (which looks like this):
?aid style=”33″ type=”document” DOMVersion=”6.0″ readerVersion=”5.0″ featureSet=”257″ product=”6.0(352)” ?
with this:
?aid style=”33″ type=”document” DOMVersion=”5.0″ readerVersion=”4.0″ featureSet=”257″ product=”5.0(662)” ?
Easy peasy. Open the INX file in InDesign CS2, and you’re good to go. Use caution, though: This works best for simple layouts. The more complex your layout, the more likely it will unexpectedly change when re-imported into a lesser version of InDesign.
Hope this helps.
I agree with the pre-press operator who says you can’t blame the printer for not having the latest version, it’s not just the Adobe software that needs to updated, it is also the RIP software. Additionally, there are sometimes reasons for staying with a printer you like.
“Just find a new printer” is an arrogant and ivory tower type of answer. Adobe should have an answer for this type of situation besides changing printers which cause lots of pain for those who actually have to make the system work.
I have been an InDesign CS-3 user for years now, the recession and economic downturn negated me from upgrading to CS-4) but I am working at a firm that recently got CS-5 for one new intel Mac only to find those files will not work on any of their older power-pc Macs with Indesign CS-3 on them …
David and Ann-Marie (and other whizzes out there), there has got to be a way around this right? I am personally stymied … (the CS-4 to CS-2 workaround provided by ‘Legend’ above does not seem to work in this CS-5 to CS-3 issue… or can someone report that it does?) Thanks, Ray
@legend: Thanks for the info. That trick was first published here on this site by Mike Rankin.
@ray6166: Yes, this is a significant problem for many people: InDesign has always only allowed to save back a single version. It’s annoying, but it’s not a change in policy. So you can export an IDML from CS5, open it in CS4, then export an INX and open that in CS3.
The downsave from CS4 to CS3 INX. is perfect. However, when I open the INX file in Indd CS3, the file is opening as UNTITLED. Is there any way that we can open the file with the name in which I saved it previously.
Any plug in I could buy?
Please advise.
@sikander: No, sorry.
@kirby, who said “Adobe should have an answer for this type of situation besides changing printers which cause lots of pain for those who actually have to make the system work.”
Adobe did have an answer. It was to discontinue the Service Provider program that made it easier to always have the current versions and get support on issues surrounding their products.
Love InDesign… but Adobe…that was a *stupid* move.
An outside designer sent me a packed .inx file because I only have CS3 and they had designed in CS4.
However, when both myself and a colleague have tried to open the .inx file it crashes halfway through. Before trying to open, I made sure to download the latest plugins from the adobe website.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? How did you fix it?
Thanks!
Hello folks, it’s my first post. I’m working on a hot 200+ page report and it’s my first time ever using chapters but it’s going very well. My only problem is all of the tables. Chapter 8 is all tables, and CS4 has started crashing in this one chapter only. I’ve deleted all imported styles and am trying to do things methodically, but the rotating beach ball keeps appearing. I’m never sure what the command is that causes it, but it seems to be when I select rows or columns to change colors. This thing’s due ASAP and I’m getting so desperate that I’m considering exporting the file as suggested here.
My Q: then what? I don’t have CS3. If I open right back up in CS4 will it make any difference? If I choose IDML am I going to have to inspect or edit code? Any help would be appreciated.
@Jen: Exporting to IDML and then reopening that file in CS4 should clear out any corruption if it exists.
If it’s still crashing I’d start looking at corrupt fonts.
I need to send a file to another designer who will make final changes and create the final files that will go to the printer however I have CS4 and they have CS3 and is unable to upgrade at this time. The problem is I have placed images on the pages and when I create the INX file and send it to him the doc loses all images. The boxes that the images were in are there but the images aren’t showing up in the boxes. Am I doing something wrong or is this a problem everyone has when doing this?
Joy, are the images showing up in the links panel or is the links panel empty when the CS3 designer opens your CS4 inx file? This is a dumb question, so sorry in advance … did you also send the images to the designer along with the inx file? Did the designer relink the images after opening the inx file? (The path changed going from your computer to the designer’s computer and it might be that the link paths just need to be updated.)
Hi Judi, the links panel doesn’t have the list of images in it. The images were sent separately and I think that is what confused the issue. He would have relinked the images but since the links panel didn’t have the names of the files, it was impossible for him to know what images went where. We are looking into some other possible solutions. Thanks, Judi! Joy
Hey, I have faced a problem when I created an inx file from CS4 and sent it to graphic designer, on the other PC in CS3 all the links were lost and it doesnt recognise the previously linked pics (600). Nigthmare. Any advice?
@Joy and @Renata: That should not be a problem. I guess I can see how Mac to PC could be an issue, because of file path naming (slashes vs colons and all that). One trick: Try putting the InDesign file inside the folder with all the images, then open it. If it sees them, then save or save as and you can move the file out again.
If the PC itself doesn’t recognize the graphics at all, perhaps they don’t have three-letter file name extensions? Or are in a format that the PC doesn’t like? For more help, I suggest posting on the forum (click Forum in the navigation at the top of this page).
Joy, Renata and David: I am having a similar issue backsaving. I use Indesign CS4 on Snow Lepoard and am passing .inx files to a customer using CS3 on Windows XP. She cannot even get the .inx file to open- her InDesign returns the error messsage “cannot open the file, may be an unreadable file format or missing plugins.” I use Suitcase Fusion, but that is the only plugin I am aware of. Customer does not have a font manager. Any thoughts on how to get this issue resolved? Thanks!
David (Laufer ;) ): Be sure to triple check your versions. Saving down as INX from CS4 is exactly what Adobe had in mind, to transfer files to CS3. If you are sure about that CS3, check if all updates were applied.
Hi Jongware: Thx for quick response. We thought about this- the CS4 (running on Snow Leopard) is v 6.0.6 and the CS3 for Windows is v 5.0.4 we looked on the adobe site but could not find a way to tell what the last update for CS3 Windows should be.
any thoughts?
DavidLaufer, here’s a very handy URL to bookmark: https://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/
Before Adobe.com’s site redesign, this page was much easier find. Gives you access to all updaters and patches for all versions of all their software.
I used it to look up InDesign Windows, and the resulting page shows that 5.04 is the latest patch, so you’re good to go.
Anne-Marie: thanks so much. Since our versions are not the problem, any thoughts on why we can’t get the .inx file to open in CS3? is it a cross platform issue? Is there a way to ‘strip out’ the plugin information when I export? Thanks, David
It’s extremely unlikely that it’s a plug-in issue. And it’s very unlikely that it’s a mac/pc issue. It’s far more likely that either the INX file is corrupted or her version of CS3 is corrupted (try rebuilding preferences?).
OR, this could be a PIBCAK* issue. Has the client *ever* been able to open an INX file? Or is it just this one problem child. I’d be curious to learn that.
Make sure the client is first Extracting All what you send him (assuming it’s zipped — it should be) and putting the extracted INX file on his desktop or other convenient place on his local drive. They should not be trying to open the unextracted-but-visible INX file.
Then make sure he’s opening the INX file from InDesign CS3’s File > Open menu, instead of double-clicking the INX file itself in Windows Explorer. Only because sometimes Windows has a conniption with extensions it’s not sure of.
Can you yourself open the INX file in CS4? Do you have CS3 still installed … can you test it?
*Problem Is Between Chair and Keyboard
If you don’t have newer versions of InDesign there is a service that charges a minimal fee for down saving CS5.5, CS5, CS4, CS3 files to which ever format you need.
Thought this might help.
What if INX isn’t an option in the pulldown menu of CS4 Export?
ray: it might be listed as “InDesign Interchange Format” or something like that. INX lets you save to CS3. IDML lets you save down to CS4, 5, 6, CC, etc.
Thanks, appears it worked fine from another machine. Seems there may be an issue with one particular machine.