Font size arrows grayed out in Control palette 1

[CitizenDesigner]

I've been using InDesign CS2 (v.4.0.4) (on a MAC OS X v.10.3.9) for over a year now and have never seen the font size arrows gray out before. These are the arrows to the left of the font point size box in the Control palette. The arrows to the right of the box (which drops down a list of font size values in certain increments) are available, but the arrows to the left, which normally will automatically increase or decrease-one point at a time-whatever text you have selected in your work area, are now grayed out.
Also, when the Character Palette is showing, the font size arrows *are available*. I will just use this palette for now, but there must be some reason why the Control palette's font size arrows have suddenly grayed out? ?
Thanks in advance for any help!

-D

 

[Ekwoman]

When was the last time you repaired permissions? That usually fixes any "wonky" behaviour. You want to repair permissions about once a week, or any time funky things happen. And InDesign *definitely* has funky things happen...sometimes my Tabs palette is completely blank!

To repair permissions: Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, select your hard drive name (the indented name on the left panel...not the description), then choose Repair Disk Permissions.

 

[doodler22]

My tabs palette has been completely blank several times. I called tech support at my company and no one could figure it out! Thanks so much for this.

 

[doodler22]

This is a Mac fix. Is there a fix like this for InDesign on a PC?

 

[tamashii]

I, too, am experiencing this issue with the selection arrows being grayed out. This occurs on both the Control Palette and the Character Palette. Additionally, I can not place the cursor inside the field and use the keyboard's arrow keys to increase/decrease the font size. I can use the pull-down menu or type the point size I want directly inside the field, however (obviously, not ideal).

I tired Ekwoman's solution, but that yielded no success in correcting the problem.

If someone has found a solution to this problem I am excited to hear it.

 

[Ekwoman]

HI! I haven't visited in a while...sorry doodler that I didn't answer about the PC/Permissions thing. I don't know if there's a PC solution...maybe one of our other users can help out? I think the permission repair has to do with the fact that OS X is UNIX so not sure of the PC equivalent...some sort of housecleaning solution...

Tamashii-does this happen to you in all documents, or just specific documents? If just specific ones you might want to save the file as an .inx file and reopen. The more you work in an InD file, the more junk it saves the just bloats the file and can corrupt the file. Saving as an .inx file clears out a lot of that. The only other option I can think of, is you may have corrupt fonts (or bloated or corrupt font cache) that is making font-related control in InD work improperly...so if you use any font cache clearing software (like Font Nuke..not sure if there's a PC version...check versiontracker.com) you may fix the problem.

Last ditch effort, remove your InD preferences and restart InDesign. Maybe that will help...could also just be a bug in InDesign!

Wow...you don't hear from me in months and I make up for it in one post!!

 

[tamashii]

Firstly, thank you, Ekwoman, for responding so quickly to my question/issue.

Unfortunately, none of the solutions provided have seemed to work.

What I've done:
• Boot from Install CD and run Disk Repair and Repair Disk Permissions (had issues on both). Restart machine, open New Document in InDesign and place a text box. No joy.

• Download and Run Font Nuke (thanks for this, btw). Restart machine, open New Document in InDesign and place a text box. No joy.

• Move com.adobe.InDesign.plist to Trash. Restart machine, open New Document in InDesign and place a text box. No joy.

I'm rather joyless it seems. Any other ideas? Why would Adobe even consider this as a viable option to be grayed out? Thanks for any assistance (and what has already been provided!).

 

[jmgalvin]

Sometimes, in Indesign mac, pallette display problems can be fixed by going to Window menu/Workspace and clicking default. It that works, you can then select the pallettes to show.

If you want to increase/decrease text size by a point, it's usually easier to press Command, Shift, Period for up and Commanc Shift Comma for down. The font size in the Control or Character pallettes will show the increase.decrease.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[tamashii]

jmgalvin: I love you!

 

[dougal77]

Or highlight the point size and use the up and down cursors to increase/decrease

 

[dougal77]

... you can highlight the point size - or any other changeable element - simply by clicking on the little icon next to the field.