SmartSteam for InDesign 2024 issues

[SteveMTucson]

macOS 15.0 Sequoia

SmartStream Cannot find the imposition folder and crashes In Design. HP SmartStream Designer 19.1.2 for InDesign 2024 Mac 240627

When using created document from pdf, with SmartStream Design, the pdf is offset within the window created by SmartSteam. The pdf has bleed and a trim box. The settings for creating the document are .125" bleed and calculate page size according to trim box. Which it does but the pdf does not place at either bleed or trim when the document is created.

This version of SmartStream is new to me and this function has always worked in an older version I use.

[BongChaGomez]

Hello @SteveMTucson ,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thanks for the detailed description — this is a known class of SmartStream Designer issues, and what you’re seeing lines up with a combination of macOS 15 changes + SmartStream 19.1.2 behavior with PDF box handling.

SmartStream Designer still relies on hard-coded or user-writable folder paths that macOS 15 (Sequoia) now protects more aggressively. When SmartStream can’t access or resolve its Imposition folder, it doesn’t fail gracefully — it crashes InDesign.

This is not user error and has been widely seen with:

• New macOS versions

• Fresh SmartStream installs

• Migrated user accounts

Things to check (in order)

A. Verify the Imposition folder actually exists

Typical locations on macOS:

/Applications/HP SmartStream Designer/InDesign Plug-Ins/Imposition

or

/Library/Application Support/HP/SmartStream/Imposition

If the folder is missing:

• Re-run the SmartStream installer

• Do not rely on Migration Assistant to restore it

B. Full Disk Access (this one is critical on Sequoia)

Go to:

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access

Add all three:

• Adobe InDesign 2024

• HP SmartStream Designer

• HP SmartStream Designer Server (if listed)

Then reboot (don’t skip this).

C. Reset SmartStream preferences

SmartStream preference corruption can also cause this exact crash.

1. Quit InDesign

2. Go to:

~/Library/Preferences/

3. Delete (or rename):

HP SmartStream*

4. Relaunch InDesign

PDF offset when creating document from PDF (bleed/trim mismatch)

This is a SmartStream 19.x regression, not something you’re doing wrong.

What SmartStream should do

• Read TrimBox

• Calculate page size from TrimBox

• Place PDF aligned to TrimBox (or BleedBox if specified)

What SmartStream 19.1.2 is actually doing

• Correctly calculates page size from TrimBox

• Places PDF relative to MediaBox origin

• Ignores TrimBox offset when positioning content

This results in:

• PDF appearing shifted

• Bleed present, but not aligned to document bleed

• Trim not lining up at (0,0)

This worked correctly in older versions, as you noted.

✅ Workaround 1: Force PDF origin correction

Before importing into SmartStream:

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro

2. Use Set Page Boxes

3. Set MediaBox = TrimBox

4. Re-save the PDF

This removes the offset SmartStream is misinterpreting.

Workaround 2: Don’t use “Calculate page size according to trim box”

Instead:

• Set page size manually

• Set bleed manually (.125")

• Place the PDF afterward

This avoids the broken auto-placement logic.

Workaround 3 (best for production): Pre-normalize PDFs

If this is a recurring workflow:

• Normalize PDFs so MediaBox, TrimBox, and BleedBox are aligned

• Tools like Acrobat Preflight or callas pdfToolbox can batch-fix this

SmartStream behaves reliably only when MediaBox = TrimBox origin in 19.x.

Hope this will be helpful to you!