InDesign handling of masks and paths

[Robin Springall]

I've never quite understood the restrictions which InDesign puts on placed graphics, but - like you - I've found that it's better to use a layered PSD without the background unless you want a white rectangle.

Other irritations include the inability to recolour placed greyscale tiffs (but black-and-white ones work ok). I haven't yet bitten the bullet and upgraded to CS6, though.