why ID not relink on it its own if filename not changed?

[Nicole0000]

I am organizing my files in MS explorer.....you know renaming, making organizational folders etc.

but now each time, ID-(using CS3) says missing link and won't automatically update link even though filename is same...

for a # of them, I forgot where I put them so I am going through the search mode to find where it is and re-link each one.

I am surprised that if filename is NOT changed, but location is, the re-link is not automatic. How is one to reorganize without this headache?

Nicole

 

[apepp]

...if the folder location name changes this will indeed happen...

...if you are placing files from all over your computer your better off, at regular intervals, doing a file > package command...

Andrew

 

[jmgalvin]

As Andrew says - NEVER do what you're doing without packaging up the indesign job. What you're doing now is changing the file path for items in the ID doc and ID then cannot find them. When you package, you have all linked objcts, and even copies of the fonts used, in one master folder.



Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4 & G5

 

[Nicole0000]

Thank you so much......
I will give this a shot...looks like the solution to my problems.


Nicole

 

[takanko]

I have also noticed that indesign won't auto-update if the folder is changed AND the images themselves have been modified. i had hundreds of links, but luckily only 2 or 3 folders where i stored them. what i did was returned the folders to their original locations, relinked the modified graphics, moved the folders again to where i wanted them, and relinked again.

 

[eugenetyson]

What you need is housekeeping rules. I usually set up a folder structure like this:

InDesign
Links
PDFs
Fonts
et al folder names you can think you need

Then with each job, I put any files like txt documents, jpg, eps, psd, pdf, ai, et al file extension that is linked into the document into the Links folder.

When I create a PDF I of the InDesign file, I put the PDF into the PDF folder.

That way, I know where all the images are for my job. If I'm unsure or have not used the folders for some strange reason, then a Package job is the only ticket. I then eliminate the original files and use the files that were packaged.

It's just basically down to the way you organise your files, it's not a drawback of InDesign, file keeping is a manual task and if you move an Image or change a folder name then how is InDesign to know?

InDesign would have this, for example, for a link to an image

C:\MyDocuments\Project1\Images\Eugene.jpg

And if change the Project to Project 2 in Windows explorer: I would have this

C:\MyDocuments\Project2\Images\Eugene.jpg

then InDesign will still see the link to:

C:\MyDocuments\Project1\Images\Eugene.jpg

except it will start scratching it's head around this point:

C:\MyDocuments\Project1... er I don't have that folder anymore... where is the image, you moved it and didn't tell me... at that point InDesign huddles in a corner and cries saying "You never told me you changed the folder name... how was I supposed to know!!!