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Participant
June 22, 2022
Answered

Is there a way to create relative links to an Indesign Template file?

Just like the title says, I'm trying to create relative paths to an illustrator file and excel file in my template file. I'm using data merge to create a bunch of files from the template and when I the individual InDesign files, I run a script that places each of the new documents into a folder with the same name. I am then dropping the linked files into the new folders and kept the files the same name and kept the same file structure. So, if it were a relative path, it would update. But, it shows up as a missing link. After I make the files, I am running a script to open the files, update links, and export a PDF; so, manually updating the links kinda defeats the purpose. 

 

If there's not a way to create a relative path, is there a script out there that will look for a file of the same file type and/or filename in the same folder as the document?

 

Thank you in advance!

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LaubenderCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 23, 2022

Hi Steven,

there is a way to do this, but it's a very special one.

 

All placed images have to be inside a Links folder and must be placed from that folder; the corresponding InDesign document shares the folder with the Links folder  Basically this is the thing the Package for Print feature does in InDesign. You could also add a Document fonts folder that contains all necessary used font files if licensing allows this.

 

Structure:

 

Project Folder

> InDesign document.indd

> Links

> > Image-1.jpg

> > Image-2.jpg

> Document fonts

> > font style file-1.otf

> > font style file-2.ttf

 

Move the project folder around.

The InDesign document always has access to the images and the fonts.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

4 replies

LaubenderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 23, 2022

Hi Steven,

there is a way to do this, but it's a very special one.

 

All placed images have to be inside a Links folder and must be placed from that folder; the corresponding InDesign document shares the folder with the Links folder  Basically this is the thing the Package for Print feature does in InDesign. You could also add a Document fonts folder that contains all necessary used font files if licensing allows this.

 

Structure:

 

Project Folder

> InDesign document.indd

> Links

> > Image-1.jpg

> > Image-2.jpg

> Document fonts

> > font style file-1.otf

> > font style file-2.ttf

 

Move the project folder around.

The InDesign document always has access to the images and the fonts.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

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Participant
November 1, 2024

Made my day - thanks

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Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 22, 2022

Have you tried Links panel > panel menu button flyout > Relink to Folder

or Links panel > panel menu button flyout > Utilities > Search for Links?

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Mike Witherell
Participant
June 22, 2022

Hi Mike!

Both of these suggestions work. However, I'm looking for a way to not have to manually go into the files. Do you happen to know if there is a script to run the search for links?

Thank you!

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