How to Make an Automatically-Updating PDF File with Linked Files

[defaultmutriomq52sn]

Can anyone think of how to make a PDF file--which is composed of multiple, "linked" files--that will automatically update when any of those linked / attached files are edited?

The problem I've noticed when I have a main AI file with linked AI files in it, then save the main AI as a PDF, is that--if I go into the linked AI files, create a new artboard with new graphics, and/or if I rearrange the order of the artboards--not all of these changes will generate in the main AI file to where these files have been linked, which means I can't simply open that main AI file, have it automatically update, and save a new PDF file with the new edits.

Basically, how can I "link" in multiple AI files into one, main AI file in which each of those "linked" AI files will be treated holistically and not as select artboard pages?

My end goal is to be able to make a PDF file that will automatically update with the changes I make in the linked files. If there are thoughts on how to go about this in a different way with the same end result, please share!

[Bernd Alheit]

Not possible.

[defaultmutriomq52sn]

If not with PDFs, is there some other process that could achieve this? A kind of automatically-updating portfolio?

[try67]

I think you should ask over at the Illustrator forum. It might be possible with AI files, but it's not with a PDF, unless you use a script to compose it ad-hoc out of other pre-existing, and known, file-paths that are hard-coded into it.

[defaultmutriomq52sn]

Okay, will do. Thanks!