Place PDF > Crop to:

[dmgthesequel]

Our company used Adobe Illustrator as a layout program and we often place illustrator artwork into those layouts. For example, we will place a client supplied logo or other official asset into our layout. 

The problem I am seeing now is when a link to one of those is broken. A designer might choose a "crop to" option that causes the artwork to resize in the layout inadvertently. Is there a way to default to the original option? 

In our work, this happens often because jobs are stored on a server and pulled onto a local machine to work on them. When there are lots of links to manage, the layouts are getting changed by clicking through the menu too quickly. 

One answer I'm aware of is to gather all of the linked artwork into the same folder prior to opening the layout. We can do that, though it ends up being time-consuming.

Thanks,
Dave

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the trouble you are facing. Correct me If I am getting this wrong. You are trying to revert to default options while placing a PDF. If you unselect the options in the Place dialog box and place the file and save it. Re-open Illustrator, and these options in the Place dialog box will be unselected by default next time you want to place.

Is this not the issue? I would request you to please describe to me further the issue/concern you’re having so I can have a better understanding of it?

I’ll be happy to assist you.

Thanks & Regards,

Anshul Saini

[dmgthesequel · Accepted solution]

Hi Anshul, thanks for replying. I'll try to describe it again. 
The issue I'm trying to solve is more related to fixing broken links to prevously placed artwork than it is about the place command. When I try to fix a broken link to a piece of illustrator artwork that was placed into an illustrator layout, I get the dialog in the screenshot I attached to my OP. (The checkbox for showing those options is greyed out, checked and I can't seem to change that. If I initiate a new file place it is unchecked by default, just as you described.) At that point it is difficult to discern which crop option will keep it from changing it's size and there are usually quite a few of these links to fix before working on the layout. I actually don't understand why it does that when all I am trying to do is update the filepath to the linked artwork, I really don't want it to change the crop options at all. Is that explanation any clearer? 
For context, this problem happens with my team because we are moving layouts between local machines and a server and is further compounded by multiple designers working on these layout files. 

[Bill Silbert]

I'm puzzled why you are placing Illustrator art into an Illustrator file instead of just copying and pasting the art into the existing file so that it becomes native to the file. That way no links are involved. If what you're talking about is placing raster art then is it not possible to embed that art after placement so that links are not needed there either? When you embed a raster image Illustrator makes a pixel by pixel copy of that image at the resolution (after sizing) that you have placed the image in at—so there is no loss of quality (as long as the art is not later enlarged).

[dmgthesequel]

Hi Bill, I can see why it might sound odd to place illustrator artwork into an illustrator file, our reasoning was based on  dealing with client assets that we want to protect and this seemed like a reasonable approach. This is not that different than the way you might operate using InDesign and in fact, we are using Illustrator as a layout program for print mechanicals. The example I gave in my OP is still the best one I can give you. I have a client supplied logo or other brand asset that must be protected and I simply place it into my layout ensuring that it could not easily be changed. The added advantage is that our client can see that we are using their provided asset.

This is not an issue with any kind of raster art. Those links update without the complication of this dialog box. This is specific to linked pdfs or illustrator artwork (which is treated just like a pdf as far as I can tell).

I hope that clarifies the issue.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"I'm puzzled why you are placing Illustrator art into an Illustrator file instead of just copying and pasting the art into the existing file so that it becomes native to the file."

For exactly the reason mentioned in his their line; They are separate assets. I would do this too. I can cite countless situations where this would be appropriate. Just one: Say, I'm doing a one-sheet where I am including samples of many of my Illustrator-created works. Yes, incorporating it makes sense when it makes sense to.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse · Accepted solution]

I know your pain.

This is what helps (and you may know this already): Illustrator will use the existing crop information if you "Replace" the link when you first open the containing file the first time. One would think you could "Ignore" for the moment and relink them later. Nope. that's where the issue pops up. I don't know any way to solve this either, execpt to do either the aforementioned "Replace" or make sure all the missing links have been gathered and placed in the same folder before you open the file, and they will be found automatically and relinked automatically with the right crop info.

[dmgthesequel]

Yup. That is exactly the solution I have landed on as well. It's not all that satisfying but, it may just be that this is an edge case where there is only one "answer". The best thing I have come up with is to: open the file -> ignore links -> save the document info as a text file (in order to get a list of all the missing links) -> close the file -> collect the links locally from their various locations on the company server -> re-open the file. Just as you said.

[Anshul_Saini · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the detailed explanation @dmgthesequel, Brad @ Roaring Mouse, @Bill Silbert. I would like to know when you relaunch the file. You get a replace link option. If you click that and replace the file, you don't get import options.

You get import options that you cannot toggle off when you try to relink using the Link panel.

I hope it helps.

Regards,

Anshul Saini