Problem with dissapearing embbeded files in Illustrator when opening a recovered file

[caseyw90223368]

Hi this has happened to me a few times and its super annoying.. I've been working on a larger file size pdf(around 700mb) with lots of art boards and embedded jpgs in Illustrator.  The app crashed on me and recovered my doc but coverted to ai(i use pdf to keep the file size smaller)... When I reopened the app and my recovered file all my embedded images turn into blank squares and now the file is only 7mb.  Whats the deal with this!? Is there a way to fix or do I have to relink 100+ damn images manually.  Stupid Illustrator doesn't have the automatic relink capabilities indesign has even tho I embedded the images.

[Monika Gause]

Your file will be a lot smaller when you save as AI, but don't embed your linked files and the save without "PDF compatible" option.

What happened to your file is difficult to say without knowing the options for saving your file, where the file has been saved and what exactly happened before the crash.

[Mike_Gondek]

You will have much better reliability with

• Saving to the native format of the software, the .ai format
• Save as and turn the pdf compatible setting off - for smaller files and quicker saves
• Link to images rather than embed them

The recovery, recovers to the native format of the software which is how the file is seen in memory. PDF is not meant to be used as a format for saving your design files, only as an export format.

[caseyw90223368]

Thanks guys