CC Library items showing as local, not cloud based

[Document Geek]

When I use linked graphics from my CC libraries, they show up as having a local file path, and not actually being in the cloud. So when my team members go to use this assets, all they get is agray box with a missing link. Did something change recently? It was my understanding that in the past, items in CC libraries were actually stored in the cloud. That seems to me to be the entire point of using CC libraries.

[rob day]

I think that’s right.

[rob day]

Hi Steve, I’m not a heavy Library user, but it seems pretty clear that there is a locally stored copy of PSD and AI cloud library assets—if I dissconnect from the internet the cloud links are not broken and I can export a full resolution print PDF.

Looks to me like on OSX a copy of cloud library assets are stored in the user ▸ ⁨Library⁩ ▸ ⁨Application Support⁩ ▸ ⁨Adobe⁩ ▸ ⁨Creative Cloud Libraries⁩ ▸ ⁨LIBS⁩ folder

As I mentioned above, if I Edit Original a hidden temporary copy is made and opened for the edits, and then the local copy is updated and it syncs to the cloud.

If you want to use a Library to hold all of the assets of large projects, the computer(s) startup volumes would have to be large enough to handle the files—in the above capture the components folder holding my 6 large test PSDs is 1.45GB.

An alternative is to create and share sync’d job folders inside of the Creative Cloud Files folder (which can be moved to an external drive) and use Bridge for adding assets to the ID doc—the CC equivalent of Dropbox. In that case the file paths are explicitly local with copies stored in the cloud.

[Steve Werner]

I didn't have time for much testing but that seems to be true on my system too:

[Steve Werner]

It must be a backup so if you have inconsistent Internet connections on your device (e.g., a power outage), you wouldn't suddenly have your cloud assets become suddenly unlinked.

[rob day]

I think the actual link used for export or output is the local version. Even with a live internet connection an export to PDF/X-4 only takes 8 secs on my 2019 iMac. The link in my example is 375MB, and my internet bandwidth is not capbable of getting a file that large in 8 secs.

[Steve Werner]

That makes sense also. In addition to providing a "backup" of the cloud file, using the local version as the "working version" also speeds the process up. And some people probably have a lot slower connections than you have as well.

[Steve Werner]

And you also mentioned a third reason above: If you want to choose Edit Original on the Photoshop cloud document,  working from the local copy will also make the process faster as well.

[rob day]

If I delete the local copies there’s no preview and Status is still listed as OK, but an Export to Print PDF fails.