Data merge issues when upgrading to InDesign 19.4

[info@komunikando.org]

Today I updated indesign to version 19.4. When I use the databases for the data merge function with linked images within the database, a message tells me that the images are not reachable. The files I’m working on, including databases and images, are in the Dropbox folder. I downgraded to version 19.3 and everything worked again. Can anyone help me?

{Reanmed By MOD}

[Surbhi Sharma · Accepted solution]

Hi All,
This issue has been fixed in the latest version of InDesign 19.5
Kindly update the data source file with the POSIX style path in Macintosh to work with data merge functionality smoothly.
Please refer to the helpx https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/data-merge.html to know more about the difference between HFS and Posix style paths.
Note : Relative path as such /<foldername>/<filename> is no longer supported after the fix, as it considers the starting “/” as an absolute path. Instead the recommendation is to omit the starting “/” and use <foldername>/<filename> instead or any of the other existing way to access relative path like ./<foldername>/<filename>

[BACnOAK]

Fixed? i'm at a total loss here. did the update to 19.5 and my linked images have disappeared AGAIN! and my path looks like this: servername:folder:graphic.extension.

[Surbhi Sharma]

@BACnOAK Seems like the path you are currently using is in HFS style. As mentioned above, please update the data source file with the POSIX style path in Macintosh to work with data merge functionality smoothly.
Please refer to the helpx https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/data-merge.html to know more about the difference between HFS and Posix style paths.

[BACnOAK]

So, taking this as... stop using the colon on the mac and start using the slash? 

NO: servername:folder:graphic.extension

YES: servername/folder/graphic.extension

Meaning we have to find/replace all instances of : and change to /

[leo.r]

So, taking this as... stop using the colon on the mac and start using the slash? 

NO: servername:folder:graphic.extension

YES: servername/folder/graphic.extension

Meaning we have to find/replace all instances of : and change to /

By @BACnOAK

It's more than that.

The POSIX path (slash-separated) will be:

/Volumes/servername/folder/graphic.extension

On a startup volume, you can omit the server name part (but you don't have to):

/Users/username/...

You can get the actual POSIX path of a file by doing this: right-click it in the Finder while holding Option (or right-click, then press Option) > Copy as pathname menu. This can help you explore the correct POSIX paths to make sure you're using them correctly.

[Michael Lande Publicis]

There is still an error with Data Merge. It is not placing .ai files. I ended up saving the .ai files as .pdf and then it works. Please fix it in the next update.

Thank you.