How to solve: images don't update automatically after opening and modifying them in ps with a script

@dublove I would do as Uwe suggests, using relink.

For your learning, I have written a script based on my original "open in photoshop" script but now it opens, edits (adds "DEMO" text) saves as .psd, then relinks.

- Mark

/**
 * @file Edit Selected Graphics In Photoshop.js
 *
 * Does the following:
 *   1. opens the selected graphic(s) in Photoshop
 *   2. adds a "DEMO" watermark text
 *   3. saves them as psd files to the same folder
 *   4. back in Indesign, relinks to the new psd files.
 *
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-06-15
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-to-solve-images-don-t-update-automatically-after-opening-and-modifying-them-in-ps-with-a-script/m-p/15370844#M628200
 */
function main() {

    if (0 === app.documents.length)
        return alert('Please open a document and try again.');

    var doc = app.activeDocument,
        items = doc.selection;

    if (0 === items.length)
        return alert('Please select a linked graphic frame and try again.');

    // collect paths for each selected item
    var sourcePaths = [],
        destinationPaths = [],
        links = [];

    for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {

        var item = items[i];

        // maybe user selected the image, not the frame
        if ('Image' === item.constructor.name)
            item = item.parent;

        if (
            !item.hasOwnProperty('graphics')
            || 0 === item.graphics.length
            || !item.graphics[0].itemLink
            || LinkStatus.NORMAL !== item.graphics[0].itemLink.status
        )
            // ignore anything we can't use
            continue;

        sourcePaths.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink.filePath);
        destinationPaths.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink.filePath.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, '_demo.psd'),);
        links.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink);

    }

    if (0 === sourcePaths.length)
        return alert('Please select a linked graphic frame and try again.');

    // open the paths in photoshop
    editImages(sourcePaths, destinationPaths, updateLinks(links));

    /**
     * Returns a callback function that updates `links`.
     * @param {Array<Link>} links - the links to update.
     */
    function updateLinks(links) {

        return function callback() {

            // update each link
            for (var i = 0; i < links.length; i++)
                links[i].relink(File(destinationPaths[i]));

        }; // end returned callback

    };

};
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Edit Selected Graphics');

/**
 * Edits the graphics found at `sourcePaths` in Photoshop,
 * and saves them as layered psd documents.
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-06-15
 * @param {Array<String>} sourcePaths - the paths to open.
 * @param {Array<String>} destinationPaths - the paths to save into.
 */
function editImages(sourcePaths, destinationPaths, callback) {

    const DELIMITER = '###';

    var photoshop = BridgeTalk.getSpecifier("photoshop");

    if (!photoshop)
        return alert("BridgeTalk couldn\'t find Photoshop.");

    // send script via BridgeTalk
    var bt = new BridgeTalk();
    bt.target = photoshop;

    // arrange the function inside an IIFE string,
    // and perform string replacements to insert
    // our variables
    bt.body = '(#FUNC#)("#SRC#","#DST#","#DLM#");'
        .replace('#FUNC#', editImagesInPhotoshop)
        .replace('#SRC#', sourcePaths.join(DELIMITER))
        .replace('#DST#', destinationPaths.join(DELIMITER))
        .replace('#DLM#', DELIMITER);

    bt.onResult = callback;
    bt.send(1000);

};

/**
 * Photoshop function to open the `sourcePaths`, add a
 * demo watermark, and save them as layered .psd files.
 * Note: we cannot use // style comments here because
 * of the way I stringify it.
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-06-15
 * @param {String} sourcePaths - the paths, delimited.
 * @param {String} delimiter - the string used to delimit `paths`.
 */
function editImagesInPhotoshop(sourcePaths, destinationPaths, delimiter) {

    // app.bringToFront();

    /* make aray by splitting paths */
    sourcePaths = sourcePaths.split(delimiter);
    destinationPaths = destinationPaths.split(delimiter);

    for (var i = 0; i < sourcePaths.length; i++) {

        if (!File(sourcePaths[i]).exists)
            continue;

        var doc = app.open(File(sourcePaths[i]));

        /* just for a demo, adds the word "demo" */
        demo(doc);

        /* save as psd */
        var psdSaveOptions = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
        doc.saveAs(File(destinationPaths[i]), psdSaveOptions, true);
        doc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);

    }

    /**
     * Add a centered "DEMO" text layer, sized to document width.
     * @param {Document} doc - a photoshop document.
     */
    function demo(doc) {

        var targetWidth = doc.width.as('px') * 0.9;

        var layer = doc.artLayers.add();
        layer.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;
        layer.opacity = 30;

        var text = layer.textItem;
        text.contents = 'DEMO';
        text.position = [doc.width.as('px') / 2, doc.height.as('px') / 2];
        text.justification = Justification.CENTER;
        text.size = 100;

        var widthA = layer.bounds[2] - layer.bounds[0];
        text.size = 1000;
        var widthB = layer.bounds[2] - layer.bounds[0];
        text.size = 10 + ((widthA - targetWidth) * (1000 - 10) / (widthA - widthB));
        text.position = [doc.width.as('px') / 2, (doc.height.as('px') + (layer.bounds[3] - layer.bounds[1])) / 2];

    };

};

Hi @dublove ,

why do you not relink the placed image after changing it in PhotoShop?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )