Import illustrator files saved in the cloud.

[Maabus_4340]

When I went to an ADOBE bootcamp a decade ago the instructor said Illistrator tends to worked better then photoshop when dealing with graphics inside inDesign, so I primarly do everthing in illistrator. I just recently started to save things to the cloud and now I find I am running into an issue. Why when I use a InDesign file saved to the cloud and I try to import graphics also on the cloud it doesn't see any of my illustrator files at all.? It sees only InDesign, Photoshop, and Firefly files, it dosn't matter if it is in the project folder or just in my files. I only have this issue when it is a adobe cloud saved file. I have 32 files but it sees none, I then have to save to my computer to import them into my indesign file into a library.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Maabus_4340,

I appreciate you providing the information. I have tested this situation on my side, and I am observing the same results. I have contacted the product team for further clarification on this matter and will inform you as soon as I receive any updates.

If you come across anything else during this time, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Abhishek

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Maabus_4340,

Thanks for your patience while I checked this with the team. Currently, InDesign does not support placing Illustrator cloud documents (.aic) directly into cloud-saved InDesign files. That's why those files aren't showing up in the cloud file picker.

I completely understand how valuable this capability would be for cloud-based workflows. If you’re open to it, could you please share a feature request here: Adobe InDesign Feature Requests? This helps us prioritize improvements based on user demand and keeps you updated on any progress.

I'll continue tracking this and will let you know if anything changes. And if you notice anything new on your end, feel free to reach out.

Thanks again,
Abhishek

[Randy Hagan]

Another workaround you may want to consider would be to package your working InDesign document to collect all placed graphics into one place.

InDesign looks for placed graphics in two places. First, in the absolute location it was in when it was placed (e.g. - [letter drive on your system/network]:\Folder\Sub-folder\Sub-subfolder [as many as necessary to define its absolute location]\filename). That's not working for you, because in absolute terms the absolute location can shift each time you sign into the cloud folder where your InDesign file and placed graphics are located in respect to your desktop location. The second is a relative location inside whatever folder your InDesign document is placed in.

As you finish working with your InDesign document(s), save your file one last time, then use the File>Package... menu command to collect the InDesign document, and with clicked selections, any linked files and/or fonts associated with that document. This opens the Package dialog box. By clicking on the Links and Images section, you can confirm that you are linked with the placed elements in your given InDesign file, as well as identify any that aren't and have the opportunity to relink to those placed elements before you create your package folder, as shown below.

After passing through the Instructions dialog box, you arrive at the Package Publication dialog box, where you specify where you want that package folder located, as well as whether you want to Copy Fonts, Copy Linked Graphics, Update Graphic Links in Package, as well as other check box options, as shown in the illustration below. You want to be sure to select the Copy Linked Graphics and Update Graphic Links in Package check boxes. This confirms that the absolute and relative links will be in the same place: the Links sub-folder that will be added inside your created package folder.

Work from the InDesign file inside the packaged folder and you should be past your problems.

Hope this helps,

Randy

[Maabus_4340]

I understand and have been saving to a local drive on the computer, that has been the normal "how to" since the 90's, however I currently work from multiple locations so I need to working out of the cloud. If I forget to move something into a library, I need to pull it from of the cloud but when I try all of the illistator files are all missing.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Why not use a cloud-based file sync'ing service such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box? They all can install software on your computer to work locally and then back up to the cloud (where they can be downloaded to another computer if desired). You don't work directly on the cloud files, just the local ones. 

The only thing you need to be careful with is if other people are sync'ing the files, you need to make sure you don't both work in the same files at the same time. (The service will make two copies of the files, causing linking problems.) If working on your own, you just need to leave enough time for everything to upload to the cloud and then download to the other system.