Indesign's file remembering folders now dictated by tool

[Some Other Planet]

The way Indesign navigates folders has become very annoying and is creating a lot of extra work. It used to be defined by the files themselves or by InDesign. Now it is defined individually by each tool which is taking a lot of time extra navigating when switching between multiple projects or clients, and makes it very easy for files to end up in the wrong places. It did not used to be this way. Am I missing a preference somewhere? 

Below is a list of the how each tool is navigating. 

File Save As:
a. New File: Last folder Indesign save to by any file
b. Existing indd file: The Files current location
c. Existing idml file: Last folder Indesign save to by any file (not it’s current location)

Export:
a. Same as file
b. Once anything is exported in any folder not the same as the file, it exports to the file’s last export location
If copying a file: Save As resets it the export option to a. Duplicating with finder or packaging the file does not.
C. If a new file has never been saved, it will follow the export rules of the last file InDesign used

Package: Last folder Indesign packaged to by any file.
Place: Last folder Indesign placed from by any file.
Relink: Last folder Indesign relinked from by any file
Data Merge Source: Uses export to define
Load Styles: Last folder Indesign loaded a style from
Import PDF Comments: Last folder Indesign attempted to place comments from, even if unsuccessful.

For the record, I see I am using InDesign 18.5 / Ventura 13.5.2 but behaved this was on Big Sur too (posted to uservoice as a bug also)

[Mike Witherell · Accepted solution]

InDesign > Preferences > File Handling > Links > Default Relink Folder

[Some Other Planet]

Thank you – that works great for relinking and it appears maybe saving. Any preference for all the others I don't see? My primary pain point is packaging files then exporting pdfs. They don't ever want to go to the same place, let alone the folder my file is in. 

[Peter Spier]

Are you opeing the .indd ferom the package folder to do the export to PDF? That might solve the problem.

[Some Other Planet]

This adds different steps. 20+ years of being able to do the same thing the same way is my main the issue. It used to at least tie to the files or the application. Tying it to the tools is only good for users who only work on one thing.

[Studio 223681069pbak]

On windows i have a script which reads a current indd file location (path) and if i hit CTRL+E for export, it always export the PDF next to the INDD file, (actualy in PDF folder next to the indd file, if PDF folder not exist script will created this folder)
@DTPtutorialyCZ
#miNerikejZetoNejde

[Mike Witherell]

Would you share this script or tell the rest of us how to access it?

[Studio 223681069pbak]

video and link here:
https://youtu.be/187R6iKGqkY
1. free to use
2. Windows only

[Colin Flashman]

On a mac, this program has been a gamechanger - it's called default folder X - lets me go back to last known location (or others) really quickly: https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html

[Some Other Planet]

Thanks -I'll check this out 

[Mike Witherell]

For a partial scripted solution for exporting PDFs, see my post for a similar matter here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/export-location-changed/m-p/14192713#M548051