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Participating Frequently
October 24, 2023
Answered

Indesign's file remembering folders now dictated by tool

  • October 24, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 1224 views

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)

Correct answer Mike Witherell

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

4 replies

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 30, 2023

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

Mike Witherell
Colin Flashman
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 28, 2023

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

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
Participating Frequently
October 30, 2023

Thanks -I'll check this out 

Participating Frequently
October 25, 2023

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
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 28, 2023

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

Mike Witherell
Participating Frequently
October 30, 2023

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

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 24, 2023

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

Mike Witherell
Participating Frequently
October 24, 2023

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
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 25, 2023

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