Is there a way to create relative links to an Indesign Template file?

[Steven5E09]

Just like the title says, I'm trying to create relative paths to an illustrator file and excel file in my template file. I'm using data merge to create a bunch of files from the template and when I the individual InDesign files, I run a script that places each of the new documents into a folder with the same name. I am then dropping the linked files into the new folders and kept the files the same name and kept the same file structure. So, if it were a relative path, it would update. But, it shows up as a missing link. After I make the files, I am running a script to open the files, update links, and export a PDF; so, manually updating the links kinda defeats the purpose. 

If there's not a way to create a relative path, is there a script out there that will look for a file of the same file type and/or filename in the same folder as the document?

Thank you in advance!

[Mike Witherell]

Have you tried Links panel > panel menu button flyout > Relink to Folder

or Links panel > panel menu button flyout > Utilities > Search for Links?

[Steven5E09]

Hi Mike!

Both of these suggestions work. However, I'm looking for a way to not have to manually go into the files. Do you happen to know if there is a script to run the search for links?

Thank you!

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Hi Steven,

there is a way to do this, but it's a very special one.

All placed images have to be inside a Links folder and must be placed from that folder; the corresponding InDesign document shares the folder with the Links folder  Basically this is the thing the Package for Print feature does in InDesign. You could also add a Document fonts folder that contains all necessary used font files if licensing allows this.

Structure:

Project Folder

> InDesign document.indd

> Links

> > Image-1.jpg

> > Image-2.jpg

> Document fonts

> > font style file-1.otf

> > font style file-2.ttf

Move the project folder around.

The InDesign document always has access to the images and the fonts.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[anders_3569]

Made my day - thanks