Linking in Indesign

[albertah22546895]

I work on a monthly publication. Each month has a set of client folders with a PSD document linked to an indesign document. When I pull a client folder form, for example, September to October, the indesign document is still linked to the PSD from September. This is a new issue. In the past, the PSD wouold link to the new folder. Does anyone have any insight on this?

[albertah22546895]

To clarify, I am copying the folder from one month to the next. 

[Peter Spier]

Is there a good reason for copying the assets from month to month rather than linking to an asset repository? Without more detaails on the whole work flow this sounds like it may not be the best way to approach what you are doing.

As for the linking issue, as far as I can recall the links should stay intact, but if ID cannot find the file in the original path, it will look in the current folder and subfolders, so a copied link would become active when the original was unavailable.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Been there.

Outside of having a common folder for recurring graphics, what I find helpful when copying a folder like you are, is to temporarily rename the old location so ID is forced to look elsewhere.

[Dan Rodney · Accepted solution]

Instead of copying the folder, you could package the file and in that process InDesign will relink to the new folder of assets.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Yes! This is exactly what I do with monthly newsletters... not that i have any anymore 😞 I would open a copy of the last issue, save it with new name, delete all non-recurring images/graphics, then do a package of the resulting file, so only the pertinent recurring graphics are brought forward and properly relinked.

[Peter Spier · Accepted solution]

I find this workflow to be a potential disaster waiting to happen. Recycling files leads to a build-up of incremental corruption until one day you have a total loss. I know, we all do it, but you have to be prepared to accept the consequences on deadline.

A much safer approach is to create a template file with styles and recurring content, and a library of re-usable (but not used in every isssue) content that can be easily grabbed and re-inserted. Working from a template each time means all the issues are only one step removed from brand new.

[Jumpenjax · Accepted solution]

Dan Rodney solution is good. I do a monthly magazine and I do not have the luxury of keeping a working file folder on our server. It is too slow. I am the only one in our office on mac. So I save each month to a media folder on the server each month upon completion. I keep only a couple of months on my hard drive. 

I think, I use a similar method, except I do not copy the folder. I have a Master folder and I drag the Master folder to my new monthly folder. This way it is easy to find. If a link is missing, I find one to link back and InDesign asks me if I want to link all missing links from my Master Folder.

The only draw back of using the package folder method is if you need to modify anything. The package method only links how you have placed the graphic in InDesign and not the .psd file. I use Photoshop to create my ads and events. I flatten and save them differently to link in to my InDesign file.