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Just a random rant about this option I always like to use since my prepress Illustrator days.
We were dealing with loads of imported images and had to modify them in Photoshop constantly. When "updating" the Link, to preserve our local editing (scaling, rotation, whatever) we always checked the "Replace" option in the Import dialog, for the times we didn't not go through the Links palette which was the "prefered" method (I did not make the rules).
So I always took for grant that "re-importing" over any existing elements presupposed that there *was* an element to be replaced but in InDesign, suppose I create an empty frame : when I select the frame and launch the Import command on it, is there really an element in the frame at that time? Or is it not "empty"? What I don't understand from a semantic point of view is why force the use of the Option in that case, in order for the imported link to land in the selected element? If I don't tick that checkbox, the import link appears in a loaded cursor under the mouse pointer.
To me, if the frame is empty, there is NOTHING to "replace"? Yes? No?
It's a silly little detail on the face of it but when explaining the base import technique in the classroom, it always takes a few extra "Teacher CPU cycles" to explain the behavior.
End of Rant 🙂
Always thought Rome wasn't build in one day.
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What I don't understand from a semantic point of view is why force the use of the Option in that case
Hi @Roger Breton , The Place>Show Import Options and Replace Selected Item are sticky, so the result of the Place command depends on how they were set on the last Place—uncheck Show Import Options and all future selected files in the Place dialog will place directly in the selcted frame with no Options dialog, when Replace Selected Item is checked. If Replace Selected Item is unchecked the selection is loaded into your cursor rather than into the selection and you can choose where it goes.
The contents of the Options dialog depends on the file format of the selected file, so it doesn’t assuming a replace, it’s letting you choose the parameters of the place—a text import lets you choose Character Set, Platform, Dictionary, etc, while a PDF/AI import lets you choose the Page Range, Crop to Options, etc.
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Rereading your post, sounds like you are happy with the Place functions you just don’t like the Place Options text? If that’s the case no one at Adobe will see your post, try a feature request:
https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests
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> suppose I create an empty frame : when I select the frame and launch the Import command on it,
> is there really an element in the frame at that time? Or is it not "empty"?
As @rob day already mentioned, If you have anything selected in the document, then the Replace Selected Item option implies that the Place command will act upon the selected item (even it's an empty frame).
Regardless, the Replace Selected Item option is ALWAYS enabled - even if nothing is selected in the document. I always found it annoying (I believe the option should be grayed out and unchecked if nothing is selected).
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Ah! Exactly my point! Ah! Thank you!