Whats the right way to work with linked elements on different computers *without cloud*?

[danezeq]

Say i work on an indesign file with lot's of links inside.

these links are located on different folders! i know that if they all were located in one folder, things were much simpler, but it's not the case.

if i'll save it as a package, the remote designer will get all links to work, but then after he'll send it back to me, all links will be pointing to the package folder, while i need it to point to the original folders location in my pc. 

so i need to relink all links to the different folders every time i'm getting the file back.

is there any smarter way to work this around?

[Dan Rodney]

The simplest way is to put all files in a single folder. Put the InDesign file and all linked graphics in the same folder and it won't lose the links. Using different folders will cause the issues you're seeing. I like to name the InDesign file so it goes to the top of the file list. On the Mac I put a space at the start, but that doesn't work on Windows, so maybe use something like ! to bring it to the top of the file list so it's easy to find.

[Dan Rodney]

I know you said "but it's not the case" but is there a reason why you can't just put everything in one folder? Because that's the way InDesign wants you to work.

[danezeq]

that doesnt help, but thank anyway.

[courageous_wonder06836]

If you work for a business and you work with a thousand images in a project. References for this and that, documents you link to, Random images, project specific images, references of your own projects, etc, you NEED to work with folders, otherwise its pure chaos.

And then you need to shift project folders from one location to another after projects are finished on hold or for other reasons that are more important then how files are linked. 

So then it would be really helpful if you can assign a master folder from where it makes a relative structure. Otherwise it is a way too time-consuming job to relink.

Another thing that would be helpful is to be able to package indesign files maintaining their folder structures, again relative from a specific master folder to be assigned. The files outside this masterfolder can be dumped in a 'rest'-folder.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Then replicate your folder structure for your remote designer.

[RvdT]

When you receive the package file. Rename the links folder in the package, so the links get broken.

When openeing your InDesign document, you'll have to relink. But it will find files that are in the same folder.

At least you don't have to relink each file.

Hope this helps.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But files are in MANY different folders - so a lot of manual relinking. 

[RvdT]

Sounds good. Did a search. Can't find it.

[rob day]

Hi @danezeq , Is the remote designer editing the links? If not, why not send just the InDesign file without the linked files? Your collaborator will get missing link warnings, but that wouldn’t prevent them from making ID edits, and on return the link status for you should still be normal.

[danezeq]

yes, sometimes he update some of them.

[rob day]

Is there a reason you don’t want to use cloud sync’ing?

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Create the packge and then, you also use that packaged folder. So create your design, create the package, for example in the same folder and disk as your original document, then forget your original document and work yourself with the document in that packaged folder. Then after you receive the edited indd file, just replace that in the packaged folder on your own disk.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But OP didn't want to destroy the original structure of the links?? 

[danezeq]

The idea is to preserve the structure of the folders. there are linked files spreaded around some folders, i can't move them into "package" folder". i mean i CAN do it but the whole idea is not DUPLICATE them, but LINK to them, they needed in another projects as well.

[Dan Rodney]

This is not really how InDesign works. Here's a feature request to get relative paths Relative Link Paths for InDesign – Adobe InDesign and there's a script in one of the comments you may be able to use to do what you want (although I have not tested it).

[rob day]

Hi Dan, I think cloud sync’ing is the solution for the relative link feature request. Sync’ing replicates the folder structure, so the file paths are all relative to the root sync folder, which with the Adobe cloud service is the user’s Creative Cloud Files folders—it’s just a matter of keeping all of the links inside of the root.

[Dan Rodney]

While cloud syncing is useful... I think relative linking would be a very useful solution when people don't want to use the cloud (which not everyone wants to... as indicated by the original poster).

[Dan Rodney]

I will add that if someone is sharing files a lot, cloud syncing is what I'd recommend 🙂 

[rob day]

*without cloud*?

The point of sync’d cloud workflows (Adobe CC, Dropbox, OneDrive) is to solve linking problems without resorting to sending packages. I assume the collaborators have a reasonably fast internet connection, if you are passing around packages?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

To do what you want, you need a file server that allows remote logins, usually with a VPN. Companies do it all the time. 

Another option is to use a remote server that mounts like an external hard drive (not a simple cloud storage).