XML href to local smb server

[Mathisse]

Hej there!
I have image files I want to link to via XML and load into InDesign automatically, for the pages they belong in. So right now it looks like this:
<container href="file:///Users/meeeeee/asdf.jpg"></container>

Pages without the image would simply be exported from the database as an empty <container></container>.

This works, but the file is lying on a local smb server...

OS X tells me, the path is "smb://servername/...", but that doesn't work.

Neither do things like "file:///smb://", "smb:///" or different other combinations I tested, feeling increasingly stupid.... 🙂

I was only able to find either local path or http examples online, it seems to be somewhat specific.

Also, would you know of some "alt = asdf" option like in html, so I can have text instead, in case the jpg would be missing?

Thank you and best wishes!
Mathis

[Dirk Becker · Accepted solution]

InDesign does not understand the SMB protocol. Mount the SMB server in Finder and use a file path.

To construct the file path, navigate to an example image in Finder.

ctrl+click or right-click for Finder's contextual menu.

In that contextual menu hold the option key down to see a menu entry "Copy "test.png" as Pathname".

Use that pathname with a prefix of "file://" so it will be like "file:///Volumes/MyServer/test.png"

[Mathisse]

Thank you very much, Dirk Becker – it works!

Strangely, when copying the path from the CMD+i window, there's like a secondary server name before that...

file:///Volumes/MyServer/...

vs.

smb://myOtherServerName/MyServer/...

So that's where I got lost... I'm not that much into servers, maybe it makes sense.

Do you happen to have an idea about the "alt=" option mentioned above?

"alt" doesn't work and just putting the text in the container will delete the image...

Thanks so much again! & Best wishes

Mathis

[Mathisse]

Well, it doesn't seem to be an option anyway, as InDesign just opens a search/reconnect window when I import an XML with a non-working image link. I'm not sure a working alt function could change that...

Therefore, thank you very much again!

Mathis