P: SmartObject Relink to affects all same path instances instead of just the selected layer instance

Crazy that this is still an annoying issue and hasn't been fixed, InDesign has had a simple solution for re-linking a single instance of a linked file forever. Why can't this same approach by adopted in Photoshop?

The New Smart Object via Copy command only applies to embedded smart objects. There is no way to break the relationship between an original and a copy for a linked file. It makes logical sense as this is a linked file. 

The command originated before linked smart objects were available. One could argue that it needs to be renamed to include the word embedded, i.e. New Embedded Smart Object via Copy – to clarify the intended use now that there are both linked and embedded options.

I created a script to help automate the process of creating a New Linked Smart Object via Copy:

/*
New Linked Smart Object via Copy.jsx
v1.1 - 27th January 2024, Stephen Marsh
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/why-is-new-smart-object-via-copy-greyed-out-for-linked-smart-objects/td-p/14371680
*/

#target photoshop

// Smart object action manager properties
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty(charIDToTypeID("Prpr"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
var so = executeActionGet(ref).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));

// Conditional check for the active layer being a linked smart object
if (so.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("linked"))) {
    // Single history stage undo
    activeDocument.suspendHistory("New Linked Smart Object via Copy.jsx", "main()");
}


function main() {

    // Doc path, name and extension variables
    var thePath = so.getPath(stringIDToTypeID("link")).fullName.replace(/(^.+\/)(.*)/, '$1');
    var theName = so.getString(stringIDToTypeID("fileReference")).replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, '');
    var theExt = so.getString(stringIDToTypeID("fileReference")).replace(/(.+)(\.[^\.]+$)/, '$2');

    // Duplicate the linked file adding copy to the name
    var theCopy = new File(thePath + theName + " copy" + theExt);
    if (!theCopy.exists) {
        new File(thePath + theName + theExt).copy(thePath + theName + " copy" + theExt);
    } else {
        throw alert('File "' + thePath + theName + theExt + '" exists, script cancelled!');
        //throw null;
    }

    // Set the reference to the original doc name
    var origDocName = activeDocument.name;

    // Dupe the smart object layer to a new temp doc
    function s2t(s) {
        return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
    }
    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();
    var reference = new ActionReference();
    var reference2 = new ActionReference();
    reference.putClass(s2t("document"));
    descriptor.putReference(s2t("null"), reference);
    descriptor.putString(s2t("name"), "tempDoc");
    reference2.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
    descriptor.putReference(s2t("using"), reference2);
    descriptor.putString(s2t("layerName"), activeDocument.activeLayer.name);
    executeAction(s2t("make"), descriptor, DialogModes.NO);

    // Relink to the duplicated file copy
    var idplacedLayerRelinkToFile = stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerRelinkToFile");
    var desc15 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = stringIDToTypeID("null");
    desc15.putPath(idnull, new File(thePath + theName + " copy" + theExt));
    executeAction(idplacedLayerRelinkToFile, desc15, DialogModes.NO);

    // Dupe the relinked temp doc layer back to the original doc
    function s2t(s) {
        return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
    }
    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();
    var reference3 = new ActionReference();
    var reference4 = new ActionReference();
    reference3.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
    descriptor.putReference(s2t("null"), reference3);
    reference4.putName(s2t("document"), origDocName);
    descriptor.putReference(s2t("to"), reference4);
    descriptor.putString(s2t("name"), activeDocument.activeLayer.name);
    executeAction(s2t("duplicate"), descriptor, DialogModes.NO);
    activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
}

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

Best solution. Can't believe this is still an issue in 2024 when I can follow it back to 2015 and beyond. Why is there no option to make a linked asset "unique"? Usual Adobe madness.

This was the only workaround that solved it for me - thank you! 

In my Photoshop document, I have two layers, both linked to the same file. If I modify that linked file, it updates both layers in Photoshop. Good!

Now I need to duplicate both of those layers and link the two new layers to a different file. If I duplicate those linked files, and try to relink, it relinks all four of those layers. 

If I convert that original linked layer to an embedded layer, it still treats it as the same source for all four. 

Any ideas beyond just creating a new file for each instance of this thing? 

I have placed a linked image in the PSD.

It's duplicated a few times in the doc. 

I only want to relink 1 instance of it to another image.

But when relinking, it changes all the instances.

What's the trick?