Linked Files

[PhoShoDan]

When I change the star rating or label colour of a file in Bridge, it breaks all my links in my PSDs. Is there any way to avoid this? Other than opening all the PSDs and relinking files? TIA

[D Fosse]

Don't know, but I have noticed that adding labels in Bridge will resave the file. My backup software will treat these as modified files and back them up again. After all, it is new metadata that needs to be added to the file header.

So I suppose that's the why. But if it's possible to work around or avoid I don't know.

[Conrad_C]

Does this mean the files are placed as linked Smart Objects in a Photoshop document?

And is it actually breaking the links (missing file), or only marking them as modified?

What format are these linked files, raw or PSD/TIFF/JPEG/PNG...

[PhoShoDan]

Linked PSDs. If you change the rating or the label of an asset, PS asks to relink file when you open a file that has said linked asset file in it. I know how to relink files etc... it's just super abnoxious with this current job of 50 models of a product with 8 patterns for each.

[PhoShoDan]

Not relink sorry, but rather update.

[Conrad_C]

OK, great. As it’s established that this is really about updating on open…

…does it reduce the hassle if the preference setting shown below is enabled, or is it already enabled?

[AlanGilbertson]

When you change a rating or label, Bridge changes the "Last Modified" date to the current time. This makes the file appear to be out-of-date to an app that has it linked (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere, etc.).

Your links in Photoshop are not broken, they're just (erroneously, as it happens) flagged as having been changed. There's no need to relink. Open the PSDs and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Update all modified content:

[PhoShoDan]

Yes, I understand this. The metadata is changed. PS needs to be manually updated everytime I open a file that has a linked asset (that has changed rating/label) in it. PITA with a job with many overlapping assets.