My embedded file disappeared-- is there anything I can do?

[paul-bklyn]

I have a Photoshop image a large portion of which is a smart object that I chose to embed. I was a little concerned about keeping track of it, because in earlier PS versions I was finding my smart object layers losing connection to the embedded file and creating new versions of it, so I actually saved a screen shot of the file path to my embedded image. The path to the hidden file was HD/private/var/folders/50/--long string of characters--/T/Adobe Photoshop 2024/image file.  

Then one day I opened my image and the smart object layer had a red alert sayiing it couldn't find the link. I looked in the location I'd recorded, and the file wasn't there. I don't know what caused this, but I did have a Photoshop crash recently and it could have been then, or maybe it was when Photoshop 2024 replaced 2023, I don't know. My backup of the image has the same situation-- can't find link-- and so does my second backup. (My backups use Carbon Copy Cloner which supposedly copies everything).  In fact on my backups the file path ends with the folder whose name is a long string of characters; the folder inside it called T with lots of contents including "Adobe Photoshop" is just not there. (Are these temporary files that get created when Photoshop turns on?) 

The missing image is still there in my smart object layer but its linked file had many layers and a higher resolution,  all of which I needed. I believe I am totally out of luck in finding that embedded file. Am I?

Also, Is it right that making a copy of the outer file (with Save As) does not make a new copy of an embedded smart object, but just retains the same link to the one embedded file in its hidden location?

[D Fosse]

If the smart object is an embedded smart object, then it's, well, embedded. There's no link to lose, it's right there inside the file.

So apparently you haven't embedded, you have a linked smart object.

With a linked smart object, you really need to keep track of where it is. If it's moved, the link is broken and you need to find it to relink. To that end, save it in a logical location. That save path sounds very cryptic. Set up a logical folder tree on your disk, so that files are easy to find.

[Stephen Marsh]

Can you post a screenshot of the Layers panel so that the layer icon can be identified (linked vs. embedded icon).

With the Smart Object layer selected, can you also post a screenshot of the Properties panel with the relevant info visible?

The path you mention sounds like a temporary path location that is created when an embedded smart object is opened for editing/saving. Once the SO is saved and closed the temp path and file are no longer available.

[paul-bklyn]

Thank you for the response. I didn't realize about the different Layers panel icons for embedded vs. linked smart objects, and it looks like this broken one was linked after all. And I believe I have actually found its original now, which is confusing because I am sure I did a lot of fruitless searching before, but confusing and undermining myself  with my attempts to cleverly make things easier is nothing new.

[Conrad_C]

The path to the hidden file was HD/private/var/folders/50/--long string of characters--/T/Adobe Photoshop 2024/image file

By @paul-bklyn

That path leads to a location in an invisible folder (within /private/var) that macOS uses to store temporary files. It’s totally normal because when you open the embedded Smart Object, it’s temporarily saved to that location to store any edits you make, then when you close the embedded Smart Object, it’s re-embedded, and the temporary file is purged eventually.

One of the aspects of macOS temporary files is that because they are purgeable, it isn’t useful to record or rely on that path you saw in /private/var because, being temporary, that path can change every time you open an embedded Smart Object.

I would agree that if the Photoshop containing document was saved normally, the content for the embedded Smart Object should be in that document. The only time it might be missing is if, shortly after it was imported, Photoshop accidentally crashed or was intentionally forced to quit before the containing document was properly saved. The only time a Photoshop document will show a Smart Object path to a normal visible user folder is when it’s not embedded, but a linked Smart Object.

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

Ah, of course, I should have known that: it's just the standard TEMP directory in MacOS. Then it all falls into place and you can all disregard my post.

[paul-bklyn]

Many thanks for the answer.  As I wrote above, I think I found the original and it was indeed linked as a smart object, not embedded. It is good to know what that secret file in the hidden location is.

[paul-bklyn]

Update: actually I did not find the original, but I think that whatever I did was so convoluted that it's not worth pursuing, and I made do with the flat copy of the smart object that I did end up with.