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@Todd_Morgan – What you are complaining about is true:
https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/create-smart-objects.html#replace-smart-object-content
You can replace the image data in one Smart Object or multiple linked instances.
One needs to use the "New Smart Object Via Copy" command to isolate one particular embedded smart object so that it isn't synchronised.
There isn't such a native feature for linked smart objects, as they are linked, all links get replaced. I wrote a script to automate the creation of a "New Linked Smart Object via Copy", however it automatically saves a new linked file to break the path to the original linked file:
/*
Relink to New Linked Smart Object via Copy.jsx
v1.0 - 9th September 2024, Stephen Marsh
NOTE: The script will relink to an existing file
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/please-fix-how-relink-to-file-and-replace-content-work/td-p/14846535
Related to:
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
try {
// 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("Relink to New Linked Smart Object via Copy.jsx", "main()");
}
} catch (err) {
alert("Error!" + "\r" + err + "\r" + 'Line: ' + err.line);
}
function main() {
try {
// Convert the active linked smart object layer to an embedded smart object
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("newPlacedLayer"), undefined, DialogModes.NO);
// Edit the smart object contents
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerEditContents"), new ActionDescriptor(), DialogModes.NO);
// Relink to file
var idselect = stringIDToTypeID("select");
var desc350 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idnull = stringIDToTypeID("null");
var ref59 = new ActionReference();
var idmenuItemClass = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemClass");
var idmenuItemType = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemType");
var idplacedLayerRelinkToFile = stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerRelinkToFile");
ref59.putEnumerated(idmenuItemClass, idmenuItemType, idplacedLayerRelinkToFile);
desc350.putReference(idnull, ref59);
executeAction(idselect, desc350, DialogModes.ALL);
// Get the layer name
var layerName = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name;
// Close and save
app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
// Convert the embedded smart object back to a linked smart object
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerConvertToLayers"), undefined, DialogModes.NO);
// Set the layer name
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name = layerName;
} catch (err) {
alert("Error!" + "\r" + err + "\r" + 'Line: ' + err.line);
}
}
That is not true, all links do not get replaced. For example, if I copy/paste a SO from one artboard to another, that file is no longer "linked" so if I edit that new SO the original does not change, but if I relink to file and update that said SO they all change - which is very weird.
By @Todd_Morgan
That is not true, I can't reproduce this behaviour, whether copied and pasted onto an artboard or not, edits (or relinking) to one linked smart object affect the other linked smart objects if they are the same file, they are all synchronised unless one uses a method such as my action or script or the manual steps to create a "new linked smart object via copy".
that's a work around. Would rather have the software work corectly
By @Todd_Morgan
No, you want it to work YOUR way. That's not "correctly" but rather just your preference (assuming that this isn't a bug, and that its not working as-designed.)
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