Inspiring

Question

Updating all linked object

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
December 3, 2022
3 replies
7603 views

How can I update all linked files in a master file - including the ones inside smart objects? Can't find any commands for that. Preferably I would love to get a warning when opening the master file, that linked files were updated. Similar to what happens in InDesign when linked files are changed.

Windows

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

One additional note:

It seems perfectly possible to create a set-up in which an automation gets caught in a loop.

Suppose an image contains two Linked Smart Objects (A and B) that each contain the other as a Linked Smart Object.

Saving any changes in A will cause it to update in B, which upon saving will update in A etc.

Andreas ReschAuthor

Inspiring

One more reason why this would work better in the core code. They can probably better access a list of external files that are included in the parent file. And working that off is much easier than looping through layers. Probably doing a lot of repetitive tasks in doing so as well.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Actually such a situation would seem like a problem no matter where the updating would be done.

I suppose it would be possible to include

• either a check to verify if the updating actually results in any changed pixels (and otherwise abandon the process)

• or check the whole reference tree for »loops«

but both options would probably have costs.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

@Andreas Resch

Try this script instead:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/is-there-an-option-that-shows-me-a-list-with-all-smart-objects-paths/idc-p/12689475#M13040

Andreas ReschAuthor

Inspiring

Thanks for the link. But I'm not sure that this is the right script. I want to update my modified linked files and not relink them. Besides that the script takes several minutes to go through my layers until it gets to the prompted window. And this is one of my smaller files.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

@Andreas Resch

Perhaps this previous topic will help?

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/nested-smart-objects-auto-update-2022/m-p/12968009

Although the following is removing photoshop:DocumentAncestors metadata inside nested smart objects, the base code could be used and the metadata removal replaced with code for updating linked smart objects.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/remove-documentancestors-recursively-for-all-smartobjects-in-a-psd/td-p/13043605#U13054410

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Layer > Smart Objects > Update All Modified Content does not apply to Linked Smart Objects within Smart Objects (and further down).

One could automate that via a Script that opens all Smart Objects (and Smart Objects within Smart Objects and so on …) to verify if all Linked Smart Objects within those are up-to-date.

Have you done a Forum search yet? Maybe someone already created such a Script.

Andreas ReschAuthor

Inspiring

I found one script, but it didn't work properly. This should be included in the core code. I'm surprised, that it's not already in there. I have files with dozens of linked smart objects and I can't go through all of them individually. There's also a chance that I missed one.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

This should be included in the core code.

I disagree.

Linked Smart Objects in a document can be updated with Layer > Smart Objects > Update All Modified Content, if you stack Linked Smart Objects across serveral levels of Smart Objects within Smart Objects that’s your choice (mind you, I am not claiming that such a setup may not be perfectly sensible for specific situations).

Please post the Script (or a Link to it), a sample image package and describe how it failed.

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