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ka_incFlag for United States of America

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Linked File Paths In Illustrator

I have a critical situation. We have a new server and will be moving all of our Illustrator files to it. The problem is that most of our Illustrator files have other files linked to them (jpg's, etc.).

How can I repath linked files in over 10,000 AI's without having to do it manually?
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uzzidesign
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I've been working in Illustrator since version 9 and currently use CS3. Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no way to do that. If you're using Illustrator in a print environment for layout, I would suggest using InDesign instead. Indesign has a feature called "Packaging" that will find all your fonts and linked files and package them up into a separate folder to consolidating your assets. To my knowledge, Illustrator has never had a feature anything like this, nor will it search your files and repath them automatically unless you already have those linked files in the same directory as the AI file to begin with.

So, if the latter is the case, copy all those directories over, but you'll still have to open each document individually and let it auto-repair those links.
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I'm afraid that I'm with uzzi on this one.

Unless you can rebuild the same file structure from top level down to your Illustrator files and linked files...

You're hosed!

The new versions of Illustrator saw fit to include a links panel that lets you update links that have been modified, or you can use it to relink each link in each file. Not exactly helpful in your case.

Even if Illustrator had a collect for web feature, without an automatic link update feature, it would be useless.

I read on the Adobe forum that the links were relative, but my own tests did not confirm this. For instance, if the linked file is in the same directory as the Illustrator file, it is transportable. But if there is a link to a file in another directory, the link breaks even if the parent directory and its children are all copied intact.

One tiny bit of good news. If you open an Illustrator file, and all of its linked files are in the same folder, you only have to link one of them and the others usually relink automatically. That's for each one of your 10,000 files.

So the only hope is to have your directory identical on both servers, as least as far as the Illustrator and linked files go.

David B.

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uzzidesign
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>I also forgot to mention, and you may already know this, that in the links palette you can click on the options arrow in the top right and choose to "embed" selected linked files.

Yeah, and you can unlink them. What I haven't tried out (since I don't have CS3) is if, when you embed a file,  move it, and "unembed" the file. Is it placed in a new location with a new set of links?
I feel compelled to object.

I feel that uzzidesign should be given the points. He offered what appears to be workable solutions. The fact that there was no feedback from the poster prevented him from modifying or improving the solutions that he offered.

As the FAQ points out. sometimes the answer is "it can't be done." Just because the answer was not the one the questioner wanted to hear does not mean it is invalid.

The questioner is still at liberty to give what grade seems appropriate.
I see that we are still working out the bugs in the auto removal system.

I will repeat my objection

I feel that uzzidesign should be given the points. He offed what appears to be workable solutions. The fact that there was no feedback from the poster prevented him from modifying or improving the solutions that he offered.

As the FAQ points out. sometimes the answer is "it can't be done." Just because the answer was not the one the questioner wanted to hear does not mean it is invalid.

The questioner is still at liberty to give what grade seems appropriate.
Force accepted.
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