Publisher 2 Resource Manager status shows unchanged linked files as Modified

[Shaken]

Publisher 2.5.3 on Mac OS 14.6.1, using Apple TimeMachine for backup

I am evaluating shifting from InDesign and Illustrator to Publisher and Designer. I have converted a number of files (via IDML export or direct import) and made an effort to eliminate any file formats from that heritage.

The files I am creating incorporate several linked Designer 2 files, some of which are shared between them. These Publisher files are collected into a larger Publisher document of documents that also incorporates the Publisher documents using links. When I open these documents, all of the linked documents are frequently marked "Modified" in the resource manager, even though none of the linked files have been updated. In some cases, I have closed a document, opened another document and made changes, and then reopened the first document and found all of its linked (and unchanged) resources marked modified.

This issue is very problematic, as the document of documents is intended to incorporate several hundred linked Designer documents. Being able to print or export now requires opening every linked document, manually opening the resource manager, selecting all, clicking update, and saving. This is a time consuming and aggravating at the ten document test level. It is absolutely a deal-breaker at the hundreds of documents level.

[Callum]

Hi Shaken,

I wonder if Time Machine or another backup software is indexing the files causing them to show as modified. If you enable Automatically Update Linked Resources When Modified Externally in the apps preferences does it eliminate the need to update the files manually each time?

Thanks
C

[Shaken]

I concur, Callum. I suspected the interaction with Time Machine or some other search indexer is causing the issue. I appreciate your suggesting a workaround, which will probably hide the biggest impact of this Affinity Publisher bug.

In my opinion this is a bug. This indicates that Affinity Publisher is using the incorrect file system metadata to determine if the file has been modified. The user visible modification date is unchanged on these files, so there must be another bit of metadata that is being used to make the "modified" determination. I can't think this would be considered intended behavior, unless one believed that the touch made by the other tool is making content modification to the resource (which would be a bug in that tool.)

Do you agree with my assessment that this is an Affinity Publisher bug?