Affinity publisher- update link

[Iztok]

I did some retouche in photo and save photo in photoshop, now the button for update photo changes is not accessible.

[Pšenda]

2 hours ago, Iztok said:

now the button for update photo changes is not accessible

The update button is not accessible because the Status is OK - so there is nothing to update.

P.S. You inserted the image into the document as embedded, not linked, so its change is not tracked by the application in any way, see Help:

https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/pages/Media/embeddingVsLinking.html

[Iztok]

don't tell me, what I wise observation, of course I get a complete retouche to photo and when I relink the same photo than update was visible. Same photo, same name and update doesn't work. Do you see, so I need some better answer

[Pšenda]

33 minutes ago, Iztok said:

Do you see

Yes, I see - your document is "embedded", so updating doesn't work for it.

[PaulEC]

40 minutes ago, Iztok said:

so I need some better answer

If a photo is Linked it can be updated, if it's Embedded it can't!

Maybe we need a better question!

 

3 hours ago, Iztok said:

and save photo in photoshop

What are you using Photoshop for?

[Bound by Beans]

5 hours ago, Iztok said:

I did some retouche in photo and save photo in photoshop, now the button for update photo changes is not accessible.

The image is embedded – if you edited the image in Photoshop from a location on a drive, you should choose Make linked instead in the dialog and select the file from the drive.

Unfortunately, the choice between linked and embedded is hidden away, but if you want to insert images as linked by default or mostly, go to Document Setup and select Prefer Linked:

[Iztok]

Embeded should be update imidiatley, because it is in Publishe itself, don't you think, withouth relinked, and again this embeded default settings are so noncense, in 99% designers use linked photos and app can't remeber this settings and you need over and over be careful on this noncense. It is also warning that emebded files take a lot of space, so why is this then default option and why app cant remember my settings.

[Iztok]

18 hours ago, PaulEC said:

If a photo is Linked it can be updated, if it's Embedded it can't!

Maybe we need a better question!

 

What are you using Photoshop for?

What has this question of? What difference is this for linking files? I like Photoshop in some function.

[Alfred]

1 minute ago, Iztok said:

Embeded should be update imidiatley, because it is in Publishe itself, don't you think

No, for the reason @Pšenda showed in a screenshot from one of the Affinity Help pages:

[Iztok]

So why not automatical option to relink embeded file when it is changed? where is the logic? Embeded file should also be different when you wark on it. Or if embeded file is so nonresponce, should we need it at all? Take a lot of space, dont change when work on original, why not yus cut it from app?

[Iztok]

And why is defalut setting set on embed, if you prefere linked, why app cant remember when I set to linked and when I create new document again is set to embed, and this is from the begining and lot of times was complain about it and nothing, embed is the law

[Iztok]

For the first time I must say this default option is so stupid, look at video, and dont understan why is so hard do set default settings to linked or yust remeber for the next time or in settings option use linked or use embed

[Alfred]

4 minutes ago, Iztok said:

So why not automatical option to relink embeded file when it is changed? where is the logic?

The logic is that the ‘Embed’ option is intended for use when you add an external resource and you want its appearance in your document to remain the same as it was at the time you added it. If you want to keep your Affinity document in step with subsequent changes to an external resource, you should use the ‘Link’ option instead.

[Alfred]

10 minutes ago, Iztok said:

And why is defalut setting set on embed, if you prefere linked, why app cant remember when I set to linked and when I create new document again is set to embed

Have you tried updating the defaults after choosing the ‘Link’ option?

[carl123]

43 minutes ago, Iztok said:

And why is defalut setting set on embed,

Embedded was probably chosen as the default as it is the safest of the two options:

1. All the information is contained within the one file. If you accidently lose/delete a linked file it does not matter
    
2. You can share a file easily. You just send them the one file. If you had linked files you would have to also send them all the linked files.
    
3. Archiving old projects is easier as you just need to archive the one file.
    
4. Accidentally editing a linked file (e.g. JPG) for use in another project days/months/years later could/would also update any other older file it was previously linked in (once you reopen that old file)

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Iztok said:

So why not automatical option to relink embeded file when it is changed? where is the logic? Embeded file should also be different when you wark on it. Or if embeded file is so nonresponce, should we need it at all? Take a lot of space, dont change when work on original, why not yus cut it from app?

For an Embedded file, you would need to use the Replace button, and choose a file (possibly the same one) to replace it with.

[Bound by Beans]

It should be easy and intuitive to set a default, and it should be easy to override when placing a file — something Serif has clearly chosen not to do, in order to make things easier for themselves implementation-wise, by simply using the operating system’s file picker.

I agree with @Iztok that it’s a terrible default and awkward to change. In my workflows — both large and even small projects — I strongly prefer to keep most things separate from the Publisher document, as that only brings advantages for me. This is a crucial setting and should be an option that's clearly visible and activated directly in the workflow — not hidden away and with a final solution buried in the forum.

It’s no use defending Serif’s choice every time this comes up — it’s poor UI and workflow design. What you have to do in Publisher just isn’t good enough.

[PaulEC]

A slight aside to this topic, but I generally prefer to embed images, rather than link them. After inserting a few images, (after every four images, I think it is,) I get a popup suggesting that I should link them instead. I'd really like an option to disable ("Don't show again") this popup! (Of course, this does beg the question, if your document is set to embed images, and you'd rather they were linked, why not just agree when you get this popup and it will automatically change the image policy!)

[Bound by Beans]

Yes, that's such confused and clumsy usability, an attempt at possible damage control, and of course too late. True usability is one step ahead of you. But Serif is 38 years behind in reaching that realization. 

[Pšenda]

On 4/18/2025 at 12:03 PM, Iztok said:

if you prefere linked

So why use a default preset that doesn't suit for you? Create your own template/preset according to your needs!

Edited April 22 by Pšenda

[Iztok]

12 hours ago, Pšenda said:

So why use a default preset that doesn't suit for you? Create your own template according to your needs!

Because it is logical, ask user, if Affinity recomend linked better than embed, tah is logical, that embed is not default, I think so.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Iztok said:

Because it is logical, ask user, if Affinity recomend linked better than embed, tah is logical, that embed is not default, I think so.

Where do you see that Affinity recommends Linked? The default is Embedded, and Embedded is fine until you are including a lot of images, and only then does Affinity suggest that for your specific document Linked might be better.

[Bound by Beans]

Serif has chosen a poor solution with bad usability—no matter what you shout or which emojis you react with in here. And to make things even worse, this poor usability is wrapped inside even worse usability in the new document dialog. In the end, you reach for the last desperate fallback: telling users to create their own defaults to compensate—an utter failure, since the average Affinity user is hardly a seasoned IT power user. You're directly asking people to accept more complexity and wasted time—Serif only ends up with frustrated, low-budget users because of it. No one else wants to live that kind of life.

This is the “below-average” level the product ends up at, when the Affinity forum club and Serif lead each other blindly, while the competition is decades ahead in this area.

And the disaster is complete when the default saves massive documents—huge files that are shockingly vulnerable to the known Affinity bang you are dead file corruption—and unnecessarily configured to embed everything.

That's your choice. But it costs on the bottom line and in sales—the very thing Serif has thirsted for since 1987. And still hasn't achieved. What they got instead—was you.

[Pšenda]

9 hours ago, Bound by Beans said:

since the average Affinity user is hardly a seasoned IT power user

You're right - creating your own template is a really complicated problem. Hopefully this Help will make it a little easier:

https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/pages/GetStarted/templates.html

[Iztok]

We are here to improve the user experience. In my opinion, many users have already switched from InDesign to Affinity Publisher. InDesign is a fairly intuitive program, which makes for a smoother user experience. I’ve been working with it since the very beginning. A few years ago, I came across Affinity as an option — it allowed me to open and edit PDFs, which is why I decided to purchase it. Since then, the software has evolved in a very positive direction, and it even offers some features that are better than InDesign’s.

However, despite all the good things Publisher brings to the table, there are still some useful elements I miss — and what bothers me most is the stubbornness of the developers and what sometimes feels like a defensive attitude. I’m sharing my thoughts as a user. Sometimes I may be wrong and waste your time, but often I believe my suggestions are meaningful — especially when it comes to making certain settings more user-friendly.

Let me give you one example: while working on a book project, I used a large external monitor in addition to my laptop. I arranged my palettes across both screens for better workflow. But when I returned to working on just the laptop screen, the palettes were all scattered. And when I switched back to the two-monitor setup, I had to rearrange everything again. InDesign has had a feature from the start that allows you to save your workspace layouts based on how you're working — this still hasn’t been implemented in Publisher. The same goes for preferences such as whether images are embedded or linked — the software doesn't seem to remember my default choices.

I often hear explanations as to why something can’t be done, or that “others think differently.” But please believe me — I’ve worked in InDesign for 20 years and have created quite a few catalogs. I believe my feedback is worth considering. If anyone wants to check, my work is available online — for example, I created 200-page catalogs in eight languages for Unior over a span of 15 years.

If my comments aren’t welcome, or if you find them bothersome, just say so — and I’ll remove myself from the forum.