Sub-Feature of Linked Files

[wesleyb]

I understand linked files have been requested, and that request has been heard.

I hope that when linked file support arrives, the following scenario is possible:

 

1. User links file into design document.

2. User saves and closes design document.

3. User moves linked file to new directory (during after-the-fact organization).

4. User opens design document.

5. Design document automatically updates link to file to respect new location.

 

Is this something feasible to implement with the linked files feature?

 

If so, would there be benefit to having the sub-feature be optional?

 

Moderator Request: Please add something into the title of this post to represent the specific sub-feature being requested. I apologize for not being specific initially. I do not see how to update it now.

[MEB]

To update your post click Edit on the bottom and then Use Full Editor button (near the Save Changes button at the bottom). The Full Editor lets you change the content of the post as well as the title, tags etc.

[wesleyb]

After having been using linked files, I noticed this unanswered post. The feature name has changed, and it does not behave as expected, and the "sub-feature" requested is incompatible.

Instead,

1. User places design file #2 into design file #1.

2. User saves and closes design file #1.

3. User moves or edits placed design file #2.

4. User opens design file #1.

5. The placed design file that was from placing design file #2 is not updated.

Placing a file embeds the design into another, but does not retain any reference nor link to the design chosen from the file system.

[walt.farrell]

13 hours ago, wesleyb said:

1. User places design file #2 into design file #1.

Which application (and release level) are you using to see the problem?

Did you specify that it be linked, or embedded?

[MEB]

Hi wesleyb,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Currently only Affinity Publisher Beta lets you use linked files, where updating the external file also updates the respective file placed in the publisher document. Affinity Photo and Designer both embed "the placed" files in the document without any relation with the original external file.

[walt.farrell]

Just now, MEB said:

Affinity Photo and Designer both embed "the placed" files in the document without any relation with the original external file.

It is curious, though, that both Photo and Designer (1.6, and 1.7) offer options of Link or Embed when doing a Replace Image on Windows.

[v_kyr]

6 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

It is curious, though, that both Photo and Designer (1.6, and 1.7) offer options of Link or Embed when doing a Replace Image on Windows.

That's probably why they all do share at least the code for UI panels etc. here.

[MEB]

50 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

It is curious, though, that both Photo and Designer (1.6, and 1.7) offer options of Link or Embed when doing a Replace Image on Windows.

These options/UI shouldn't be there - this is already logged. Currently there's no way to managed linked/embeded images/files in Photo/Designer (retail or Beta).

[wesleyb]

On 12/3/2018 at 8:28 AM, walt.farrell said:

Which application (and release level) are you using to see the problem?

Did you specify that it be linked, or embedded?

I am using Affinity Designer 1.6.1.

In my 2018 follow-up post, I embed the file. The behaviour matches MEB's statement "Affinity Photo and Designer both embed 'the placed' files in the document without any relation with the original external file."

I think, when authoring the original post, I "linked" the file, because the verbiage was different many versions ago.

I accept this behavior, and have worked with it for years, now.

That all said, it would be great to have a living relationship between an embedded document, and the original document that was embedded, so that I could share changes across documents. I imagine that feature, which does not seem to exist in Designer, as cross-document symbols; such a feature could serve, if it worked well, as a replacement for per-document symbols, which are woefully buggy.

[wesleyb]

Oh, I just watched a video tutorial for Affinity Publisher about "Linked images". It has exactly the feature I had hoped for, and still would greatly utilize.

Are "linked images", as available in the Affinity Publisher Beta, coming to other Affinty products?

[walt.farrell]

10 hours ago, wesleyb said:

Are "linked images", as available in the Affinity Publisher Beta, coming to other Affinty products?

I'm sure that Serif are considering it for the 1.7 range, but neither Designer nor Photo 1.7 beta have it yet and I don't think they've said for sure what will happen.

[wesleyb]

Okay, thanks.