Link images with relative paths

[eisteeee]

I do not know if this is already planned or suggested, but I think it would be really useful to be able to link images with a relative path if the image is located in the same folder (or subfolder) of the publisher file. I oftentimes have a folder per project where I gather all the images and such for that project. That way I could link images (instead of embedding them) and still be able to copy the project ot another location/computer. Currently my publisher just crashes when it cannot find linked images, but I guess that will be fixed one way or another when it is released.

[walt.farrell]

I like your suggestion, but there is one small timing problem: it can't work for images that you link before you first save the .afpub file.

It would also complicate Save As processing, as all the relative links might need to be modified in the new copy.

But if it could be implemented it would certainly simplify the user's life when moving project packages around

It would especially help when sending a package to someone else.

[eph]

+1

Publisher should handle paths "smartly" (just like InDesign): paths can be stored as absolute, but the relative location to the file should also be stored / recognised.

This is especially important when switching between PC-Mac (different absolute path), moving projects around, ...

Thanks in advance!
 

EDIT: I can confirm that APub becomes unresponsive (1.7.0.139 on OSX) when relinking images (after the 1st or 2nd link).

Also, it would be nice to Skip a missing link, without interrupting the whole process. (The Resource panel doesn't have the same folder relinking behaviour.)

Edited October 3, 2018 by eph

[sbalint]

+1

Since we work usually together in teams, and we use for example Dropbox to share workfiles, it would be really great, to be able to open on multiple computers, on multiple OS, and be able to modify, update or publish.

With absolute link, we can not do so.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Markio]

I was also looking for this option. I use multiple pc's so relative linking would be benificial. Managing files would become more flexible.

[000]

Yes, please! Every other DTP software I know works with relative paths, cannot live without this!

[TOS]

Sorry for digging deep in history with this topic!
But I thought that the issue of relative file paths doesn't exist anymore.
But obviously it does!

The Mac version (1.7.2) stores relative paths as the resource manager tells.
Working file is opening correctly with relative paths in Windows version (1.7.2) as well.

But after saving the working file in Win the files are linked absolute and breaking for Mac.
Could anyone confirm that behaviour?
 

[fde101]

On 9/2/2018 at 9:24 AM, walt.farrell said:

it can't work for images that you link before you first save the .afpub file.

It can if absolute paths are tracked until the file is saved then converted to relative ones at that point.

[Quarian]

Don't know if this helps, but here is a free utility (Mac/Win) that can help with organization of your files before starting work in APub. I have found that should I have to relink my assets, it helps to have a consistent folder hierarchy to work with. https://www.digitalrebellion.com/posthaste/

It is customizable and you can make your own templates to generate a folder hierarchy before you even open up APub for storage of your supporting assets. The below is an example for one I created for my publication layout and design work:

ProjectName/ (Your main layout files go here. I usually name mine with a date and a numerical designation to indicate which draft it is. For example: "ProjectName_25Feb20_001.afpub")

  ProjectName/Assets:

     ProjectName/Assets/3D ("Models" and "Renders" folders go within)

     ProjectName/Assets/Fonts (Any fonts I use in the piece are saved in this folder)

     ProjectName/Assets/Illustrations ("Raster" and "Vector" go within; APhoto compositions go here--original photography used in a digital photocompostion goes below)

     ProjectName/Assets/Photos ("Original" and "Working" go within; I'm old school, so all photography not supplied by the customer goes into "Original" (see below for reason why). All altered images (converted from CMYK to RGB and otherwise altered to include additional retouching but NOT digital compositing go into "Working.")

--------------------

  ProjectName/CSR ("CSR" stands for "Customer/Client-Supplied Resources"):

     ProjectName/CSR/Copy (any copy and/or text files that the client has supplied to you for inclusion in their layout. RTF, DOC, DOCX, or TXT files, for example)

     ProjectName/CSR/Documents (Meeting Notes, recordings, emails with pertinent information saved to either PDF or text files should be saved here)

     ProjectName/CSR/Graphics (any vector files, PowerPoint files--yes, I have had the occasion--and/or high-resolution PDFs that the client has supplied to you for inclusion in their layout. Bear in mind that if any of these files require conversion into a different format best handled further in AD or AP--the converted documents are best saved in the "Assets/Illustrations" folder under either "Raster" or "Vector," as appropriate. )

     ProjectName/CSR/Images (any photos and/or raster imagery that the client has supplied to you for inclusion in their layout. Bear in mind that original photographic images given by the client should be stored here; any of these images that have processes such as RGB to CMYK conversion--for example--subsequently done should have THAT version of the file saved in the "ProjectName/Assets/Photos/Working" folder.)

     ProjectName/CSR/Spreadsheets (any spreadsheet files that the client has supplied to you for inclusion of tables or data in their layout. XLS, XLSX, or CSV files, for example)

______________

  ProjectName/Drafts (This is where your PDF proofs are saved for emailing to the client. This way--until the job is done--there is a visual record of changes from one draft to the next. If your client is enlightened enough to make changes to your PDF via notes and comments, store those files in "../CSR/Documents" and keep them separate from your original draft files)

 

As always, hope this helps.

[tobnicht]

This feature is a must have! It is not possible to work on a shared project via Dropbox/Drive etc. All Picture have to be in one Folder and every time a user opens a file with new pictures at least one picture has to be located... I do not understand why nothing happend since 2018?! 

[AffinityMakesMeWonder]

7 hours ago, tobnicht said:

This feature is a must have! It is not possible to work on a shared project via Dropbox/Drive etc. All Picture have to be in one Folder and every time a user opens a file with new pictures at least one picture has to be located... I do not understand why nothing happend since 2018?! 

Nothing happens since 2018??

Affinity Publisher was released summer 2019...

[garrettm30]

3 hours ago, AffinityMakesMeSmile said:

Nothing happens since 2018??

Affinity Publisher was released summer 2019...

I suppose it could be reference to the first public release of the beta at the end of August 2018. Some of us have been using it that long.

[tobnicht]

48 minutes ago, garrettm30 said:

I suppose it could be reference to the first public release of the beta at the end of August 2018. Some of us have been using it that long.

Yes.

[TOS]

22 hours ago, tobnicht said:

This feature is a must have! It is not possible to work on a shared project via Dropbox/Drive etc. All Picture have to be in one Folder and every time a user opens a file with new pictures at least one picture has to be located... I do not understand why nothing happend since 2018?! 

Exactly that is the problem.
Co-working is kind of pain in the ass, even with a cloud sync.
The guys were using OpenSource Scribus before the switch to Publisher happened. And we were kind of shocked that suddenly this became an issue.

Hope for this being on the road map with a near milestone.

[Jowday]

On 7/1/2020 at 9:11 PM, garrettm30 said:

I suppose it could be reference to the first public release of the beta at the end of August 2018. Some of us have been using it that long.

Bingo. A lot of customers participated actively and constructively in the beta proces since the exciting days in august 2018 ... with bug reports, feedback about the actual product and first feature set - now following up on the feedback and feature requests from that time.

A great concept that beats just opposing and commenting other peoples feature requests and professional/hobby/whatever needs using different forum accounts.

Sometimes a smile is not a smile.

[MikeW]

40 minutes ago, Jowday said:

...Sometimes a smile is not a smile.

Now now...let's not bait people. 😉

[3dtrip]

On 9/2/2018 at 9:24 AM, walt.farrell said:

I like your suggestion, but there is one small timing problem: it can't work for images that you link before you first save the .afpub file.

It would also complicate Save As processing, as all the relative links might need to be modified in the new copy.

But if it could be implemented it would certainly simplify the user's life when moving project packages around

It would especially help when sending a package to someone else.

 

Many other programs do this without issue

[3dtrip]

Another way to solve this is to write into the code to look for missing linked content in the folder or subfolder that the publisher file is in (3DsMax does this). This could also be done through a macro called "find missing links" (or something like that); it would allow one to point to a folder and Publisher would automatically re-link the files and update the paths (Maya has this). I like the idea of setting a project first like many 3D softwares' have (Maya, Houdini etc.), and then using relative paths is fine, you can put the file onto anyones' computer, as long as the workspace file stays intact. 

[walt.farrell]

38 minutes ago, 3dtrip said:

it would allow one to point to a folder and Publisher would automatically re-link the files and update the paths (Maya has this).

Publisher has it, too. When you Open the document, and get the "Missing resources" prompt, just answer Yes. That will take you to a dialog where you can locate the missing resource it wants, and it will find any others that are in that same folder.

[3dtrip]

25 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Publisher has it, too. When you Open the document, and get the "Missing resources" prompt, just answer Yes. That will take you to a dialog where you can locate the missing resource it wants, and it will find any others that are in that same folder.

That is great, I didn't see that mentioned before. That sorta solves the issue; at the very least it makes it not so big issue!  Thanks for the update!

[walt.farrell]

You're welcome.

[TOS]

18 hours ago, 3dtrip said:

That is great, I didn't see that mentioned before. That sorta solves the issue; at the very least it makes it not so big issue!  Thanks for the update!

Yes, it becomes an issue when you are working on a file in a team and every time you open it this dialog pops up.

[Thomahawk]

On 10/3/2018 at 1:13 PM, eph said:

EDIT: I can confirm that APub becomes unresponsive (1.7.0.139 on OSX) when relinking images (after the 1st or 2nd link).

Two years later and this is still so! Publisher 1.8.4 on Mac Mojave. I just relinked a second image and now Publisher is frozen.

Does Affinity EVER read and react to about posts in this forum or is all we write here for nothing? (I have many issues for years still open they never made any better)

[garrettm30]

1 hour ago, Thomahawk said:

Does Affinity EVER read and react to about posts in this forum or is all we write here for nothing?

Serif does read the feedback posts, but only occasional reacts to them in public. As for questions and bug reports, they do respond far more frequently, although there too I think they get overwhelmed by the quantity, even though they have several staff members dedicated to the purpose.

For the record, although I commented previously in this thread, I have failed to express my wish that I too desire relative links for the sake of working in multiuser environments.