linked files: can relative path be used?

[theotrain]

i have an AI file with a bunch of graphics placed in it. i would prefer not to embed them in the file because it will be ridiculously huge.

so as it is they are linked, but i have to give this file to someone else, and it seems the information Illustrator stores about where to find linked graphics is root-relative, like C:/My Junk/Subfolder... instead of just a relative path to indicate the image file is in the same folder as the AI file. this i think will cause the thing to break when i move it.

how do i get around this without embedding the images?

thanks!!

 

[jmgalvin]

You can make a new folder. Save the AI doc to that and then create a Links subfolder in that same folder. Move the linked images to Links and relink in AI. You might also want to put copies of applicable fonts in that folder to ensure the recipient has them.

There's a shareware plugin that did this - like "Package" in Indesign or "Collect for output" in Quark. If you do this a lot it might come in handy for you -

http://www.worker72a.com/

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[theotrain]

but wont illustrator still see the new links folder as something like:

c:/my files/new folder/links

instead of just:

links/

why would a new folder behave diferently from the old folder? is there something i dont know about the relinking process? ive tried this, and when i look at link information it shows me a whole root-relative path no matter what i seem to do, never a document relative path. if it can be done, im missing something.

 

[jmgalvin]

It should work. That's exactly how the "collect for output" in Quark and "package" in Indesign works - creating a folder as I described. That's what you send to the printer and it works when they open it. The shareware that I pointed you to, does that.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[blueark]

Also, even if Illustrator can't find the new folder, once you update one link, all other links in that folder will be updated automatically. So it's not really a big deal...