Smart Object links panel

[Mike Hale]

Jeff Tranberry and I put our heads together and created a panel that allow a link to a smart object to be stored in the layer's metadata.

Photoshop can not do the type of links InDesign does. The file is still embedded in the smart object layer. The panel offers a way to track changes to the original file and a easy update when needed. The panel is designed so that you should use it to work with a smart object. For example if you use the normal File-Place menu no link is created.

Because the panel registers eventlisteners it will not work under Vista or Windows 7. It has been tested with Windows XP and several version of the Mac OS.

Please let me know if you find any bugs or have a feature request.

Mike

[Mikeal.Sim]

apears to work fine in vista 64.

How is this any different then regular smart layers? it appears to do the same exact thing.

[Mike Hale]

The layer placed with the panel is a normal smart object, but the panel adds info about the original file to the layers metadata. For example when you place a layer using the panel it show the full path to the original file, the date it was placed and the data the original file was last modified.

The icon next to the layers name at the top reflect the status of the layer. Linked, out of date, original missing, etc.

Also the edit(pencil) icon at the bottom lets you edits the original file, not the embedded image.

It's great to hear that it works with Vista 64. I will put together a PDF on how to use the panel.

[Mike Hale]

I have updated using the new Photoshop Panel SDK so the panel will work in CS4 or CS5.

[chron1813]

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get this working. Files place fine, but no info is shown when the placed Smart Object is selected. Editing the placed .psb file shows it to be the Temporary file rather than the Placed file.

Mac OS X 10.6.3

[Mike Hale]

Are you using the buttons on the panel to work with the smart objects? If you place an image using the menu, then no the layer will not have any info shown in the panel (other than name). And if it's not link the edit button is disabled so you can't edit using the panel. Even when it is linked you still need to use the panel buttons - double clicking on the layer itself will not edit the original image.

It's not ideal but with the limits of what can be done in Photoshop I thought that was the best way to handle smart object linking and give the user a choice. Use the panel for layers they want linked and the menu for ones they don't.

[chron1813]

None of the buttons on the Link panel are available to click, all are greyed out minus the "Refresh Panel."

[celulloyd]

Mike,

Thank you for this plug-in! This is as close to automatic as I think we'll see. This will save us hours of "fixing and re-placing."

Lloyd

[Mike Hale]

None of the buttons on the Link panel are available to click, all are greyed out minus the "Refresh Panel."

I don't have CS5 for Mac yet, but the CS4 version does work for me on my Mac. The only difference between the two is the newer CSXSLib. I'll see if I can find someone to help me find out why it's not working to you.

[Mike Hale]

Thank you for this plug-in! This is as close to automatic as I think we'll see. This will save us hours of "fixing and re-placing."

The original concept of having a 'link' for the smart object came from Jeff Tranberry in one of his posts. At the time he was using video layers to save the path of the original file. I suggested using the layer metadata of the smart object layer itself and we worked together to create the panel.

[chron1813]

Even though this isn't working for me, it's an unbelievably awesome plug-in. I'd pay this this plug-in, hands down.

[Mike Hale]

Even though this isn't working for me, it's an unbelievably awesome plug-in. I'd pay this this plug-in, hands down.

I glad you like it. I got some help from someone at Adobe and I think that is now should work with Photoshop CS5 64 and 32 bit on Mac. I updated the file so please try LinksCS5.zip again. And please let me know if that does indeed gets it working for you.

Edit: Tested on Mac 10.6.3 with Photoshop CS5 Extended.

[chron1813]

Doesn't seem to be working. It's also not an mxi file anymore so the Extension Manager wouldn't install it, so I tried placing the files in the correct location, but I could have gotten that wrong.

[Mike Hale]

Doesn't seem to be working. It's also not an mxi file anymore so the Extension Manager wouldn't install it, so I tried placing the files in the correct location, but I could have gotten that wrong.

When you unzip it it is a zxp file which is the CS5 version of mxp. Extension Manager CS5 will install a zxp file. A mxi file is what Extension Manager uses to create the mxp/zxp package depending on which version of Extension Manager you use.

I just downloaded the zip to make sure that I uploaded the right file. Extension Manager CS5 does install it for me using WinXP. You might have to open Extension Manager CS5 first. I understand on some systems double clicking on the zxp file will open the wrong version of Extension Manager.

[Mike Hale]

Turns out when added the code to check which version of Photoshop the panel is running under I had a typo in the jsx that was stopping the panel from working. That is corrected now and I have tested in on WinXP and Mac 110.6.3 with CS5