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Placing files with a long file name on a layout in Windows using Assets for InDesign

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When placing a file by dragging it from Assets onto a layout in InDesign, the file is stored on the local system. Assets for InDesign then uses the path to the file as a reference.

On Windows, when this path reference exceeds the limit of 260 characters, the file cannot be placed and an error is shown.

To prevent this from happening and to make it possible to place files that have a long name, fixes have been put in place in various versions of Assets for InDesign.

Depending on the version of Assets for InDesign that is used, the process of placing files with a long name behaves in a certain way. (See how to check which version of Assets for InDesign is installed.)

The scenarios that can be come across are described in this article.

Note: These scenarios only apply to using Assets for InDesign on Windows; not on macOS.

1. Checking out an image using Assets Agent

In this scenario, an image is placed that has been checked out from Assets by using Assets Agent.

Step Outcome / remarks
1. An image with a very long name is checked out from Assets using Assets Agent. The image is stored on the system using a path that exceeds the Windows limitation.
2. The image is dragged from Assets onto a layout. The image cannot be placed because the folder path is too long. An error message is shown.
4. The check-out of the image is aborted in Assets.  
5. The image is dragged from Assets onto a layout.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower:
  • The image cannot be placed because the folder path is too long. An error message is shown.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher: 
  • The image is downloaded with a shortened file name and successfully placed on the layout.

2. Opening a placed image for editing from within InDesign

In this scenario, an image is placed on a layout and subsequently opened for editing using the Edit Original command in InDesign.

Step Outcome / remarks
1. An image with a very long name is dragged from Assets onto a layout.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower:
  • The image is downloaded with a shortened folder name. However, the length of the file name is not changed. If this results in a path reference that is longer than 260 characters, placing the file will fail.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher: 
  • The image is downloaded with a shortened folder name and file name and successfully placed on the layout.
  • In the Links panel, the original (long) name is shown.
2. The image is opened for editing by using the Edit Original command.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower:
  • The name shown in the editor is the original file name.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher: 
  • The name shown in the editor is the shortened file name.
3. The image is changed, saved in a different file format, and closed.  
4. The user returns to InDesign.

A dialog is shown in which it can be determined which version of the file should be uploaded. The name of the uploaded file can also be changed.

  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower:
  • The dialog shows the name of the file on disk which is the same as the name of the file in Assets Server.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher: 
  • The dialog shows the name of the file in Assets Server, not the shortened name of the file on disk.
5. No changes are made, the dialog is closed by clicking OK.
  • For all versions:
  • The image is checked in using the original long name.

3. Relinking without Assets for InDesign installed

In this scenario, a file is placed in InDesign which has Assets for InDesign installed. The layout is then opened in a version of InDesign in which Assets for InDesign is not installed.

Note: This is quite an uncommon scenario, but is mentioned here for reference. This scenario can be prevented by doing one of the following:

  • Create a package in the version of InDesign in which Assets for InDesign is installed. During this process, the paths to Assets Server are used. When then opening the layout in a version of InDesign in which Assets for InDesign is not installed, the paths will be correct.
  • Download the layout and all images to the local system, open the layout and relink the images.
Step Outcome / remarks
1. An image with a very long name is dragged from Assets onto a layout.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower:
  • The image is downloaded with a shortened folder name. However, the length of the file name is not changed. If this results in a path reference that is longer than 260 characters, placing the file will fail.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher:
  • The image is downloaded with a shortened folder name and file name and successfully placed on the layout.
  • In the Links panel, the original (long) name is shown.
2. The layout is saved and closed.  
3. The layout is opened in a version of InDesign in which Assets for InDesign is not installed.  
4. The layout on which the image is placed is opened.

The placed image is missing from the layout because it is linked to Assets Server to which InDesign without Assets for InDesign does not have access.

  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.0 and lower: The image can be relinked, because the file on disk has the same long file name as it has in Asset Server.
  • For Assets for InDesign 4.5.1 and higher: the image cannot be relinked because the name of the file that is stored locally is different than the name of the file in Assets Server. The file needs to be placed again. (Alternatively: download the layout and all placed images from Assets. The images are then downloaded with their original (long) name. After opening the layout, the images can be relinked by name by using the default InDesign relink functionality.)

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