Illustrator CS2 Killer Tips

When you place an image into Illustrator, you have two options: embedding or linking. One of the advantages of linking an image is that you can edit it "on the fly" in the original software. Open the Links palette under the Window menu, and click on the Edit Original icon in the bottom-right corner of the palette. Or, to quickly edit the original without having to track down the Links palette, just hold down Command-Option (PC: Control-Alt) and double-click on the placed artwork. The appropriate software will automatically be launched and the image will be opened. Make your changes, save it, and the image will update in your Illustrator document. (You may get a warning dialog asking if you want to update linked files, depending on your preferences see the tip on page 262.)