Is there any way to swap an embedded graphic with a new one?

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
September 3, 2016
2 replies
429 views

I'm stumped on this one, but as a newbie to FM, I'm easily stumped.

I have a full page graphic that may be in an anchored frame. Right above it is a caption.

It's a screenshot, and I need to replace that screengrab with an updated one.

If I delete the original graphic, the frame collapses and I don't seem to be able to select within that frame any more. If I just import the new graphic, it goes into a separate area and when I try to move it to anywhere near the original frame, I get an error message, something to the effect that with an anchored frame, I have to use some sort of special procedure.

I'm used to programs (such as Word), where a graphic can be selected, right-clicked, and a new graphic placed, same size, same parameters.

Is there any way to swap in Framemaker?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Bob_Niland

Community Expert

If the graphic is in the main text flow (usually Flow A), there is an Anchored Frame (AF) and the object (or objects). They can be selected separately, and examined with right-click Object Properties. If the graphic is on the bare page (possible in this case) or on the Master Page (unlikely in this case), then there is no AF.

If the graphic is larger than the AF, the AF can be hard to select. You can rescale the graphic down to explore that. If the AF is bigger than the column, it can likewise be hard to select.

In any case, unless newer FMs have added a feature, there's no right-click option to replace a pasted-in graphic. Pasted-in (embedded) graphics are in general unwise from a stewardship standpoint.

The File > Import operation does offer [Replace] if an existing graphic is selected.

davidg31533597Author

Known Participant

Thanks.

I've tried the import > replace, but it appeared to mortise the new graphic into the old (selected) one. That is, I thought I had selected the old graphic - at least it had a frame with handles around it, and in that state it disappears when selecting Cut.

As for the mortised graphic-on-graphic, because I'm mouse-clumsy, I somehow flattened the new into the old before I could grab a corner and make it larger. (I just re-loaded the file without saving changes, bringing back the original graphic. I'm also working on a saved-as separate file, so if I do something disastrous, I'll still have the original.

As for embedded vs referenced, this is one of a very few graphics in the files of this documentation that is not referenced. Possibly some previous editor overlooked the reference option.

Anyway,after trying various replacement options, I tried the option of renaming the new file with the old file's name and seeing if I could somehow refresh or re-import it, but no go... because it's embedded, no file to spoof.

The swapping of a newer screenshot for an older one has to be one of the more common tasks I've done in updating documentation. There are goiing to be many dozens ahead of me...

I'll try zooming in to see if I can discern additional bounding boxes or frames, or if I can just de-construct the page and re-enter it.

In any case, many thanks for the detailed answer.

Dave

davidg31533597Author

Known Participant

I seem to have solved it, but am now fully confused.

I explored right-click options after clicking on the old graphic (and it's bounding box w/handles lit up) and moused down to "Select all in frame."

A very much larger area's bounding box lit up.

I couldn't move, change, resize or otherwise futz with the original graphic. However, the Object Properties revealed that the image WAS indeed a referenced image. So, I did the Import > File > Replace and voila! the old graphic was whisked away to be replaced by the new one.

Where can I get information on the interface around frames? Why would the graphic have a bounding box with re-size handles that do nothing? Why is the frame much larger than the image... but why nowhere on the page except in the the image bounding box does "Select all in frame" appear? Why doesn't "Select all in frame" appear in other areas of the frame?

Baffled. But at least the graphic is up to date.

davidg31533597Author

Known Participant

Sorry - forgot to specify - Framemaker 2015, Windows 10

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