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dlh1967
Participant
December 22, 2018
Answered

Opening old FrameMaker files

  • December 22, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 586 views

Will FrameMaker 2019 old FrameMaker files (like FrameMaker 4.0 old)?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Bob_Niland

    re: Will FrameMaker 2019 old FrameMaker files (like FrameMaker 4.0 old)?

    Yep. I just test-opened a 25-year-old FM 3.0 file in FM2019, and only got one dialog warning that it was an older version, plus a not unexpected complaint about a font not presently installed on this PC.

    My recollection from having done this for an employer is that FM 5.5 and earlier files can pop sterner warnings, depending on content.

    Anything prior to FM 8 didn't support Unicode, so many special characters, and most non-Roman alphabets, were implemented via codepage/overlay fonts. FM's internal special characters for such old docs will be updated to Unicode. The user text apparently remains as the original code points with Character Format or overrides applied, and should be updated to Unicode (particulary if the workflow is to HTML, XML or eBook).

    In any case, work from a copy of the FM4 file.

    1 reply

    Bob_Niland
    Community Expert
    Bob_NilandCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    December 23, 2018

    re: Will FrameMaker 2019 old FrameMaker files (like FrameMaker 4.0 old)?

    Yep. I just test-opened a 25-year-old FM 3.0 file in FM2019, and only got one dialog warning that it was an older version, plus a not unexpected complaint about a font not presently installed on this PC.

    My recollection from having done this for an employer is that FM 5.5 and earlier files can pop sterner warnings, depending on content.

    Anything prior to FM 8 didn't support Unicode, so many special characters, and most non-Roman alphabets, were implemented via codepage/overlay fonts. FM's internal special characters for such old docs will be updated to Unicode. The user text apparently remains as the original code points with Character Format or overrides applied, and should be updated to Unicode (particulary if the workflow is to HTML, XML or eBook).

    In any case, work from a copy of the FM4 file.

    D
    dlh1967Author
    Participant
    December 23, 2018

    Great! Thanks for the information. I mainly just need the text from a bunch of old files from the 90s. So loss of fonts, etc.not a big deal if I can get the text. Thanks again.

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