Word to FrameMaker - Is there a way to update missing files (graphics) on a global (book) level?

Hello Arnis and all -

I have a workable solution for now.

The %20 (percentage twenty) was the culprit in the MS Word INCLUDEPICTURE field code. Everytime I would import a graphic (LINK TO FILE or INSERT AND LINK) in MS Word, there would be a %20 (percentage twenty) in the INSERTPICTURE field code. FrameMaker did not know how to interpret this and was seeing that code as part of the file name of the graphic.

Currently, I am waiting to see if the programmers on www.wopr.com can come up with a Macro that will point to a folder full of hundreds of word documents, find the INSERTPICTURE field code and remove only the %20 (percentage twenty) code from that particular field code. If a macro can be made, then it will save me even more time, but for now, I am simply opening up each word document, launching the Find and Replace feature (CTRL H) and replacing the %20 (percentage 20) with a manual space on the Replace With line. Then, I save the document and open it up in FrameMaker and life is good. All of the referenced graphics (LINKED TO FILE and INSERT AND LINK) open up fine. I do not have to deal with the MISSING FILE popup any more, nor do I have to manually status thousands of graphics using that MISSING FILE popup.

Thanks to all for your support. It is truly appreciated.

Yes, this posting was placed under the wrong category (Wish List), so I would appreciate it, if the posts could be moved to a more appropriate section of the forum.

Again, thank you very much for your support guys. I truly appreciate it.

By the way, even though I removed the %20 (percentage twenty) code from the INCLUDEPPICTURE field code in MS Word, Word was still displaying the referenced graphics that were LINKED TO FILE, even after closing and re-opening the MS Word document. I thought that was interesting to note...

Regards,

Jim

Hello Art,

I just posted a request for a Macro on: www.wopr.com - that will somehow remove the %20 (space) and yet keep the image and fieldcode path. Then, hopefully, this will satisfy FrameMaker 8 and allow the thousands of referenced graphics I am working with - to come cleanly into FrameMaker 8.

I will experiment with the MIF and that utility you mentioned later tonight. Thanks for the info.

-J

James,

I'm using NoteTab Lite under Windows -- it'll run the S&R through all open files. But the trick may be finding the weird original references....

Also, be very careful with this -- if you mess up the internal formatting of the MIF file, it's very unforgiving -- FM won't parse the file back in.

Art

Hello Arnis,

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, I knew about right clicking on a grey box in FM8 and selecting "Object Properties" and yes the referenced file is above the "Set" button, but there is no way to interact with the field code for that graphic, as far as I know (e.g. select graphic and Alt F9 like in MS Word).

As far as my source documents go, I still have a folder full of .doc files. I prefer to use them over the other folder, which is full of very large .rtf file. Anyway, I may be able to get a Macro from (www.wopr.com) to find and replace the %20 with an actual space. But correct me if I am wrong, Microsoft Word sees the manual space itself as %20 - so would that indeed work?

Also, would the graphics remain or disapear from view after removing the %20 and placing a manual space. In the end I will need to see the referenced graphics in Word, before saving the word files and bringing them into FrameMaker.

Well, it looks like I have some testing ahead of me, but thanks for that research on the %20 Arnis. Maybe, there is a way to run a Frame Script that will find and remove the %20 code segment in all of the .fm files with grey boxes. Perhaps then, FM8 would be able to parse each chapter properly and bring in the referenced graphics.

Thanks again for all the responses.

Regards,

Jim

Hello Art,

Thanks for the tip. I will have to try it out when I have a moment.

James,
I'm sorry to chime in late, but is there a reason you haven't saved the files to MIF, the FM ASCII format, and done a search-and-replace for the path? Worst case is you'd have to edit each file, but I recall that there are some utilies out there that would let you process all files in a directory...
Also, if you right-click the graphic and select Properties, you'll see what info there is to see.

Art

Hello again,

Another thing to mention...

Is there a way that I can see the (field) code that pertains to the referenced graphic in FM8? Currently, my FrameMaker documents consist of grey boxes (where the referenced graphic would go).

Now, in MS Word, I can highlight the graphic, select ALT F9 and then see the field code (e.g. INCLUDEPICTURE...) for the referenced image. Then, depending on whether the graphic was "Linked To File" or "Inserted and Linked" - I can then run a Find and Replace (or use a Macro) to correct the graphic path issues. Then, the graphics will appear and the problem is solved.

It would be nice if there was a way in which I could access the code (field codes for FM8???) and then do the same thing. Although, I have a feeling that even if the FrameMaker file was pointing to the referenced graphics folder, the writer would still have to manually select each individual graphic (via the Missing File popup)and click "Continue".

This is the process that I am currently following, which is like cutting the lawn of a golf course with a pair of tweezers... :-(

Thanks for the replies.

-J

Hello Arnis,

Still no luck, but there are different ways in which the graphics were brought into the legacy word documents over time (by different writers). They are as follows:

1. "Insert" (embedded) graphic.
2. "Insert And Link" with code similar to this:

{INCLUDPICTURE "\Book\Graphics\PNGs\PC%20Front.png" \*MERGEFORMAT }

3. "Link To File" with code similar to this:

{INCLUDPICTURE "\Book\Graphics\PNGs\PC%20Front.png" \*MERGEFORMAT \d }

Note, the only difference between listing two and three is the "\d" at the end of the field code.

For this project, I had set up the legacy word files, graphics and frame files within separate folders, but contained under the same parent or master umbrella folder. After trying to fix the "Missing File" issue, I then tried moving the entire graphics folder to be a subfolder under my FrameMaker files folder (versus at same level), but nothing changed. Finally, I said, well let's go back into the original (MS Word only) working structure and open a Word document there and save as a .fm (via FM8). The result was that I still got the same popup prompt for "Missing File".

Also, I tried to create a NEW book and then NEW document from the default templates found within FrameMaker. But, the same popup message "Missing File" returned yet again.

It probably does not make a difference, but does the "%20" in a graphic name have an impact or not? I would imagine that FM8 can handle the space in a file name without a problem.

I guess now I will have to manually re-link all of the referenced graphics (which are in the thousands). I do wish that FrameMaker 8 had a better way of handling this part of the conversion process.

Excuse my ignorance on this process, I am really trying to get smart on FrameMaker after being away from it for a long time.

One final note, the "Missing File" popup prompt prompts the writer with the following information: "Looking For" plus folder path, "Document Folder" and folder path. Included with that message, are the following radio buttons:

Update Document To Use New Path
Skip This File
Ignore All Missing Files

Now, depending on the previous handling of graphics, the "Look in:" folder level will appear different. But, even if the "Missing File" popup opened to within my graphics folder, I would still have to manually select each graphic and choose "Update Document To Use New Path". FM8 does not seem smart enough to handle the missing file, once the folder is/has been pointed out. The writer STILL has to manually select the graphic, before hitting the "Continue" button.

It would be nice is there was a FrameScript that would make this laborious process disapear.

Thanks once again for all responses.

-J

Hello Martin,

I have downloaded your scripts and will see if any of them are helpful to my scenario.

Thanks for your assistance.

Regards,

Jim

Hello Arnis,

I found a Word Macro and converted all of my word documents to RTF, but when I went to open one of the RTF files, I still got the popup window in FM8, that was looking for the missing files (graphics that are linked to the file). I have looked over the articles you mentioned, but I am not sure that they are helpful to me in my situation. Next, I will look at the scripts that Martin has mentioned.

A little history, I am coming back into FrameMaker after being away from it for a while. I am working on several projects and the ultimate goal is to find a fast and clean way to convert MS Word documents (MS Word 2003) to unstructured FrameMaker 8 files. Then, I will create a conversion table to convert all of the styles (mirror image of the word styles)into corresponding elements (with formatting information).

I am still wrestling with a way to bring in these referenced graphics, aside from having to go into each and every chapter and manually re-insert hundreds of graphics. There must be a way (at the book level) to point to a single graphics folder and have a script run that will resolve the "Missing File" issue.

Regards,

Jim