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nadeemh34786614
nadeemh34786614
Participating Frequently
April 20, 2025
Question

Absolute versus Relative path for referenced graphic files-not working

  • April 20, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 754 views

No matter how I import a referenced graphic into my book files, Framemaker always uses an absolute path traversing the topmost  level of the file directory. My graphics folder is in the same directory as the FM files. (an cen even copy a pic to the same directory as the book but  it will still create an absolute path the graphic starting at C:\...

 

 

    1 reply

    Bob_Niland
    Bob_Niland
    Adobe Expert
    April 21, 2025

    Let's presume a document:
    C:\UserName\Projects\MasterPlan.fm
    which includes an SVG chart at:
    C:\UserName\Projects\Images\TimeLine.svg

    If you check the Graphics🞃Object Properties… of that import, the dialog likely displays:
    Referenced File: [C:\UserName\Projects\Images\TimeLine.svg]
    … but …
    Save the MasterPlan.fm as MIF to MasterPlan.mif, and open it with a text editor.
    Search for TimeLine.svg, see what the paths are for these markups:

    ‹ImportObFileDI `‹c\›Images‹c\›TimeLine.svg'›
    ‹ImportObFile `Images/TimeLine.svg'›
    The FM user interface is showing you the absolute path (presumably so that you know where the object is supposed to be), but internally, it's using a relative path where it can.
    I used to take advantage of this when I needed to have the same project on a Windows and on a Unix machine, where root directory syntax was utterly incompatible.
    Are you encountering some portability problem?

    nadeemh34786614
    nadeemh34786614Author
    Participating Frequently
    April 21, 2025

    Hello Bob,

    Thanks very much for taking the time to respond to my query.

    If by "portability problems" you mean that when I send the source files to someone outside of my organization, they end up with broken links and gray boxes where some images ought to be...yes. But this only happens with some images--maybe 5%.

    I will try your suggestion and look at what the mif file reveals. I guess I am just used to the old old interface where I could spot a file linked outside of my directory versus ones that were linked to the images folder by just looking at the path in properties.

    Thanks again for shedding some light on this issue.

    F
    FrameMaker-dk
    Adobe Expert
    April 21, 2025

    Regarding sending FrameMaker files to other people...  I always use Frameexperts "ArchiveES" script. When run, it will create a backup of the entire FrameMaker project along with two neat folders for linked graphics and text insets. The absolute beauty of this approach is that the Framemaker files can opened at the recipient with all links pointing to the two new folders. This is also an excellent method for getting a grip on a project which may have grown a little too many links to all sorts of places.

    Bjørn Smalbro - FrameMaker.dk
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