Adobe Framemaker 7.2 - Converting from OLE to embedded images

[MNLJoel]

Good Morning,

I am looking for a quick way to convert from OLE linked images to embdeed images in Framemaker 7.2.

Has anyone a quick method?

Regards,

Joel

[Bob_Niland]

Although I've always avoided using both OLE and embedded objects, those with experience, and who may be able to help, may need to know:

• what type of images?
• generated by what applications?

And might we ask why embedded is the new desired form, and not imported by reference?

[MNLJoel]

Hello, the reason I am wanting to change over the image is a colleague has previously had the documentation on their workstation. They imported the images as OLE. I have recently inherited the documentation and do not have access to the oridginal images.

I believe the images where created in Paint Shop Pro -  I could be wrong. I don't have Paint Shop Pro installed on my machine - is this the issue?

Regards,

Joel

[Bob_Niland]

... do not have access to the original images.

Are the images visible in Frame, or just gray boxes?

If visible, OLE objects appear to be effectively "embedded as they last appeared", and it might be possible to convert the OLE data structures to plain embedded with some MIF hacking.

If the images are not visible, but you have a PDF which displays them, you can recover the images using any of several methods. Be sure to import-by-reference if you take this route, and not embed.

I believe the images were created in Paint Shop Pro ...

Select one. Check properties. The "Main Editor:" line may say.

Otherwise, save as MIF and examine the markups for an image. I see application information for that in one I just created.

Even if you get PS Pro installed, it may be a newer version which won't work with FM7.2 OLE.

As you are probably figuring out, OLE is a trap. It's a too-easy-to-use tool to lock you into specific applications generally, but Microsoft Windows in particular.

[MNLJoel]

It seems to work fine (the images are being displayed) until I save the file, at which stage it says "An internal error occured while writing imported graphics in this document. The file has been saved, but has lost same image data. Please report this error to Adobe Technical Support". At which stage on opening the saved file it has grey boxes in place of the images.

I am using Windows XP Service Pack 3.

[Arnis Gubins]

The MS XP SP3 update patched some "security" holes in OLE and effectively broke it for many existing applications (FM being one of them). This happened during FM8 and Adobe did release a patched version of FM8 that got around the issue.

You might be able to salvage the graphics by getting Omni Systems mif2go (http://www.omsys.com/dcl/mif2go_main.htm) and settting up a conversion. It will export the embeded graphics as sequentially numbered files. There is an entire chapter on exporting embedded graphics in the extensive documentation.