Are there any applications that can import unstructured Frame binary files?

[LinSims]

One of the participants on the Frameusers list is asking if there are any applications that can import a FrameMaker binary file for the purpose of editing it. The company is a large financial company with tight network security and industry and legal regulations controlling access and authorization. For obvious reasons, the company doesn't want to have programs on its network that have to "call home" for authentication.

Unfortunately, they've been unable to get either his previous version of Frame (11) to work or to get the most recent version (2019) to work, but I am unclear as to why they haven't been able to.

They are no longer using Frame at his place of business, so all new work is in a different application. However, he still needs to be able to update old files and convert them into the new format.

I am unaware of any application that can import .fm files, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm hoping someone here either knows of one or can help provide him with a way to get either his old or new version of Frame working without the need of an internet connection to authenticate it.

[Barb Binder]

Hi Lin:

I don't know the answer to the first question (about Frame binary files), so on to question 2: he should reach out to tcssup@adobe.com for tech support to get FrameMaker up and running again.

And what app is he moving to? He could save his Fm docs as RTF and import them into InDesign, for example. Or open them in Word. There will be clean-up and reformatting to do.

~Barb

[Bob_Niland]

Is the trial mode of recent FMs supposed to be able to run without an internet connection?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Nope, they use signing into your Adobe ID to validate your serial number & attempt to do a "phone home" periodically. The OP is working inside a super secure environment that has few holes to the outside world. Their main issue is that they can't get FM to even work to be able to attempt an export of FM content to some other product.

[LinSims]

Hi Barb,

Heh. The first thing I told him was that he needed to get his IT department working with Adobe Tech Support. I may be misreading what he wrote, but it sounds like that either isn't going to happen or has happened and didn't work. I'll provide the email address, though, just in case.

[Robert_^_W]

They are able to provide solutions for this type of environment. I've been in a similar situation  before. IT administrators need to be involved, and once proper paperwork is confirmed, they provide a fix.

[LinSims]

He reports that a call is being set up between between "his guys" and someone at Adobe. Why they didn't do this back in October is beyond me, but it sounds like he is headed for a resolution.

[StudioSm]

Lotus WordPro, which I believe is discontinued though, was able to edit and save into mif format.