Can I package a book with all its files and graphics?

[sssuuusssaaannn]

Hi everyone,

Windows7, FM 10 Newbie here.

I have to hand off a book in FM format.  Is there any way that all the files can be packaged along with their graphics? If this can't be done automatically, as in InDesign, is there any way to identify which graphics were used in the book (other than using Date Created to create a cutoff date)? There are graphics in my folder that were not used, or have been deleted.

Can a book be automatically copied with all its files, so if it's opened in a different directory, it's complete?  Or does everything have to be saved separately?

I would really appreciate any help you can give me, even if someone can tell me it's impossible!

[bowen192]

I know that you can identify graphics used in a book as follows:

Open your book.

Select Add >  List Of > References...

From the Set Up List of References box, click Imported Graphics from the Don't Include box.

Click the <-- arrow and click Add.

In the Update Book box, check the Generate Table of Contents, Lists, and Indexes box.

Click Update and it will generate a seperate file which lists all the graphic files, and locations, used in the book.

You can also copy a book anywhere, as long as the files it points to does not change location.

Someone else will be along to help you with the rest.

[sssuuusssaaannn]

Liz, thanks for the perfect instructions.  I now have a comprehensive list of the graphics in my book.  The only thing is, it doesn't package the files, but if Mike hadn't sent me the correct reply, I would have used the list to do things manually.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I've never used it, but I understand that there's an Archive function now built-in FM10+

[Van Kurtz]

I am not sure, but I believe the Archive function is based upon an old plugin called Archive. In THAT plugin, the Frame files were copies into a new folder with the graphics copied into subfolders in the new folder. THEN references to the graphics were updated in the COPIED Frame files to point to the graphics files in the subfolder. THUS, the copied Frame files are DIFFERENT from the original files. SO, if you send the package to a third party for editing, then do NOT copy the edited file over the original file. If you do, you will have to fix the references to the graphics files when you open the edited file.

In other words, be careful. Archiving is a one-way street. If you are sending to a third party for printing or translation, then you would not copy them back into their original locations anyway.

[sssuuusssaaannn]

Thank you yet again Van, it seems I can always count on you to help! 

You were correct about an archiving utility, and Mike was spot-on in his answer, telling me how to set it up. 

The book doesn't need to be sent back to me, so there are no editing concerns.

[Mike Wickham · Accepted solution]

There is a free Extendscript that does this for FM10:

http://blogs.adobe.com/techcomm/2011/07/create-a-book-packager-using-extendscript.html

Note that it doesn't collect fonts, however-- but the font licenses

probably require the person on the other end to buy their own copies anyway.

[sssuuusssaaannn]

Mike!!!!   It worked!!!! Spot on!  Now all my stuff is just sitting in a folder waiting to be sent and a big worry is off my shoulders.  Thank you so, so much!

[TechwriterTed]

This link is no longer valid. Is the script still available?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

The Extendscript link to the Adobe blog post? Yes that one works for me just fine.

[Bob_Niland]

> Is there any way ...

If there was only one way, it just wouldn't be Framemaker .

We do the following (Unix Frame 7.1) for export of books to translators, and to customers on badge-engineering deals. Our imported objects come in from all over the corporate network file system.

This way involves learning a bit of MIF, some script fu or writing a text processing app. We use custom cshell and sed scripts.

• Save the book and component files as MIF, to a different directory (e.g. ./export/), so you don't wreck the originals.
• Use all the import references from the MIF (ImportObFile, TiSrcFile) to build another script that copies all the referenced files to ./export/imports/. Unlike the other methods so far listed, this gives us the flexibility to actually copy not only the as-imported objects, but any master files (e.g. AI, PSD, ODS with the same file name).
• Recast all the references in the MIFs to local (./imports/). Save the MIFs.
• Open the modified MIFs in Frame. Do an Update Book to validate. Re-save as .book and .fm.
• Zip the whole mess and ftp/email whatever. Note that file size is usually too large to email.

It was a bit tricky to write, but now works reliably.

[sssuuusssaaannn]

Thank you so much for replying..  I'm afraid being a newbie, MIF files and script building are over my head, but maybe one day...

[SQUIDDS]

Hi, there is a Plug-in called "Book Transfer", that can:

1. Create a report of a book and you get a list of all files in a book and referenced files and images.
2. Copy all files and the book to a directory you want.
3. ZIP all files in this directory to package it.

More information about Book Transfer see Online-Help.

- Georg