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Known Participant
August 27, 2017
Answered

eps graph shows white background

  • August 27, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 5060 views

hello i have an .eps graph that has transparent background at ai (show grid transparent)
but when i look and print it at frame, has a white background around it,
can someone help?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Be.eM

i am not quite sure i understand,

left.eps is incorrect, purple shape appears at clients graph also,

only right.eps is different,
but i am not sure if i understood what you did,,,
just erase the whole thing? and reinsert?
or there is something to learn from that?


Yes, I know that the left shape is not the one shown in your first pic. I just created it, because FrameMaker noticed a missing reference. When creating this left "dummy" image, I saw that the EPS itself was working as expected with a transparent background. However, this did not immediately work on the right side as well. I re-saved the "Right.eps", tried it again, and it still did not work. However, once I've noticed that there are two copies of the "Right.eps" on top of each other, I deleted one, checked/applied the correct fill, and now it worked.

What might be learned from it? If it doesn't work as expected, deleting and re-importing images might still help to solve the issue. I wouldn't have discovered the doubled EPS otherwise…

3 replies

Matt-Tech Comm Tools
Braniac
August 29, 2017

Are you using Adobe Illustrator? If so, import the native AI into FrameMaker instead of export formats.

If you're using Photoshop, use PSD, not export formats.

Here's a video to explain

http://www.techcommtools.com/illustrator-framemaker/

-Matt SullivanFrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant
Be.eM
Inspiring
August 31, 2017

mattrsullivan  schrieb

Are you using Adobe Illustrator? If so, import the native AI into FrameMaker instead of export formats.

If you're using Photoshop, use PSD, not export formats.

Matt,

I've tried your suggestion to use native formats (see attached screenshot), and noticed two things:

  • PSD doesn't work with a transparent background. Still only EPS with clipping path is able to give such a result (as described in my old FM9 tutorial).
  • Illustrator works fine (just like PDF), but it's necessary to adjust the document size to the size of the content. This was easier with EPS, as FrameMaker reads the bounding box and clips the image accordingly.

At least with Illustrator files this is a fine solution, but the missing option of having transparent backgrounds with PSD files might be a show stopper.

Bernd

Matt-Tech Comm Tools
Braniac
September 6, 2017

Yes, Bernd, for objects with transparency you may need to use EPS and clipping paths. However, even if the transparency were recognized, there would still be aliasing on the edges, and likely a halo around the image, as there'd be no matte color applied to the edges. So Photoshop EPS would allow for the vector edge around the perimiter.

Every case is different, but in this case, though, the images would be most easily created and edited as vectors in AI, not as bitmaps (or even vectors) in PS. 

But just to throw in another scenario, I'd use a free FontAwesome or similar icon to type a professionally designed character, rather than managing as a graphic in the first place! 

Here's a screen grab of the warnings, notes, and cautions that I use in my book, FrameMaker - Working with Content.

Screenshot 2017-09-06 10.50.15

In case anyone's interested, these are paragraph tags that use a character format to apply the FontAwesome icon to the autonumber. They print perfectly, and are easy to apply. The arrows in the original example are even easier: Create a character tag that uses the FontAwesome font, and apply as needed.

-Matt SullivanFrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant
Bob_Niland
Braniac
August 28, 2017
Be.eM
Inspiring
August 28, 2017

I also made this tutorial years ago (for FM9, but still works this way) for files saved from Photoshop:

Matt-Tech Comm Tools
Braniac
August 30, 2017

I wasn't able to use the link. Can you post the full URL?

-Matt SullivanFrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant
Be.eM
Inspiring
August 28, 2017

FrameMaker is not able to display transparencies (or transparent backgrounds) within the application, imported eps graphics will always look like this. However, it should be correctly displayed when printing or saving as PDF. If this does not work, select the graphic in question (here: the arrow), and - using the the graphics toolbar - set the background (fill color) to "None". Now it should be correct in printouts and PDF.

Bernd

Known Participant
August 28, 2017

already tried it,

what is odd is that when i save for example as .png
even if i can see transparent background when saving,
if i reopen it in ai it still has the white background color,,,
pffffffffff

Be.eM
Inspiring
August 28, 2017

One more thing to check: in the EPS export options (when saving in Illustrator), is the background set to "transparent"?