Filter error when importing graphic by reference

Report · Oct 31, 2008

I am using unstructured FM 8.0p277 on Windows XP SP3. I have been using the import by reference option for all of my graphics (in this case, screen shots).

I went to replace a referenced graphic with a new version. I had the FM document open to the page that contained the version to be replaced. In my screen capture program, I captured the screen and did a "Save as", using the same file name. In the FM file, the graphic turned grey and started flashing. I tried to import the new file. The status bar got about 50% and then I got this message:

The filter encountered an error and could not complete the translation.

I deleted the old grey graphic and the frame that contained it. Then I tried to reimport the graphic and I got the same message. I resnapped the graphic and tried again. Same result. I saved the FM file, existed out of FM and came back in again and tried it again. Same result.

I tried importing a different file and it worked fine. I tried to rename this file and it still failed. And I resnapped it again with a new file name and it still failed. What is the problem with this particular screen shot? (Note that I did have this same screen captured earlier.)

Report · Oct 31, 2008

We haven't heard anything like this with the newest version, but here are some general troubleshooting questions to start with:

How big is the chapter; # of pages, # of screenshots or other graphics.

How much RAM do you have on your system? Have you tried closing FM and doing a re-boot. Also, test with as few other apps having been opened after the re-boot as possible.

Are the screenshots on your same local system when you import them (i.e. not across a network)?

What screen capture utility (specific version would be helpful).

In what format do you save the screen captures? Any specific settings applied?

How do you name your captures? Have you tried making the names much smaller (i.e. 8 characters or less, without any spaces or other punctuation)?

As a test, could you try 1) make a backup copy of the chapter first, 2) save the chapter as .MIF, 3) open the .MIF and save again as FM. 4) re-try the graphic import.

Report · Oct 31, 2008

Trudy,

It sounds like the format that you saved your screenshot as is a
flavour that FM doesn't like. Check to see exactly what format variant
it is and try a different one.

Report · Dec 31, 2008

I'm back again. Although I resolved the issue in Oct., it has cropped up again. I just installed a second GB of RAM on my laptop. I closed FM and rebooted. Still had the same problem. I used SnagIt 8.2.2 to capture the file. The chapter is fairly large (124 pages) and it does have alot of graphics (screenshots are all referenced) in it already. I save the screen shots as .pngs. I do reduce the image once I get it into FM -- often down to 85% in the Object Properties window. I don't use spaces in file names. Some file names are longer than others. I just tried to reference one with 14 characters. Again, this occurred while I had a referenced graphic imported already and saved a new .png version of it with the same name. Again, it flashed. Now I can't import any graphics at all into this file. However, I was able to import a graphic into another chapter file. Is there also a limit to the number of graphics that can be referenced in a file? I'm using FM 8.0p277. What else can I do to resolve this in this chapter?

Report · Dec 31, 2008

I perform the same operation all the time, without problems. Capture in SnagIt, save as PNG, import by ref, and then update the graphic.

To fist this, first, I'd save the file out as MIF and reopen it and save it because the fact that you can't import anything would make me suspect that it's corrupted.

There aren't any numeric limitations in FM, but you may be bumping into a RAM, network time, or swap space problem.

Why don't you try saving the single massive (MIF-washed) file out into three or four component parts and see if that helps? Shouldn't make any difference in the book file at all, and it would certainly lessen the load on the system.

Art

Report · Dec 31, 2008

Thanks for the response. I tried a few other things. I went earlier in the chapter and imported by reference a graphic that was not in the chapter yet. It worked. I tried breaking up the chapter after about 40 pages. In the second section (where my original problem was), I tried to import the graphic by reference to that same page again. And again, I got the error. I saved this second, broken-out chapter as a MIF, then opened it again and saved it as a FM file. Then I tried to reimport this same graphic. That finally worked. Thanks.