FrameMaker 7.2 - Program Error When Importing Object

[Guest]

Hello All,

I am new to FrameMaker but have recieved some training. I am writing a document where graphics from MS Visio 2000 SR1 need to be imported as an object so changes can be made to the file if needed. (File, Import, Object, Create From File - Visio File) I created the Visio document from scratch in Visio.

When I import a graphic as described above, FM gives an error:

"An internal error occured while writing imported graphic in this document. The file has been saved, but has lost some image data. Please report this error to Adobe Technical Support."

And it does save a version of the file, just not a version with the graphics. It also gives this same error when creating a new Visio document through FrameMaker. (File, Import, Object, Create Object from Program)

However, when I copy all from the Visio document and Edit, Paste Special, Paste as a Metafile - it saves the file with the graphics. If I paste as an Embedded MS Visio Drawing Object, then nothing at all imports into the document.

I hope someone can help me with this. I can't seem to find a way to contact Adobe Tech Support without calling. I also can't create the documents properly with just pasting the documents from Visio.

Thanks and let me know if you need more info.

[Art_Campbell1]

The problem is with the technology you're using... To import an object, you need to use Microsoft Object Linking and Embedding -- OLE.

The big problem is this never worked very well, so its use was never recommended. But when Microsoft released SP3 for XP several years ago, they patched a security hole in OLE that completely stopped it working in most applications, and Frame was one of them.

It's working better in FM 9 because both MS and Adobe changed their respective approaches to OLE, but if you're committed to FM 7, you're basically out of luck.

Best you can do is create another graphic format file using SaveAs in Visio -- I'd use PDF or PNG -- and import that by reference.

Art

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick response, and even if it is bad news, at least I know what is going on!

When you say that it's better in FM9, do you know if it has worked for you, or have you heard anything else in regard to the problem being resolved? I ask becaue I can't recomend to my supervisor to approve the cost of the upgrade if it won't fix the problem.

In the mean time I will use the alternate method you suggest as well as pasting.

Erin

[Art_Campbell1]

I've tried it a couple times, not with Visio, in FM 9 on a W7 platform, and it worked.

But in general, I'd avoid the entire technology...  If you are on, and stay on XP, you're less likely to get it working. I suspect.

[Guest]

Thanks a bunch for nailing this down for me. I am on XP and likely to stay until the next computer upgrade, so I will wait on upgrading.

[Mike Wickham]

There is a trial version of FM9 that you could use to confirm if OLE in FM9

works on your files

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

There should have been an error log file created in your c:\documents & settings\username\application data\adobe\FM7.2\ (it will be hidden - you'll need to change your view settings to see it); e-mail it to the e-mail address that showed up in the error dialog.

You must be running WinXp SP2 or earlier - OLE got gutted in newer versions over security concerns.

[Guest]

Thank you for the help. The error dialog box doesn't give an email address, but I will look up the file you specified and see if I can find any new info there.

Thank you!

[Guest]

Hi all,

I just wanted to give an update in case anyone else who is having simialr problems comes across this post.

I had access to a Win7 mach., via a remote connection. I installed the demo FM9 and tried to import (Import - Object - Create From File) and to make a long story short - I had to download a new version of Visio (the program used most to create drawings here) to make it all work.

BUT

I installed the FM9 demo on my mach. locally and for the process described above it worked fine. No errors. No having to install new versions of drawing programs. So for my purposes, the OLE problem was fixed enough under FM9 to allow me to do what I needed.

Thanks