How do you change all images in file from import by ref to copy into doc?

[ACE_KQ]

Is there any easy way to change all images in a frame file from 'import by reference' to 'copy into document' ?

The way I currently have to do this is deleting and reimporting and resizing one image at a time and even in a

single document with 30 images this can take forever! Surely this can be done quicker than this?

My company has always used the 'import by reference' option when adding images to our frame documents.

But things have moved on and we are now a global company and email a lot of these files to our sister sites.

E-mailing 1 file makes much more sense than emailing 1 frame file and 40 image files, especially when the files

are in a different folder structure.

[Art Campbell]

Actually, I don't think becoming a global company is a reason to invalidate a Best Practice. Figuring out a better way to transport files and component parts makes more sense than building huge files that invite slower operation and corruption.

So I'd encourage you to improve your file management practices before going down the embedding path. One easy way to do this without changing the paths of the imported graphics (which is the better way to procede)  is to make a practice of packaging files with a utility such as Bruce Foster's Archive plug-in. It collects all component files in a dedicated file package much as InDesign's or Quark's collection tools do. Then the package can be easily zipped and transported.

If you must go down the embedding path, be prepared for more problems than it solves. One of the FrameScript gurus, Rick Quatro at frameexpert.com, just released a script package or tool set that un-embeds graphics and converts them to referenced... you could probably ask him to produce a script that goes the other way too.

Cheers,

Art

[Van Kurtz]

Ask your IT department to make your server or another server accessible from all branches of your company. Then you do not have to change your working folder structure, and you avoid sending large emails around the globe. Each email multiplies the number of copies of a file, making document management even worse.

Van

[ACE_KQ]

Thanks Van & Art,

We do actually have a file management system (documentum) which is available across all global sites.

Unfortunately the powers that be at our site do not want access to all master files to be shared across

the sites unless specifically required for updating! Unfortunately emailing these documents is what I have

been told is the current preferred method. It is not my prefered method but what can you do!

[peter minneapolis]

Bruce Foster's inexpensive archive plug-in for FM might be a solution. It collects all far-flung parts of a document or book into one folder that you can zip for emailing or posting on the company server for download.

http://home.comcast.net/~bruce.foster/products.htm

HTH

Regards,

Peter Gold

KnowHow ProServices

[R__VanDyke]

Ace:

Do your newly global company a big favor and argue -- strongly -- against embedding graphics in the FrameMaker files.

If your documents get larger (and what global company's won't?), there's a very real chance that you'll increase the size of the FrameMaker chapter files to the point that they can't even be opened.  Even if that doesn't happen, the files will handle so sluggishly that they'll start to affect productivity.

Various other posters have recommended Bruce Foster's Archive plug-in.  Speaking from experience, that plug-in works very well for packaging a FrameMaker book's constituent chapters, graphics, and text-insets into a tidy directory structure.  Among other things, the plugin provides a great way to ship a FrameMaker book to a localizer, or to quickly expunge unused graphics and text insets from a working files set.

Better yet, push for a true files distribution mechanism that serves your employer's needs.  I suspect if you do you'll find that part of management's arguments against imported-by-reference graphics are based on, ahem, an incomplete understanding of both the problem and the best long-term solutions to same...

Cheers & hope this helps,

Riley

[Van Kurtz]

Riley,

Has Bruce Foster's plugin been updated to work with FrameMaker 9? I see nothing on his site.

Van

[Art Campbell]

Van,

I tried it in the FM 9 pre-release / beta cycle and it worked. I haven't installed it on a live system since though. I'm kinda half-remembering an email exchange I had with him where he said he hadn't upgraded to 9 yet and so couldn't test, but I can't find the email, so take it with a grain of salt. I believe the current/latest release is 3.03.

Art

[Russ Ward · Accepted solution]

ACE,

You've got a lot of good advice here about best practice, but I don't think anyone answered your question. The answer is no, there is no easier way, unless you have access to FrameScript or the FDK.

Russ

[Mike Wickham]

Systec has a couple of Toolbox plugin modules that do this: "Adapt Graphic Imports" and "Imported Graphic."

http://https://www.systec-gmbh.com/os/index.php?cat=c176_TOOLBOX.html&XTCsid=afec57784912ef717a8b43a...

I have used neither plugin. The user manual makes it appear that Adapt Graphic Imports will process the whole book at a time, but give you an option to be prompted for each graphic individually. Imported Graphic works on one graphic at a time, and has additional options to restore original size or scaling.

Mike Wickham