Import .cdr file into FrameMaker 9 fails

[AJ_Wilko_ADG]

When I try to import a *.cdr (Corel Draw)

file into FM 9.0, it errors with:

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

Is there are certain version of cdr file that is compatible for FM 9.0 or is it not an accepted graphic format? I need to get this into a document as soon as possible. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[markerline]

Depending on the CorelDraw version you can open the file with Adobe Illustrator and resave as an Illustrator PDF.  Not sure if FrameMaker can open PDF's though.

[AJ_Wilko_ADG]

Thanks, but all native files are stored as *.cdr files. Adobe Illustrator is not an option for the client working with FM. Thanks again.

[markerline]

To the best of my knowledge CorelDraw can export as PDF.  Can't CorelDraw open PDF's also, preserving all the layers and other meta data affiliated with CDR files?  In other words I was only mentioning Illustrator as a way to open and resave the files as PDF.  This function is called "Illustrator PDF" but it is basically a PDF which contains vector and possibly raster information.  AI can usually open PDF files natively as well as certain versions of CDR files.

[markerline]

I should note, PDF refers to Adobe Acrobat, not Adobe Illustrator, though the save option is "Illustrator PDF" within Illustrator.  Similarly to save a Photoshop document as PDF you would save it as a "Photoshop PDF" but these are both basically PDF documents which Acrobat recognizes natively with layer information and other metadata intact.

[AJ_Wilko_ADG]

Thanks for this. Unfortunately due to the nature of the publications, and I probably should have included this information, these are technical publications

written in SGML and XML that reference the illustrations. The option to convert to PDF prior to referencing them into the pdf is not a cost effective option as these illustrations need to remain in their native form for the electronic output (Not PDF). So the question still remains, How do I Import a *.cdr file into structured FM 9.0 and not get the error message I am getting? or are *.cdr files not supported by FM9.0? Thanks

[markerline]

This is the FM forum.  You might try posting to the Corel forums and also paruse the FrameMaker documentation to see if it mentions anything about non-adobe products such as "file formats" that are supported (.cdr, .eps, .svg, ,dxf, etc.)

[markerline]

Please look at this support doc for FrameMaker 7.0

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/327/327345.html

it covers file formats.

[AJ_Wilko_ADG]

Thanks for the help. The link for FM 7 is good because it says that Corel Draw is a compliant graphics format for the import of *.cdr graphics up to Corel Draw Version 6. I am now investigating the version of the graphics. Then the next question is, I have gone through all the FM 9.0 help files and user files and I can not find anywhere where it says what are the compliant graphic formats that can be used and imported into FM 9.0. Can you point me in the direction for this infomration please?

Thanks in advance.

[markerline]

Here is the help file for FM9.0 .  I didn't find cdr as a supported file type.  So you might have to settle on the client exporting PDF's from CorelDraw with "tags" and then import into FM9.0 .  Acrobat also exports XML (but I don't know about SGML).

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/9.0/Using/WSd817046a44e105e21e63e3d11ab7f768cd-8000.html

[markerline]

In addition to PDF, I believe CorelDraw exports Adobe Illustrator files.  What version of CorelDraw is the client working with?

[AJ_Wilko_ADG]

I do appreciate your time and help. I am just getting frustrated with the product that says "You can import Adobe® Photoshop®, JPEG 2000, SVG, and Adobe® Illustrator® files into FrameMaker." Then when you go to the import window and in the file type selection dropdown there are so many more file types that are apparently available to import and these file types could be imported in previous version as pointed out in the link to the FM 7.0 help file you provided earlier.

If these file types are no longer supported then it should be in the documentation or release notes. But we will keep trying.

[markerline]

Yes, FM7.0 did mention that you could import CDR version 3,4,5,6 files.  I suspect since Adobe Illustrator can't import beyond version 10 of CDR files you should take that to mean that FM9.0 can't import beyond version 10, but that is only an educated guess.  Best wishes.

[Arnis Gubins]

FM's cdr import filter hasn't been updated since FM7, so the latest version of Draw files supported is cdr v.7. For details of supported filters see:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/framemaker/pdfs/Filters.pdf

These filter conversions are less than stellar anyway, so the recommendation of using PDF (or better yet EPS, since FM has to convert PDF to EPS internally on the fly anyway) is your best bet. You'll have to adjust your workflow so that both version of the files are available if you want to use FM and still have native .cdr files available.