Locating linked files in various directories

[Paolo T]

Hi,

I've a problem with FM9 and some documents I received from my translators. Maybe someone can help me understand if a solution can be found?

1) My translators work with FM7 Mac. I work with FM9 Win.

2) I sent my FM9 files to my translators as MIF7 files. They sent the files back in FM7 format.

3) When opening the files on FM9, FM asks me to locate the linked illustration files.

First problem

The whole path and name of the linked file appears, so I cannot understand why it is asking me to select the file again.

Second problem

When working with FM6 Mac I did this way:

- Choose a linked file, then confirm.

- When asked to locate the following file (in a different directory) choose Ignore all files, and let the file open.

- Repeat the above for all directories. FM6 always read all missing files in the directory of the chosen file.

- With FM9, the remaining files in the directory of a chosen file is not scanned, and I must manually locate EACH and ALL linked files.

Is there a way to solve at least one of the above problems?

Thanx,

Paolo

[Bob_Niland]

The whole path and name of the linked file appears, so I cannot understand why it is asking me to select the file again.

Something to try:

• Tell Frame to ignore all missing files.
• Save the doc.mif as a doc.fm.
• See what it does when you open it as a native doc.fm.

We also have imported objects from all over our file system.

When I prep a Frame document to send to translators (and this is from FM7.1 Solaris):

• I save the component files as MIF
• Run a script to find all the imported objects
• Copy all of them to ./images
• Batch revise all the references in the MIFs
• Zip up the doc and doc/images directories.
• Unzip on a PC
• Open the resulting MIFs in FM9 Windows

The only error I see is "missing filter", which is no trouble.I've never seen FM fail to find the imports.  Translators have never reported any issues.

[peter_minneapolis]

Paolo Tramannoni wrote:

Hi,

I've a problem with FM9 and some documents I received from my translators. Maybe someone can help me understand if a solution can be found?

1) My translators work with FM7 Mac. I work with FM9 Win.

2) I sent my FM9 files to my translators as MIF7 files. They sent the files back in FM7 format.

3) When opening the files on FM9, FM asks me to locate the linked illustration files.

First problem

The whole path and name of the linked file appears, so I cannot understand why it is asking me to select the file again.

Second problem

When working with FM6 Mac I did this way:

- Choose a linked file, then confirm.

- When asked to locate the following file (in a different directory) choose Ignore all files, and let the file open.

- Repeat the above for all directories. FM6 always read all missing files in the directory of the chosen file.

- With FM9, the remaining files in the directory of a chosen file is not scanned, and I must manually locate EACH and ALL linked files.

Is there a way to solve at least one of the above problems?

Thanx,

Paolo

It might be possible that the different Unicode abilities of FrameMaker 7 and 9, might affect the interpretation of path names if they contain Unicode characters. Also, perhaps operating systems may be using different language versions, or have different abilities to handle Unicode in path names. Just a thought.

HTH

Regards,

Peter

_______________________

Peter Gold

KnowHow ProServices

[Paolo T]

Thank you both for your answers. Basically, it seems to me that I did the operations "Error" is suggesting, but with no results. I suspect Peter is right, and there is some characters looking right, but being interpreted in a different way by FM9.

Paolo

[Paolo T]

I just received the same project from a translator working on a PC (the two others have worked on a Mac). Illustration files are correctly linked. The idea that different Unicode codes can be recognized by FrameMaker seems to be realistic. Shocking, but possibly true.

Paolo

[Van Kurtz]

Paolo,

Regarding the second problem... I do not remember how it worked in version 6, but your are correct about how it works in version 9. When I have to relink imported files that exist in multiple directories, I do roughly what you do, except that I click Ignore THIS File instead of Ignore All Files. Then if FrameMaker discovers a file that is in the same directory as the first one, it will not ask where is it. This is obviously more tedious, especially if the files jump back and forth between directories. So, I usually click Ignore This File repeatedly until I get tired, then click Ignore All Files, and save and close the file. Then open again, repeat above. Eventually, you will relink all the files in at least one directory. Each time you reopen and relink, the number of directories decreases, and you eventually get them all relinked. This strategy is a little better than trying to do it in one pass.

Regarding the first problem... If you do NOT need to open the translated files on your system with the illlustration files in their original locations, I suggest getting Bruce Foster's Archive plugin. It is only $25US. This plugin allows you to COPY your entire book and its files into another location, along with all the text insets and linked files in the files. It puts the text insets in one subdirectory and the graphics in another. During this process, it updates all the links to point the files in the subdirectories. You can then save your files to mif7 and send everything to the translator. When you get them back, open them in the archived location (the COPIED files) and all the links will work. NOTE that this is essentially a one-way workflow in that if you edit the archived files and copy them back to their original locations, you get your problem 2. So, you need to edit the files in their original locations and then archive again. Also, putting the translated files into the locations of your original files results in Problem 2.

Van

[Paolo T]

The Archive plugin is fantastic for preparing the files for the printer. However, since some years I send the printer a PDF file, because I'm sure it will be printed as I gave it to them.

I fear I need the illustration files separated: I have 1,200 of them in the current project, so it would be hard for the file system itself to manage them in a single folder. Not impossible, but rather difficult.

Thank you for letting me know of the modified way of re-linking files in a quicker way. I'll try with the next projects, in the hope it will make things a bit easier.

Thanx, Paolo

[squidds_de]

Do you know TOOLBOX plug-ins? There is 'Book Transfer', that can transfer all referenced files in a single directory or persists in a original structure.

Test it, is it a solution for you - then give me a feedback.

- GEorg

[Paolo T]

Hi Georg, I gave a look at the tool you suggested, but I cannot understand how it can help me relinking. By transferring my illustration files to another directory I would lost links from other (correct) files. Is there some other operation you suggest I do with it?

Paolo