Missing Embedded Graphics in FrameMaker 7.1

[Guest]

Recently I'm finding that some of the graphics in my documents are randomly disappearing. The empty text frame is left behind, but there is no sign of the graphic. I cannot find any reason why some graphics are missing and others still appear. All the graphics are embedded. I'm running XP SP3, and FrameMaker 7.1 (p116).

For example, I recently opened a document that hasn't been updated since October. The PDF version of the document from that date shows the graphic, but when I open the source document which hasn't been udpated since the PDF, an empty frame appears where the graphic once was. Any ideas?

[AxialInfo]

Are you positive that the missing graphics were actually embedded (copied into) the FM file, as opposed to having been put in as a linked object (aka "OLE").

Suddenly missing graphics is a symptom of the OLE link getting broken. Unfortunately changes included in Windows SP3 also result in the OLE links breaking. Short of rolling back to SP2 there's no way to resurrect OLE functionality.

[Guest]

The graphics have been inserted using copy and paste, which led me to believe that they were all embedded rather than linked. However, in one example, when I click on the Object Properties of a graphic that is still visible, it says OLE2, Referenced File. Can the graphics be copied and pasted in and still somehow be linked as an OLE object?

In this particular example, the graphic is visible until I change the conditions tag. If I then change the conditions tag back to the original, the graphic disappears.

Since Windows XP SP3 may be the culprit, I'll try rolling back to SP2 and see if that fixes it. Thanks for your help.

[Arnis Gubins]

Melanie,

The "Paste" in FM is controlled by a maker.ini setting. The default
is:

ClipboardFormatsPriorities=FILE, OLE 2, EMF, META, DIB, BMP, MIFW,
MIF, RTF, UNICODE TEXT, TEXT

where OLE links would be inserted before any of the graphic formats.
So, if you haven't edited this line in your maker.ini file, then all
of your pastes would have been as OLE links.

[Guest]

Thanks Arnis for the explanation. I saw previous posts regarding missing referenced graphics and Windows XP SP3, but I thought those posts didn't apply because I thought that copying and pasting in the graphics meant that they were embedded and not linked. I'm relieved to have a solution!