Not a complete reference location

St John,

to force FrameMaker to use absolute paths (if you are sure the location of the images never changes) you can create the files on another drive than the images, e.g. your local drive.

Another option to maintain the relativ paths is to Save-As the files to their new location instead of copying them via Explorer; using this method all paths are automatically adjusted by FrameMaker.

- Michael

I might add that although it would be nice if Frame had ...

Format > Document > Imports

[ * ] Use relative file paths

[   ] Use absolute file paths

... the problem is that the root specifier syntax historically was (and remains) entirely different for the Windows, Unix and Mac platforms.

Even now that Frame is Windows-only, the syntax of the root directory specifier is at least mostly constant (it could be UNC), but its value remains unstable (thanks a lot, Mr.Bill).

True, the root is often "C:\", but if it's a mapped network or removable media path, the letter can change unexpectedly, causing the import references to all fail once again.

Frame stores the reference to imported objects as a relative file path.

If the Frame document file is moved to a position in your filesystem hierarchy where the referenced files are no longer at that same  location relative to the document, the imports fail and go gray.

You have to open the document, in Frame, at a working location, then re-save it at the new final location.

Alternatively, you can save it as MIF and hack the MIF for file paths (we do that for translation prep).

There are also aftermarket tools for prepping references for a file move.