problem saving FM as RTF file

[Michael314]

Hi,

With Framemaker 7.2, I need to save the files to another format so that the language translators can do their job. A PDF file will not work for them and I don't think they have Framemaker.SO I looked for a way to create either an RTF or Word file.

I tried a Save As from Frame and selected Microsoft RTF 1.6 (there was also an RTF 1.3 but that failed after creating a 500 MB file!). That process created a file comparable in size to the FM file and headings, paragraphs, and tables came across OK  but some of the formatting was messed up:

• Page breaks were lost
• In some graphics, rext labels were crosed out
• Caution and Warning icons were gone (they were built into the paragraph tag but were on the reference page
• A few graphics were shredded
• Some graphics were enlarged and ran off the right side of the page

I also tried a PDF to Word conversion from Adobe Acrobat and that came out different: Caution and Warning icons displayed OK and most of the graphics and labeling came out OK. But there were different problems:

• heading 1 heads disappeared
  
• some graphics were distorted and unreadable

Is there a more dependable way to export from Frame?

Yours,

Michael F

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What's the matter with using MIF?

[Art_Campbell1]

The best way is using MIF2Go from omsys.com -- reliably preserves the formatting.

You may want to play with a simple copy-and-paste from FM into Word, but it's going to vary a lot depending on how clean/simple your source is and what version of Word is receiving.

[Michael_Müller-Hillebrand]

Michael F,

If the translation people use a tool with Translation Memory they are prepared to accept FrameMaker documents in MIF format, and will return the same with translated content.

If they work in any other way, you should definitely change the service provider.

- Michael M-H

[yves.barbion]

I fully agree with Michael M-H and Art (as usual):

• If you just need a "one-off" translation done by someone who doesn't have FrameMaker and who doesn't use  professional translation memory tools, then MIF2Go is your friend to get a pretty decent RTF file. However, never try to import the translated RTF file back into FrameMaker.
  
• If your FrameMaker file is a document which needs to be translated and updated regularly, then look for a translation company which has experience with translating Fm / MIF files.

Cheers

Yves Barbion

www.scripto.nu