Structured FrameMaker 2022 - Issue with Imported Images not scaling to desired size

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

We are upgrading from Structured FrameMaker 11 to Structured FrameMaker 2022.

We have an automated process that imports an xml file containing multiple factsheets into FrameMaker. When the import completes, the factsheets are fully formatted. These factsheets include graphic eps files that are included in the import process.

When testing in FM 2022, we are using our existing FrameMaker templates, DTD, EDD, Rules file, and xsl. When importing, the file are formatting correctly in FrameMaker 2022, except for the graphics, which are not scaling correctly. After importing, the images in the first factsheet are scaling below 50%. In the subsequent factsheets, the images are scaled larger, but not scaling to the correct size - 100%.

We are not encountering this scaling issue with FrameMaker 11.

In FrameMaker 2022, are there additional instructions that need to be added to the EDD, XSL, Rules file, etc. so that these images import to the correct size?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What version of FM2022 are you testing this with and is it all patched up to the latest patch version?

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

FM version shows 17.0.6.798 in the Help > About FrameMaker window

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

In FrameMaker 2022 there is an auto-scale option. Possibly this is related to your problem.

Open the preferences in Edit | Preferences.

In Global | Graphics there is the option Auto-scale Image Along Width.

Check, if it makes a difference, when this option is activated or deactivated.

Best regards, Winfried

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Thanks. We will try this

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Winfried:
We checked the autoscale option in preferences and it corrected the scaling for the images in the first factsheet; however, for the 4 subsequent factsheets the images are still not scaling to 100%? I'm wondering if we need to modify the read/write file? See images below:

Initially the Auto-Scale option was not checked.

After checking that option, we are 50% of the way to success.  The first page graphics import perfectly!!

Unfortunately, the remaining pages are unaffected and still import at 92.59% and 93.52%. 

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Something different with the ones that it doesn't work on? 

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

The images in all of these factsheets are sized identically.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I meant more like different image type or import method? Like what's so different about them vs the ones that worked?

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

The xml markup for the factsheets is in one xml file that is imported into FrameMaker, so all of thesee factsheets re included in the same import. All of the images are the same. They are .eps .

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Were they all created with the same tool? Just tossing out ideas here - there's got to be something that differentiates the "good" from the "bad".

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Yes. They were all created using a chart generator application that was created by a co-worker years ago. The application works by converting an xml file that contains the markup for a set of charts, and converting that markup into eps pie charts or bar charts, using Adobe Illustrator. This same set of eps charts imports correctly when imported into FrameMaker 11.

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Is there an attribute in FrameMaker that corresponds to Auto-Scale Images Along Width? I have been searching the latest version of the Adobe FrameMaker Developing Structured Applications guide, and I am not locating it. I thought that maybe there is a read/write file attribute or an xsl attribute for this that needs to be added to the read/write file or to the xsl file?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

As a test, have you tried creating a new doc and importing the eps files into it to see how they scale? Were all the eps images created using the same version of Illustrator? 

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

These were all created using the same version of Illustrator. 
WE performed a test in which we removed the first factsheet (the one in which the images are sizing correctly) from the xml, then re-imported. The same behavior occurred, with the images in the first factsheet scaling correctly and all subsequent factsheet images not scaling to 100%, so it doesn't appear as though the issue involves the 2 images in that first factsheet. It looks as though the initial factsheet is scaling correctly, with the subsequent factsheets not scaling correctly?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Might be time to give the FM folks a ping - see https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#framemaker for your Adobe Support options. I'd recommend using the tcssup@adobe.com e-mail address as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including FrameMaker.

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Thanks for your help

[frameexpert]

I understand that this should just work, but if you get stuck and want a post-process script solution, please contact me offlist. Thanks. rick at frameexpert dot com

[Bob_Niland]

As an experiment, you might try re-saving some of the EPS files as SVG, and see if it behaves any differently.

If it works, they could be batched in Illustrator, and it would also make the document ready to flow to XML or HTML with the charts remaining vectors, and not getting trashed to raster.

On the other hand, text in SVGs can be a pain to work with, as the embedding is not as slam-dunk as EPS. But Adobe is sunsetting support for EPS, so the move will need to be made eventually. For much of what I do, I end up having Illustrator default to convert-to-outlines when saving to SVG.

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

Thanks for the suggestion. We will try it

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

It sounds like you're already using a read/write rules file in your structapp.

Have you set up read/write rules to specify fm properties for the scale of the graphics?

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

These are the read/write rules that are currently set up:

element "graphic" {
is fm graphic element "graphic";
attribute "file" is fm property file;
attribute "impsize" is fm property import size;
}

Should I add 'width' and 'height' attributes to the rules?

attribute "width" is fm property width;

attribute "height" is fm property height;

Are there additional scaling attributes that should be added?

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

I believe you need sub rules for values 

[defaultxhawfx4ep50f]

The charts vary in size. In the read/Write rules, can the values for the chart sizes be percentages, such as '100%'?

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Offhand, I see that you don't have specific reader or writer rules. If you're not saving back out to XML for a deliverable, you may have luck with a specific reader rule to import the graphic, without having to account for the value when saving out to XML.

It looks like (many years ago) the default behavior of Fm 11 parsed your attributes and values in a way  acceptable to your needs.

Fm 17 seems to have different default behavior, so you may need to explicitly explain what you need done with the values. I'm not clear on the specifics of your graphics (pixel count, etc.) so you will likely need to analyze the differences between the "working" graphics and the "non-working" graphics.

You mentioned that you're working with XML; does that mean your Fm documents can use the XML view and you can see the underlying code? If so, compare the raw XML representation to the Fm XML View of a properly formatted image to the XML View of an improperly formatted image. This comparison may give you insight into what you need to do.