Find all images with multiple references to them

[RobertNunemacher]

Anyone know an easy way to find all images, in a book, that have more than one reference to them. To import FM books to RoboHelp, we're finding there must be a seperate instance of each repeated image. 

[Peter Grainge]

You haven't said which version of RoboHelp you are using. The information will in be reports but how you access them differs between Classic and New UI.

I'm not sure that you do need separate instances and will leave that part of the answer to Jeff, our resident Fm supporter.

[RobertNunemacher]

I am not involved with the RoboHelp portion, I've just been told that we must be certain to create unique images for all references, even if they are identical. I'm not sure which version of Robohelp they are using. Thank you for your reply.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Sounds like more of a FM question than a RH one.

@RobertNunemacher what problem are you running into? The RH import doesn't care (as far as I've found) if you've got the same image used in different spots in your FM content - as long as they're in anchored frames, they should come over.

[RobertNunemacher]

@jeff_Coatsworth I am not involved with the RoboHelp portion, I've just been told that we must be certain to create unique images for all references, even if they are identical. I'll mention your input to our folks who mange RoboHelp. Thank you for your reply.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I'm still not hearing what the issue actually is - what version of FM and RH are you running?

[RobertNunemacher]

I am using FM 2019. I have no idea which version of RH is being used - I am not involved with that process. I am going strictly by what I have been told by the individuals that manage the FM to RH process. They told me that all references must have a unique image associated with them - no image should be refernced more than once in FM or it "breaks" RH. I have no idea what "breaks" means to them. They may very well be mistaken and by your reply it seems they are. 

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Maybe you need to have the actual users of RH & FM respond to the thread; that might give Peter & myself a chance to figure what issue they're facing.

[RobertNunemacher]

I only work in FM, not RH. I'm not at all concerned with the issues they are having with RH. I might recommend that they start a thread of their own to further research why they are having trouble with multiple image references. I was just looking for a way to identify any images that are referenced more than once in a book.  Even if they are wrong in their assertion that multiple references create problems in RH, I am still required to create unique images for each reference, or the project is rejected. Unfortunately, policy prevails over practicality in our company. It doesn't sound like this is possible, but I very much appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, then let's move this thread over to the FM forum where there's a much higher chance of someone answering your FM question about finding all images referenced in a book.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, now that you're over in FM-land, how are you getting your images into your FM docs? Import by Reference or by copying? Have you tried any of the built-in generated lists like LOF or LOR?

[RobertNunemacher]

I was sure I originally posted in the FM forum. The top of the thread reads, "Home > FrameMaker" just as this one does. 

I import my images by reference. I can create an LOR list of imported graphics, then look through it manually or copy into excel and find duplicates there, but I was hoping there might be an easier way to accomplish this.

[LinSims]

I don't think it's possible to do what you need without a script, and I'm unaware of any commercially available script that does this. However, Rick Quatro has a utility called PathChanger that lets you update the path to text insets and graphics imported by reference and to external xrefs.

I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but the major function of the script consists of writing out the path/file name to each referenced item into an Excel spreadsheet, which sounds like it might give you the information you need, or at least a good start on it. Assuming your company is agreeable, spending $49 for it would get you a good part of the way. He may even be able to adapt it for you for a fee.

[RobertNunemacher]

@LinSims That's what I suspected. Thank you for your insight. Have a great day.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Nope, you were in RH-land when Peter responded.
I bet some of the scripting gurus have tools that you could use - but I still think you're being led on a wild-goose chase by your RH compadres. What output are they creating? You could do a quickie test to publish the same out of FM directly & see what they think is an issue (btw, if you didn't know, the publishing guts of FM is really just Classic RH under the hood).

[FieryPantone · Accepted solution]

Quick'n'dirty: create a LOR for referenced graphics, then sort it in a text editor and check by eye? I don't have an example or the necessary information to hand, but I vaguely remember making a custom LOR that included the filename to make it even easier to get back to any instance of a referenced graphic.

T:/graphics/xen_iconEthernet.eps 13
T:/graphics/yn_connector_6.eps 13
T:/10_Yoneo/graphics/yn_iconSerial.eps 13
T:/_commonGraphics/WEEE_symbol_vectors.svg 6
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps i
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps i
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps iii
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 1
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 1
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 7
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 9
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 23
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 27
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 35
T:/_commonGraphics/_wlBlue_2018pantone.eps 39
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 1
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 5
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 7
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 9
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 12
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 15
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 16
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 17
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 23
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 27
T:/_commonGraphics/tip.eps 40
T:/_commonGraphics/usb_Trident.eps 13
T:/_commonGraphics/usb_Trident.eps 13
T:/_commonGraphics/warning.eps 10
T:/_commonGraphics/warning.eps 14

[LinSims]

<stares>

<slaps forehead>

Now, why didn't I think of the bloody building blocks? I take my answer back. FieryPantone is quite correct, you can use the building block <$fullfilename> to generate a list of path+filename references for Imported Graphics and then either convert to a table and sort that way or copy and paste to a text editor that does a lexigraphical sort.

My only excuse (and it's a damn poor one) is that I never use LORs and wasn't aware you could use one to pull out information on imported graphics. 

Learned something new. Yay!