Re: FM+SGML: round-trip graphics woe

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:39 PM 11/2/98 +0000, mark barratt wrote:
>I have a job which contains (references to) several hundred eps files, and
>I can't get them to stay transparent.
>
>The print version of this job has a printed tint on the page background.
>The graphics should have no background (ie the image background should be
>transparent).
>
>I can set this up so it works (though it doesn't show up on screen). But
>when I export the file to SGML and reimport it, my graphics all have opaque
>white backgrounds again.
>
>I suspect I'm missing something simple but I can't see, for instance an fm
>property I could set.
>
>All images are saved in illustrator 7.0.1 (Mac) as illustrator eps with
>8-bit PC previews. FM+SGML 5.5 on Win95.
**************************************************************
There must be some property of the graphic relating to its transparency that
is not being preserved, for one of the following two reasons:

1. The transparency property is not being properly preserved in the eps
files produced by AI, thus when the SGML document instance is imported to
FM+SGML, it gets switched back to opaque by default. If this is the case, a
solution can be found if:

        a. The initialization (.ini) file for the eps export filter can be
modified so that the graphic's transparency property is defaulted to the on
state during export to SGML. If such a modification is possible, then set up
the read/write rules to write out all eps files on export to SGML. That
should turn on the transparency property in the exported eps files. Then,
when you re-import the SGML document instance into FM+SGML, the transparency
property should be preserved in the graphic files. 

        b. The initialization (.ini) file for the eps import filter can be
modified so that the graphic's transparency property is defaulted to the on
state upon import to FM+SGML. If that's possible, you shouldn't have to
write out the eps files on export to SGML, because the eps graphics'
transparency property should be forced from off to on when the SGML document
instance is imported into FM+SGML.

        c. If there is some graphic format other than eps which does
preserve the transparency property on export to SGML, then set up the
read/write rules to write out all eps graphics in that format on export to
SGML. Then, on import to FM+SGML, the transparency property should be
preserved. 
 
                                OR

2. If there is no solution under case 1 that works, the transparency
property must be preserved as an attribute of the graphic element on export
to SGML, which requires that there be a named transparency property for eps
graphics in FM+SGML that can be equated to an attribute in a read/write rule
of the form:

        attribute "abc" is fm property xyz;

Where "abc" is the name of the SGML attribute, and "xyz" is the property
name. If such a rule can be written, it should properly preserve the
transparency property in the attribute on export to SGML (provided that
attribute of the graphic element is declared in the DTD), and should restore
that property value to the graphic on import to FM+SGML. But, as you stated
above: "I can't see, for instance an fm property I could set," and neither
can I.

If you discover a solution to this conundrum, I (and I suspect many others)
would be interested in hearing about it. My best guess is that there is no
solution.

Dan Emory
Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design
and Database Publishing Specialists

Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971
E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208
Huntington Beach, CA 92646


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