RE: unlinking graphics-solution

["Snavely, Deborah" <dsnavely@xxxxxxxx>]

In working on FrameMaker on multiple versions of both Mac (MacOS 7.x through
8.x on Mac and PowerMac and G3) and Windows (Windows 3.1.1, Win95, and Win
NT 3.5.1) platforms, I've never seen a graphic imported by reference into a
FrameMaker doc (3.x, 4.x, 5.x) lose its path except for one of the following
reasons:

*	the graphic was moved from its referenced location
*	the graphic was renamed from its original file name
*	the directory in which the graphic resides was moved
*	the directory in which the graphic resides was renamed

	For any of these four problems, relinking the graphic from its new
location or name has always been sufficient. So that's probably not the
source cause.

	Additional possible causes: 
*	the graphics reside on a volume that's remote (shared, server,
whatever) from the FrameMaker files and for some reason cannot be seen by
the Frame computer; some networking software is less than friendly towards
cross-volume linked files. (Windows NT networking was chosen for a cheap
upgrade from Netware 3.1 at one site and wasn't that a hideous experience.
Netware is varyingly good in its different releases, by techie report. Your
mileage, as always, WILL vary.) 
	*	server not up
	*	server not connected to the Frame computer
	*	graphic import somehow dependent on remote or server
software that's only marginally compatible with Frame or OS importing
functions
*	the Macintosh desktop database was corrupted (fix: rebuild the
desktop)
*	the MS-DOS FAT (still hiding under this supposed 32-bit OS last I
knew) or its equivalent was corrupted or missing (see Windows gurus for how
to fix or re-create)
*	the individual FrameMaker file is corrupted; possible fixes:
	*	save the FrameMaker file to MIF, open the MIF as Frame and
test re-linking; if the fix works, save corrected file to replace the
original Frame file
	*	ditto the book file, just in case it is somehow affecting
this problem
	*	this one's not a fix but a technique for trouble-shooting
information: from the book file, add a generated List of References and set
it to show only referenced graphics, then update/generate the LOR and
examine the paths for the problem graphics or problem paths
*	the FrameMaker preferences file is corrupted: on MacOS, with
FrameMaker application NOT running, delete the FrameMaker preferences file
from the System folder, then open Frame and let it regenerate a new prefs
file; don't know if this action is possible on Windows systems
*	the FrameMaker application itself is corrupted; fix: re-install
FrameMaker from the original media 

I'm assuming, of course, that the computer on which this misbehavior occurs
has had Frame restarted and the computer itself warm- and cold-booted more
than once already. 

I'd generalize that similar issues can occur on UNIX boxes but I've never
worked on one for more than 5 minutes at a time. 

Deborah Snavely
Senior Technical Writer
consulting at Visa
standard disclaimers apply

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