A Graphic Conversion Utility

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I will send to anyone who requests it a 15KB PDF file containing the
commented EDD and the read/write rules for accomplishing graphic conversions
with FM+SGML, as described below.
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Many people on the list inquire about solutions to the following problems:

1. They have graphics embedded in their FM documents for which no external
graphic file exists. They want to save the existing graphic to an external
file in an FM-compatible format so it can then be imported by reference into
any FM document.

2. They want to convert an existing graphic (embedded or imported by
reference) that is already in an FM-compatible format to another
FM-compatible format.

I believe the additional license cost of FM+SGML can often be justified even
when the main purpose of buying it is to do graphic conversions,
particularly if a capability to convert non-EPS graphics to EPSI with a
viewable preview image is needed. By using FM+SGML to produce the graphic
file, you're guaranteed that the graphic can successfully be imported into
any FM document, structured or unstructured. Also, immediately after
converting a graphic, you can then import it by reference back into an FM
test document to check the quality of the on-screen and printed images. If
the quality is unsatisfactory, you can experiment by exporting to other
FM-compatible formats until you find the one that gives the best viewing
and/or printing quality.

I've used FM+SGML to create a simple import/export application whose sole
purpose is to export graphics to external files in any desired FM-compatible
graphic format. The application consists of an Element Definition Document
(EDD), a Document Type Definition (DTD) created from the EDD, and a set of
Read/Write Rules for accomplishing the graphic conversions. The application
can convert any FM-compatible graphic, including multi-faceted ones, to
EPSI, TIFF, CGM, GIF, or MIF format. Additional conversion formats (e.g.,
JPEG) can easily be added.  All exported graphics except those converted to
MIF can be imported into any structured or unstructured FM document.

In the case of conversion to the MIF format, the non-native graphic itself
is not actually converted to an editable MIF graphic, but it is saved to a
structured MIF file. However, if the graphic is in the native FM format
(i.e., created with the drawing tool), exporting to MIF provides a way to
save it as an editable graphic, allowing it to be independently opened and
edited. Any such graphic saved as MIF can be imported by copy into a
structured FM+SGML document. However, you could open the MIF file in
FM+SGML, select Remove Structure From Flow, and save it out as unstructured
MIF. Then it could be opened and edited using either FM or FM+SGML, and
could be imported by copy into any structured or unstructured FM document.
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     | Nullius in Verba |
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Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208, Huntington Beach, CA 92646


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