Copy into document graphics vs. Import by Reference

[Scott White]

I understand what you are saying about referenced images, but...

We built software that exports a file out of filemaker and then  
imports into frame. We wanted to eliminate the problems that folks  
have had in the past of the referenced images displaying a gray box  
when the file is moved from one person to another or to a print  
shop.  In the Industrial Distribution business, which is 95 percent  
of our clientele, do not have the network structure to run a frame  
network per se nor the graphic and computer understanding to  
eliminate these linking problems easily.

We built this automated system to make it easier for the end user who  
knows very little about databases, image management and desktop  
publishing. With some frame training that I provide, our customers  
can get a 1000-page catalog done by themselves -- a real pain point  
for this type of business in the past. You have to realize here that  
we are dealing with mid-million companies who know only one thing --  
how to sell products.

With that said, we are developing our latest version where we are  
going to look into several new enhancements including running  
referenced files.

For us and our customers this works best.

Scott White
Media Production Manager
Implementation Coordinator
210-704-8239
swhite at alamark.com



On Dec 8, 2006, at 3:21 PM, Combs, Richard wrote:

> Scott White wrote:
>
>> We ALWAYS copy into document. This allows us to pass the file
>> around without breaking the links to the graphics. It may
>> take a little longer to do our books, but I feel it equals
>> out since we don't have to hassle with broken links. As far
>> as paginating our books, we just break our files down a
>> little smaller and this makes the files fast enough to work with.
>
> Why do you have to "pass the file around"? I'm not sure I even
> understand what that means, but if all of a book's FM files are in a
> directory, and all its graphics are in a subdirectory of that, then  
> you
> can "pass around" the directory without breaking anything.
>
> In fact, more complicated schemes with shared graphics work without
> breaking as long as relative paths remain the same (don't cross the  
> root
> of a drive, or the paths become absolute). So if you mean working
> locally and then copying to a server (which is what I do), you just
> maintain the same directory structure in both places. In fact,  
> there are
> utilities that will keep the local and remote directories in sync.
>
> But I'm with Neil -- the biggest advantage of referenced graphics  
> for me
> is being able to replace screen shots with newer versions and have the
> FM docs update automatically when I open them. I update graphics _far_
> more often than I move files around.
>
> IMHO, YMMV, etc.
>
> Richard
>
>
> ------
> Richard G. Combs
> Senior Technical Writer
> Polycom, Inc.
> richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
> 303-223-5111
> ------
> rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
> 303-777-0436
> ------
>
>
>
>
>
>
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