FM 8 and Acrobat 3D files

[Shlomo Perets]

Mark,

You wrote: (long ago)
...
>What I'd like to see in the future is some means of adding controls within
>FrameMaker that extend the existing hypertext marker functionality.
>
>This may be possible with the SP TimeSavers (once they work with FM8) if
>there is some way of knowing which object in FM to control.

Version 5.5 of FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers is compatible with
FrameMaker 8.0.

The difficulty with respect to 3D models was that FM8.0 processed 3D
models only when the "Save as PDF" function was used.
In the original release of FM8.0, the "Save as PDF" function called
Distiller 8.1 without the -F flag needed to read/write external files,
and hence TimeSavers/Assistants could not be used with "Save as PDF"
+ FM8.0 + Distiller 8.1 (printing to PS and distilling did work, but without
FM8 3D models).

Starting with FM8.0p266, Distiller is called with the -F flag, and therefore
the combination of FM8 + 3D + "Save As PDF"  + TimeSavers works is
functional.

The 3D Assistant (TimeSavers add-on), which previously supported the
inclusion of 3D models in FrameMaker 5.5-7.2 through hypertext markers,
was recently extended to add 3D interactivity controls to 3D models
added in FrameMaker 8.0 through File > Import > File.
As the models added in FrameMaker are not named in the PDF,
the 3D Assistant markers inserted in a specific page relate to first
model present on the page; if there are multiple models on the same
page, the markers can relate specifically to additional models by
their sequential number on that page.

A sample 3D-PDF produced from FM8.0 with additional controls
is available at http://www.microtype.com/showcase3DAsst.html


Shlomo Perets

MicroType, http://www.microtype.com * ToolbarPlus Express for FrameMaker
FrameMaker/Acrobat training & consulting * FrameMaker-to-Acrobat 
TimeSavers/Assistants
FM-to-PDF Assistants: Navigation, Forms, Presentation, Multimedia & 3D