PDFs as graphics and graphics out of SolidWorks

[Linda G. Gallagher]

Framers,

FM 7.0
Acrobat 6.0
Win XP

I appreciated all the help a couple of weeks ago on text insets and
scripting. Now I have new questions related to a new client that is using
SolidWorks CAD to create graphics for me to use in FM.

So far I've tried importing graphics saved from SolidWorks as .tif at 50 dpi
(was the default) and 600 dpi. Neither looked good after I created a PDF
from the FM file. I've asked him to save at 150 and 300 dpi, but don't have
those yet.

My client also sent me a PDF of the graphic. When I imported that into FM
and created a PDF, the graphic looked great, but it took 8 minutes to create
the .ps file of just the one page with the one graphic and the resulting .ps
file was more than 55 MB. I envision having lots of graphics in this
document, so I don't think the PDF format is going to work that well.

Here are my specific questions.

- Is it common when using PDF files for graphics for the writing to .ps
process to take so long and for the resulting .ps file to be so huge? 

- Anyone have experience getting graphics from SolidWorks? I'm told the
graphic formats it can produce are .tif, .PDF, .jpg, and .dwg.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

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Linda G. Gallagher
TechCom Plus, LLC
lindag at techcomplus dot com
www.techcomplus.com
303-450-9076 or 800-500-3144
User guides, online help, FrameMaker and
WebWorks ePublisher templates
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