FM Importing Figures from Database

[Nancy Allison]

Yes, Chris, you've got the question right.

As people have responded, I've refined my requirements:

--Preview images easily. It would be nice not to have to fire up PaintShopPro or another program every time.
--Version control. Prevent anyone storing a revised, updated image to the same filename as the older image. The older image may still be in use in older publications.
--Access control. Currently anyone can open any file, edit it, and save it, without any controls.
--Interact with FrameMaker. Ideally, be able to use "import by reference" as usual.
--Metadata. Enable us to store identifying information.
--Query function.

I think that's it.

The answers people have given are tremendous. I feel quite a bit overwhelmed with the learning curve. 

--Nancy

           
 
On Jan 27, 2010, Chris Despopoulos <despopoulos_chriss at yahoo.com> wrote: 

>>But I don't understand how a db and FM interact. Is it 
>>possible to
import a figure by reference into a FrameMaker 
>>file from a database?
Can you point to a db directory the 
>>way you would to a regular Windows
Explorer directory?

Unless I missed it, the answers I saw to this question don't seem to hit the specific question -- can you have a Maker document open, put the IP somewhere (or select an anchored frame), and import a graphic *by reference* from a database?  Especially important, I think, would be the notion that you don't have to launch the database and exercise the queries for each image every time you open the document.  Likewise, if you're planning on an intranet or internet database connection, you couldn't be in the position of transferring the image over the wire every time you open the document.