Editing Visio files in FrameMaker 9

[Combs, Richard]

Julie Carlson wrote:
 
> Recently I was asked the following:
> 
> Once the Visio file is imported/embedded into FrameMaker 9 file can it
> be edited in FrameMaker 9.  (Visio files embedded into a FrameMaker
> document, can be edited in Visio) described).
> 
> I know that if an object is embedded or imported as a reference image
> you can double-click on it and the object will be opened in the program
> created where it can be edited and updated in FM9.

What you're thinking of is the case if you import the Visio file as an _object_. This uses Windows' Object Linking and Embedding (OLE2). Some people use this and swear by it; others swear at it. IME, it's more stable than the original OLE and OK for occasional use. But it seriously bloats the FM file, may cause instability if there are many OLE2 objects, and requires that Visio be installed on the PC on which the FM file is opened/edited. 
 
> I know that you can convert the Visio file to PDF, so possibly it can
> be edited in FM, this I do not know however.  Since I do not use Visio,
> I cannot confirm. Can someone assist further?

The workflow I recommend (I've used it for scores of Visio drawings per FM file) requires that the Visio user have Acrobat. Save the Visio file as PDF (a multi-drawing Visio file will become a multi-page PDF). In FM, import the PDF by reference (if it's a multi-page PDF, FM prompts you to select the page you want from a set of thumbnails). If you change the drawing, it takes just a couple of mouse-clicks to Save As PDF again, overwriting the previous version. FM sees that the imported-by-reference file has changed and automagically re-imports it, so you always see the latest version in your FM file. 

HTH!

Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
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rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-903-6372
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