31.2.2.3 Converting EPS graphics
EPS can be a difficult format to work with. An EPS graphic has two parts: a PostScript image used only for printing, and a preview image (deliberately low resolution) intended only for viewing on screen:
![[spacer]](1p.gif){kind=small}
EPS graphics present problems for some programs; a lot depends on the format of the preview image.
§31.2.2.3.1 Deciding how to treat EPS graphics
§31.2.2.3.2 Including only the preview image
§31.2.2.3.3 Including both preview and EPS images
§31.2.2.3.4 Replacing EPS graphics
§31.2.2.3.5 Referencing EPS graphics in Word
31.2.2.3.1 Deciding how to treat EPS graphics
If EPS graphics are embedded in your FrameMaker document, by default Mif2Go exports the graphics to create external .eps files. You can run the conversion once to export the EPS graphics, convert the graphics to another format outside of Mif2Go, then run the conversion again, this time directing Mif2Go to use the already converted external files. In the final conversion output, Mif2Go can replace references to the EPS graphics with references to the matching files; see §31.2.2.3.4 Replacing EPS graphics.
Another alternative is to use the FrameMaker graphic export filters (see §31.2.5 Converting graphics with FrameMaker export filters). These filters do a terrible job because they start off with the low-quality preview and go downhill from there; the EPS preview is meant only for identification of the graphic, not for actual use.
Convert using third-party tool
For higher quality, you can use a third-party graphics tool (see §5.7.2.3 Using third-party graphics converters), and convert external EPS files (either referenced graphics or embedded graphics exported by Mif2Go from your document) to matching RTF- or HTML-compatible graphics:
However, most graphics tools convert only the preview image. To make a better rendering from the PostScript part, you need a converter that can interpret PostScript. You could use GhostScript, which is a free PostScript interpreter:
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/
with the free converter ImageMagick:
For print RTF, as an alternative you could set [Graphics]EpsiUsage=Retain (see §31.2.2.3.5 Referencing EPS graphics in Word), and keep the EPS files with the RTF output until Word loads the RTF file; then Word will import the EPS image itself. Unfortunately, this method does not preserve the FrameMaker scaling. Unless the original EPS file was imported into Frame Maker at 100% scale, you will have to change the size in Word after loading the RTF produced by Mif2Go. You will still see only the ugly preview on screen, but the graphic will print nicely—at least on a PostScript printer. For more information, see §31.6 Converting graphics with Microsoft Word filters.
31.2.2.3.2 Including only the preview image
If the graphic includes a preview facet Mif2Go understands, such as FrameImage or WMF, by default Mif2Go places that image in the converted file and discards the PostScript. If you are creating WinHelp or HTML, that can be adequate.
If you are converting to RTF you can direct Mif2Go to use the FrameImage, if one is present:
; UseFrameImage = No (default)
; or Yes (in preference to other formats)
31.2.2.3.3 Including both preview and EPS images
If you want a better rendition than the screen-resolution preview image, set the following option:
Options for EpsiUsage have the following effects on EPS graphics:
31.2.2.3.4 Replacing EPS graphics
For many kinds of output you will want to convert EPS graphics to another format. For example, for WinHelp the graphics must be in WMF or BMP format; for HTML, graphics should be JPEG, GIF, or PNG. For Word, you will have to convert EPS graphics if you want to be able to scale the images.
If the EPS graphics are embedded in your FrameMaker document, the default settings in section [GraphExport] make external .eps files from them; see §31.2.3 Exporting and converting embedded graphics.
1. Convert the .eps files to an appropriate format, using a third-party tool; see §31.2.2.3.1 Deciding how to treat EPS graphics.
2. Map the graphics to the new format.
3. Specify the location of the replacement files.
• For Word or WinHelp, set FilePaths=Retain if the new graphics are in the same directory as the .eps files, or FilePaths=None if you put them in the project directory:
See §31.3.2 Changing graphics files for RTF output.
• For HTML, if the new graphics are in the project directory:
Or, you can tell Mif2Go exactly where you put the new graphics:
GraphPath = relative/path/to/graphics/files
The path you specify for GraphPath should be relative to the wrap directory (see §35.3 Understanding path values for deliverables). This path will be used in HTML output, as the relative path from the HTML files to their referenced graphics. This option sets the src attribute of the <img> tags; it does not change the location of the graphics files themselves. See §23.3 Locating graphics files for HTML. To copy files to another location, see §35.7.1 Copying referenced graphics to a distribution directory.
31.2.2.3.5 Referencing EPS graphics in Word
If the lack of scaling is not an issue, you can let Word import an EPS graphic. The default [GraphExport] settings make the embedded file an external .eps, which is named in a Word INCLUDEPICTURE field (Word 8) or IMPORT field (Word 7) when you run Mif2Go. The result is that you see the TIFF preview in Word. If you print to a PostScript printer you see the real EPS; however, if you print to any other printer, you see only the TIFF preview.
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