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I encountered an interesting facet of TMG recently and am curious if this is working as intended.

 

I "printed" a journal report to a Word file in an empty folder. I had selected the exhibit option to copy the external images to the destination folder. I found that the links in the Word file were not pointed to the image files copied, but at the original locations. I sent the report and it's associated (copied) images to another person by simply zipping up that folder and sending the resulting zip file. The recipient reported that the images were there but were not linked from the document. Checking, I found that was the case; even the Word Edit - Links menu item was greyed out. In order to transfer the report with properly linked images I wound up copying all (original) images to that folder, using the TMG utility to change the links to them in TMG, running the report, then deleting all the images except those needed for the report. Of course I then had to run the utility again to restore things as they were originally.

 

It seems to me that the links in the report, when the option to copy the images is chosen, should point to those copied image files, not the original ones.

 

Dick

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No, but the edit links thing.

 

Dick.

 

I should have said that when I tried that the links item in the menu was greyed out. Just tried to tools - options- print - update links and it didn't do anything.

 

Dick

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I should have said that when I tried that the links item in the menu was greyed out.  Just tried to tools - options- print - update links and it didn't do anything.

 

Dick

Dick-

I have a hazy memory of getting Word to display several (associated) Photo Editors a few months ago, but cannot do so right now while experimenting directly in Word..... Tools>Options>Edit ??

 

One of those editors may have been the internal TMG editor.

 

Is it possible that the Word Photo Editor - or the TMG editor, if it is called into play in Word by the TMG export - is not recognizing the specific jpg format of your pictures ??

John

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Dick-

I have a hazy memory of getting Word to display several (associated) Photo Editors a few months ago, but cannot do so right now while experimenting directly in Word..... Tools>Options>Edit ??

 

One of those editors may have been the internal TMG editor.

 

Is it possible that the Word Photo Editor - or the TMG editor, if it is called into play in Word by the TMG export - is not recognizing the specific jpg format of your pictures ??

John

 

Here's something to try to show what I've seen:

 

First, print a WORD report to a bare directory, having selected the "copy images" option.

 

Second, temporarily change the name of your regular image directory.

 

Open the WORD file and see if you can get any images displayed, using the edit - links - update now. I don't.

 

Now rename your image file back to what it was.

 

Now update the links using the edit - links - update now. I do.

 

I think it's clear that the links embedded in the word file are to the images in the original image directory, not to those images that were copied. I would expect the opposite.

 

Dick

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Here's something to try to show what I've seen:

 

First, print a WORD report to a bare directory, having selected the "copy images" option.

 

Second, temporarily change the name of your regular image directory.

 

Open the WORD file and see if you can get any images displayed, using the edit - links - update now.  I don't.

 

Now rename your image file back to what it was.

 

Now update the links using the edit - links - update now.  I do.

 

I think it's clear that the links embedded in the word file are to the images in the original image directory, not to those images that were copied.  I would expect the opposite.

 

Dick

Dick-

I made the mistake of downloading the Adobe Album "Starter Edition" and it took over my photo editor file associations, so I will have to try your suggestion a little later.

 

As for now, the Word pulldown menu containing application associations that I vaguely remembered was under Insert>Reference>Caption>Auto Reference. Different problem, perhaps, but have a look anyway.

 

I did reinstall Word 2002 and was given the option of installing a different MS photo editor in addition to the Word photo editor, but no 3rd party apps. FWIW, I do not recommend the freebie Adobe Album available in conjunction with Adobe Reader 7.0 downloads, except for the cute little wall calendar thumbnail feature.

John

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Here's something to try to show what I've seen:

 

First, print a WORD report to a bare directory, having selected the "copy images" option.

 

Second, temporarily change the name of your regular image directory.

 

Open the WORD file and see if you can get any images displayed, using the edit - links - update now.  I don't.

 

Now rename your image file back to what it was.

 

Now update the links using the edit - links - update now.  I do.

 

I think it's clear that the links embedded in the word file are to the images in the original image directory, not to those images that were copied.  I would expect the opposite.

 

Dick

Dick-

This is all above my paygrade, but the picture files (*.bmp in my two image test) are correctly copied -not linked -to the "New2meTMG" test folder created just for this experiment. The Word 2000 *.doc file of the Journal Report is also in this "New2meTMG' folder.

 

One of these bmps was a very small TMG original; the other was a very large scanned bmp I had created. There was a marked size differene in Word.

 

I did go back after generating the doc file4 and rename and or redirect the original image files in both the TMG directory of origin, and in my existing "test" files in My Documents, where they also showed up from previous experiments. (No I am not talking abut the temp thumbnails created by TMG).

 

I did choose Embedding option, not Endnote/footnote in Journal Report to enable the image copying function in TMG. I did hold down the shift key in the Word linking process (per pop-up note) to link and embed ALL exhibits.

Good luck,

John

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Dick-

It was by chance that the images I used for test were bitmap, and not jpeg. It may be that your favorite jpg photo editor is creating files (progressive jpg, etc) that the basic MS Office Photo Editor cannot handle, once the original link to that editor is broken....

 

TMG also has had problems recognizing and opening some jpgs with its basic developer photo editor, although it may copy the links through to Gedcoms and reports.

 

There are also reports of MS Office 2003 upgrades uninstalling the basic MS editor from previous MS Office versions, perhaps to let you use the editor of your choice, but leaving Access with no associated editor at all.

 

My experiments were with Word 2002 from a basic Works 2005 suite. As previously reported, I was able to install two versions of MS photo editing software, but none of other brands in my quick reinstall of Word 2002.

John

 

http://www.ammara.com/articles/accesspictureole.html#S1

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...125120121120120

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Dick-

It was by chance that the images I used for test were bitmap, and not jpeg. It may be that your favorite jpg photo editor is creating files (progressive jpg, etc) that the basic MS Office Photo Editor cannot handle, once the original link to that editor is broken.... 

 

TMG also has had problems recognizing and opening some jpgs with its basic developer photo editor, although it may copy the links through to Gedcoms and reports. 

 

There are also reports of MS Office 2003 upgrades uninstalling the basic MS editor from previous MS Office versions, perhaps to let you use the editor of your choice, but leaving Access with no associated editor at all.

 

My experiments were with Word 2002 from a basic Works 2005 suite. As previously reported, I was able to install two versions of MS photo editing software, but none of other brands in my quick reinstall of Word 2002.

John

 

http://www.ammara.com/articles/accesspictureole.html#S1

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...125120121120120

 

 

It's not clear to me whether or not you followed the procedure I posted yesterday at ABOUT 2PM. The key is the changing of the original image directory so links to there won't work and hence won't hide the issue.

 

Word works fine with my images normally. My basic problem is that Open Office Write does not, and getting help from the expert there requires me to have the links in the sample word file point to images in the same directory as the word file (he's using Linux). I was expecting TMG to do that when I opted for the copying of the images to the same directory that the word file is written to.

 

Dick

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It's not clear to me whether or not you followed the procedure I posted yesterday at ABOUT 2PM. The key is the changing of the original image directory so links to there won't work and hence won't hide the issue.

 

Word works fine with my images normally.  My basic problem is that Open Office Write does not, and getting help from the expert there requires me to have the links in the sample word file point to images in the same directory as the word file (he's using Linux). I was expecting TMG to do that when I opted for the copying of the images to the same directory that the word file is written to.

 

Dick

Dick-

Sorry, I must have missed the part about OOo Write on Linux!

 

But have you verified that the photo editor used in that application (OOo Write) on that platform (Linux) is capable of recognizing and opening picture files in the flavor of jpegs you are sending, whether or not TMG is involved? In other words, are you sending plain, vanilla jpegs?

John

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It's not clear to me whether or not you followed the procedure I posted yesterday at ABOUT 2PM. The key is the changing of the original image directory so links to there won't work and hence won't hide the issue.

 

Word works fine with my images normally.  My basic problem is that Open Office Write does not, and getting help from the expert there requires me to have the links in the sample word file point to images in the same directory as the word file (he's using Linux). I was expecting TMG to do that when I opted for the copying of the images to the same directory that the word file is written to.

 

Dick

Dick-

OOo Help is very verbose on the subject of "Relative and Absolute" links.

John

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(snip). . . .

I think it's clear that the links embedded in the word file are to the images in the original image directory, not to those images that were copied.  I would expect the opposite.

Dick

Hi Dick-

First, let me thank you for being the person who showed me how to right click and find Windows path properties on the UFT forum nine years or so ago.<g>.

 

But -- it would appear that links included in TMG (for MS Dos, etc) Journal Report files exported in RTF format do indeed point to the new directory into which the RTF file and linked images are copied. This is so whether or not "Reference full path names" is selected as a sub option under "Images:Embedded" under the Exhibits Tab.

 

Sample:

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "c:\\\\documents and settings\\\\john\\\\my documents\\\\crapola\\\\new3me tmg folder\\\\img_0009.jpg"

 

But it seems that Unix\ / Linux file structure may not include the MSDos "C" drive reference in its absolute links, and may also lean the slashes in the opposite direction.

 

Therefore, unless you are willing to go into an RTF file and clean up the Links for your friend using Open Office Writer on Linux, it may be easier for him to accomplish this using the features in Open Office. I cannot see that TMG is in error on this.

(HTML anyone?)

Regards,

John

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I encountered an interesting facet of TMG recently and am curious if this is working as intended.

 

[snip]

I sent the report and it's associated (copied) images to another person by simply zipping up that folder and sending the resulting zip file. The recipient reported that the images were there but were not linked from the document.

[snip]

 

This is not "exactly" and answer to your problem... but what I do when I want to share a report with images is ...

create it in Word...

from there I mess with the images and resized many manually (since there is no option for TMG to do this)

once I get it all "ready for the presses.." I click on print to a PDF document.

that creates something you can send and not have to worry about messing with sending separate photo files at all!

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....But have you verified that the photo editor used in that application (OOo Write) on that platform (Linux) is capable of recognizing and opening picture files in the flavor of jpegs you are sending, whether or not TMG is involved? In other words, are you sending plain, vanilla jpegs?

John

 

Not having Linux myself, I have not. However, the Linux user I'm in contact with is quite expert, and I'm quite confident that he has tested this.

 

Regardless of this, I believe the procedure I outlined some time ago - the one involving temporarily changing the name of the folder (directory) containing the original graphics - clearly identifies what I consider a problem. Have you yet tried that?

 

Dick

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This is not "exactly" and answer to your problem... but what I do when I want to share a report with images is ...

create it in Word... 

from there I mess with the images and resized many manually (since there is no option for TMG to do this)

once I get it all "ready for the presses.." I click on print to a PDF document.

that creates something you can send and not have to worry about messing with sending separate photo files at all!

 

You're right - not ny problem, which is to provide to the other person copies of the original word and graphics files so he can examine the problems involved with Open Office Writer opens the file(s).

 

To clarify to others reading this thread, note that I can indeed open them with open Office on my Windows machine, and that there too the graphics are taken from the original (and not the copied) graphics. The reason I'm involved with this is that the dimensions of the graphics in that case are not correct - they've all been squeezed into square frames, and need manual manipulation ("restore to original size") to get them right. The fellow with the Linux machine is trying to help me with an Open Office macro to reduce the number of manual steps i have to go through.

 

Also, I wonder about the logic in copying the graphics (with the TMG option to do so set) if the links are not to the copied versions.

 

Dick

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Dick-

I have to wonder if we are both exporting TMG Journal Reports with the same exact Options selected. The sample images that I exported originated from different directories, and consisted of png, jpg and bmps. To the best of my abilities, I disconnected them their orignal location, whether under TMG Program files or My Documents. My method necessarily differed slightly from yours.

 

Although I am did not even look at the compressed and perhaps encrypted Word Doc file exports from TMG, I did peek into one or two RTF files as TXT and saw correct linkage to the newly created folder. I also observed that the file size of the copied images in that folder was identical to the originals.

 

I will have another look at this for all TMG Report options, as I should have done originally to see if there is at least one mode that operates as you describe on my computer. Frankly, I do not understand what "embedded" is supposed to mean in the Report Options, anyway. Perhaps it means "Copied to a new Folder".

 

And yes, the image aspect ratio is off for pictures linked from OpenOffice Writer 2.0 on my Win XP SP2 machine, too..

Regards,

John

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Dick-

I have to wonder if we are both exporting TMG Journal Reports with the same exact Options selected. <snip>

 

Although I am did not even look at the compressed and perhaps encrypted Word Doc file exports from TMG, I did peek into one  or two RTF files as TXT and saw correct linkage to the newly created folder. I also observed that the file size of the copied images in that folder was identical to the originals.

 

I will have another look at this for all TMG Report options, as I should have done originally to see if there is at least one mode that operates as you describe on my computer. Frankly, I do not understand what "embedded" is supposed to mean in the Report Options, anyway. Perhaps it means "Copied to a new Folder".

 

And yes, the image aspect ratio is off for pictures linked from OpenOffice Writer 2.0 on my Win XP SP2 machine, too..

Regards,

John

I have to wonder if we are both exporting TMG Journal Reports with the same exact Options selected.

The options under "Exhibits" that I have selected are Embedded, Include external images, Copy to desination folder, Reference full path names, Center person images, with caption, Include Event exhibits.

 

Although I am did not even look at the compressed and perhaps encrypted Word Doc file exports from TMG, I did peek into one  or two RTF files as TXT and saw correct linkage to the newly created folder.

Interesting! But lease try opening the WORD doc with the directories disconnected (by renaming is what i did) and see what results you get.

 

 

Frankly, I do not understand what "embedded" is supposed to mean in the Report Options, anyway. Perhaps it means "Copied to a new Folder".

 

What it means is that the illustrations would appear "in line" with the associated text, rather than somewhere else. Surprisingly, the help screen associated with the exhibits tab in the report options window doesn't address this aspect. [Wholly Genes please note] I always use "embedded" so I really don't know what would occur if I didn't. "Linked" would make no sense in a printed report. Perhaps it means at the end of the report.

 

Is no one else reading this thread? Terry? Jim? Lee? I would value your opinions.

 

Dick

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Dick-

Well, it is possible to crash both MSWord 2002 and OpenOffice Writer 2.0 with these experiments. Word does seem to get a little flakier - flakier perhaps than OOo - when exhibit linking to original source paths is exported from TMG.

 

Word seems to default to clipping images with large pixel counts at the paper width, minus margin settings (8.5in -0.5 in -0.5 in = 7.5 in. in width). Word maintains the picture aspect ratio.

 

OOo Writer seems to default to square images of approximately 1.58 inch square size and does not initially display the correct aspect ratio unless the original was square. OOo expands thumbnails and shrinks large pixel count images to obtain this default 1.58 in. square size.

 

If OOo is in control of the file, and not in "read only" mode because the file is also open in Word, a couple of mouse clicks on EACH and EVERY individual image will fix the aspect ratio, and perhaps the size. I found no global override yet.

 

And, yes, Dick I did experiment with breaking paths by renaming folders containing "some" of the source graphics files. Results were predictably unpredictable. i.e. Maybe you get a link in Word right off the bat; maybe you don't. Doesn't matter if the link is broken or not if you select "footnote" export, it seems flaky.

 

It became apparent that TMG may try to save your bacon by maintaining a thumbnail image of the former external link until thumbnails are regenerated. This could cause a little confusion, however well meaning the procedure - but TMG does warn immediately that external exhibit links are broken.

 

In my limited experiments, it seemed that TMG was exporting more or less as advertised. However, at this point, I would be reluctant to blame either TMG or OOo Writer for linking experiments that do not go exactly as as perceived in MS Word on the Win XP platform.

Over and out,

John

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Dick-

[snip]

OOo Writer seems to default to square images of approximately 1.58 inch square size and does not initially display the correct aspect ratio unless the original was square. OOo expands thumbnails and shrinks large pixel count images to obtain this default 1.58 in. square size. 

 

If OOo is in control of the file, and not in "read only" mode because the file is also open in Word, a couple of mouse clicks on EACH and EVERY individual image will fix the aspect ratio, and perhaps the size. I found no global override yet.

[snip]

This is precisely the problem I want to solve; a macro that finds and changes the properties of all graphics in OOo would be the solution. Of course the reason I want to use OOo is that Word won't handle the large number of endnotes that my report contains, while OOo does.

 

If we can get OOo to properly handle TMG reports with a large number of endnotes where WORD fails it would be a boon to the TMG community.

 

Dick

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This is precisely the problem I want to solve; a macro that finds and changes the properties of all graphics in OOo would be the solution. Of course the reason I want to use OOo is that Word won't handle the large number of endnotes that my report contains, while OOo does.

 

If we can get OOo to properly handle TMG reports with a large number of endnotes where WORD fails it would be a boon to the TMG community.

 

Dick

http://genforum.genealogy.com/uft/messages/11031.html

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This is precisely the problem I want to solve; a macro that finds and changes the properties of all graphics in OOo would be the solution. Of course the reason I want to use OOo is that Word won't handle the large number of endnotes that my report contains, while OOo does.

 

If we can get OOo to properly handle TMG reports with a large number of endnotes where WORD fails it would be a boon to the TMG community.

 

Dick

Dick-

Sorry, but all I noticed was "boon to the TMG community" when I came in last night, so I posted a link to the "problems" of a UFT user who is trying to add three more "Event" images to his 10,000 page report which already has numerous photo links working fine in Word. He could use some old-timer help.

 

As to the Macro you desire, if you send an RTF file to your Linux OOo Writer user, he should be able to open that RTF file as a text file and use find/replace to change all the links to the root directory in one operation. I say "should" because the last time I tried to open an RTF file as text in OOo, I gave up and reverted to Word.

John

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As to the Macro you desire, if you send an RTF file to your Linux OOo Writer user, he should be able to open that RTF file as a text file and use find/replace to change all the links to the root directory in one operation. [snip]

John

 

I sent him the original WORD file. He could open and then look at the OOo RTF. But he said he needed an image linked in the WORD file to develop and test the macro. That's what I've been trying to do and the lack of proper links (to the copied graphics) has prevented from doing that.

 

I've just about given up on OOo too; testing the idea of going to WORD with unique footnotes, which it will handle.

 

Dick

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I sent him the original WORD file.  He could open and then look at the OOo RTF.  But he said he needed an image linked in the WORD file to develop and test the macro. That's what I've been trying to do and the lack of proper links (to the copied graphics) has prevented from doing that.

 

I've just about given up on OOo too; testing the idea of going to WORD with unique footnotes, which it will handle.

 

Dick

Dick-

Open Office Writer 1.1.2 had a "feature" of filtering all imported fonts to see if it deemed their use legal. This resulted in documents opening properly at first, but after any Save operation there could be font errors, particularly in footnotes and superscripts. This "filter feature" was supposedly 'fixed" in version 2.0 for doc files. Seems to be OK with Word 2000 exports from TMG, but not with RTF exports Same old font problem, I now see. (Same thing showed up with UFT Journal Exports in RTF).

 

So RTF is not a viable option with Open Office Writer at this time on any platform, with or without photo linkage. (But I cannot link the photos in OOo RTF either). It may be that RTF is the preferred export for MSWord for long files, but Word 2000 doc is the preferred export for Open Office on Win XP??

 

**Disclaimer. I was never able to successfully uninstall OOo versions 1.1.2 and 1.1.4 from my computer, so there may be some cross-talk in the RTF file filtering unique to my XP computer. Dunno, but anything is possible.

 

Oh yes, OOo opens RTF files with *.txt extension (as text) just fine from the internal pulldown menu.

 

On the Win XP platform, it is possible to modify graphic file link paths to different folders from within Open Office Writer. Absolute number of characters in the path may not be an issue within reasonable limits, although it might be advisable to limit to 31 characters or less in any event for CD burning compatibility.

 

Enough already,

John

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Enough already,

John

OK. I've got to take one more shot at this. After a couple of install/uninstall cycles, I got OOo versions 1.1.2 and 1.1.4 off my computer. Then came a "repair" reinstall of OOo 2.0 for good measure. Then I revisitied a TMG Sample database Journal export in RTF one more time.

 

Aha.

 

The seemingl random font size changes in footnotes/endnotes, and perhaps superscripts, may only occur in citations using a style at least partially including italics. This seems very difficult to correct in Open Office Writer, but if the user can get by without italics in his master sources in TMG, perhaps OOo could almost be declared ready for prime time.. Perhaps some users will even like the number sizing variation in RTF.

 

On the OOo forums I visited today, some complained of the method of manipulating photo sizes in OOo vs. the method used in the Microsoft photo editor in Word, but it seems to do the job.

 

As to the question of transporting TMG Journal Reports cross platform to Linux, with pictures linked to who knows what or where, which was the intended basis for the start of this thread - perhaps that can wait for another day.

 

I certainly would not have even responded if the original header had mentioned Linux, of which I still know nothing, but it was quite a trip anyway. Thanks Dick.

John

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