More trouble with WMFs (fail to import @ 1:1)

[Grafix Smelter]

Does anyone else have this problem?

I regularly export my metalwork drawings, (that my PCBs mount on), from VUTRAX in WMF format, ( to design the front labels), but they arrive in XaraX oversize.
The aspect ratio is intact so its only a simple matter of adjusting the numbers in the H & W boxes.
This might seem a trivial complaint, but it is another thing to forget in a busy working day.

Does the "insiders edition" solve it, and how do I get hold of it?

[Grafix Smelter]

Does anyone else have this problem?

I regularly export my metalwork drawings, (that my PCBs mount on), from VUTRAX in WMF format, ( to design the front labels), but they arrive in XaraX oversize.
The aspect ratio is intact so its only a simple matter of adjusting the numbers in the H & W boxes.
This might seem a trivial complaint, but it is another thing to forget in a busy working day.

Does the "insiders edition" solve it, and how do I get hold of it?

[gwpriester]

Never heard of the Insider's Edition

I have heard of the WebXealot on XaraXone but I do not think you'll find the answer there.

I wonder if the size difference is the old 72dpi Mac screen resolution vs 96 dpi Windows screen resolution thing?

And if this is the case, or even if it is not the case but you know the scaling factor, I recommend this:

Right click on the page and select Page Options. Next select the Scaling tab and then press Help to learn how to set a scaling factor.

When you have set the proper scaling factor as per the instructions, save this page (with nothing else on it) as a termplate and give it a name such as WMF Template or some similar name.

You can also set any other settings that you might use in this template such as ruler, units, etc. and save them in your template as well.

Then get in the habit of using the File > New... > (your template name) and importing your WMF files into that template.

Hope this works :-)

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


XaraXone

[alkolka]

Grafix Smelter,

You bet!

I'm in the middle of a technical documentation project that requires me to import WMF black and white line drawings created by who knows who, when, or with what. They are exploded parts drawings, schematics, block diagrams, mechanical drawings, etc.

In almost every case, the first thing I do is resize the whole drawing--it comes in as one group--to either 10% or 20% of its original size. Thank you Xara for making it a simple, single entry on the info bar and click of the mouse. Of course I have the "lock aspect ratio" button active. In my case the aspect ratio, and other object properties, are also always correct.

Last year I headed a project tasked to select a common illustration tool to be used by eleven publications departments scattered across the globe. At that point six different tools were being used. Part of the overall project was the creation of a common illustration repository. I reviewed Xara X, Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Visio as possible tools since they were already being used by at least one group. We quickly found that WMF was the single best common file format for our use (importing into Framemaker+SGML). During the investigation, I created identical illustrations using each program and output as WMF. Then the fun began! Mirroring your experience, I found that programs treated the "size" of each other's WMFs differently! The matrix of size translations between applications was fascinating. Not one error, but several. That suggests human interpretation or specification ignorance. We went forward with the project, and accepted the fact that older WMF objects and illustrations would need to be "edited" for size. A common illustration tool resolved the problem looking forward.

I wish Microsoft published the WMF format. If they do, maybe someone will point me to it. There may be a subtle reason causing this disagreement. Or, there may be a number of uninformed or lazy developers.

I feel for you. I've already edited over 1,000 WMF drawings in the last 4 months myself.

Al Kolka
alkolka@attbi.com

[Grafix Smelter]

Thanks for the tip Gary, only 44 minutes to reply, much appreciated.

In the thread "Trouble with importing .wmf" Jeff Aragon posted November 12, 2000 :-
.wmf
It works!!!
In the "insiders edition", it seems the problem
has been resolved.
Tears of joy!

So what does Jeff know that Gary doesn't?

[gwpriester]

There are many many things that Gary does not know [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


XaraXone

[IKraus]

At this point, all I can do is sympathize with Grafix & Al, as I've run afoul of the very same WFM & EFM idiosyncrasies. Sometimes the files are so huge, I can't even find the edges of them when zooming all the way out in Xara. Other times, I can't see them at all (really tiny). Often, I get import errors when trying to bring in stored clipart created by others. (Tip for last situation, try bringing into Xara as bitmap. May mean you have to recreate shapes, but at least it's there as a guide!)

I know I've seen this discussed in other threads when using EPS or AI export was suggested. It is really frustrating when you create something, and want to give it to someone as a real vector based file. In the experience I've had so far with clients, they don't know what to do with them either. On several occasions, I've had them insist on TIFs, JPGs, or even (yuck!) GIFs for items that are going to be printed on fairly high end machines. (CD labels & artwork for local record company for example.)

After talking it over with a lot of others that are doing pre-press kind of work, I bought the full version of Acrobat last year (v4) just so I could create press-ready documents. Now, I've found out that this version isn't WinXP 'certified,' so I HAVE to upgrade it! (Hate that!)

How do the rest of you doing pre-press work submit it? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]


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[Erik Heyninck]

PDF indeed comes in handy and at the printers' they use it a lot.

But if I were to buy PDF software, I'd go for Jaws from


www.jawssystems.com


I don't like the acrobat postscript driver's quality and although at first sight it can't match Acrobat, in fact it has much better better and sharper printer driver. And it's a lot cheaper.

But TIF's are also used.