MIF Enhancements for FrameMaker 5

MIF Enhancements in Visual Thought for FrameMaker 5

Introduction

An enhancement to Visual Thought's MIF (FrameMaker Interchange Format) generation capabilities now allows you to import by reference into FrameMaker 5.

Supported customers can obtain the plug-in translators that export the new MIF for FrameMaker 5 free of charge by sending email to info@confluent.com.

Details

Previously, MIF files generated by Visual Thought could only be imported in the copy into document mode because no anchored frame and no default text flow were defined.

Now, a default anchored frame and default text flow are defined, enabling import by reference. The characteristics of the anchored frame and text flow are completely configurable.

Importing by reference is useful because it makes the link between Visual Thought and FrameMaker closer; you need only re-export MIF from Visual Thought and refresh the FrameMaker window to update an image. Having to copy MIF into FrameMaker makes it more difficult to update; you need to copy the MIF back in each time you want to update.

How to Export MIF from Visual Thought

To export the old or new MIF formats, choose one of the following File Types from the Export dialog after choosing the File->Export... menu item:

Old Format: FrameMaker Interchange Format (mif)
New Format: FrameMaker (mif) [import by ref in FM5]

The old MIF format is still useful in certain cases. In particular, FrameMaker 4 cannot import MIF in the new format. Here is a summary of the differences between the two export formats.

Old Format

Can only copy into document. Any reference to the original MIF file is lost after it is copied into the FrameMaker document.
Can edit both text and graphics objects after import.
Objects are imported inside default anchored frames sized to fit the imported objects; no characteristics of the anchored frames (e.g., position, size) can be predefined.
Can be read by either FrameMaker 4 or 5.

New Format

Can import by reference as well as copy into document. If you import by reference the link between the original MIF file and your FrameMaker document is maintained.
If you import by reference you cannot edit the graphics objects after import. In general, this restriction is desirable because it maintains the correspondence between the image in your FrameMaker document and the original Visual Thought document.
Objects are imported into a new anchored frame whose attributes are completely configurable; this is useful when Visual Thought is used to create figures for documentation, since the anchored frame can be used to control the placement and sizing of the figures. For example, you can set a standard size, position, and alignment for the anchored frame for all your figures.
Can be read by FrameMaker 4 or 5, but can only be imported by reference using FrameMaker 5.

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