problem with VP8 and CorelDrawX4

I apologize for the duplicate post...I'm not sure where to post this because it involves both VP8 and CDX4.

I have a book that I am working on in Ventura Publisher 8...with all the updates, on Windows XP.  It is an older book that I am scanning and recognizing for my guild. It has a chapter that includes several (6?) full page tables in rotated position. I scan the table into draw and re-create the table on another layer so that any odd kerning and placement of numbers, etc., can be duplicated. Then I delete the bitmap layer and rotate the table into a "portrait" mode. Then I save the CDR in version 8 format.

It works great and the tables are near as perfect duplicates of the originals.

I did the first of these the other day and it imported into a somewhat oversized frame with no problems.

Today however, I finished another of these tables...identical in size and format but with several additional rows...and it will not import into an identical frame on the next page. I get an error message saying that Ventura cannot load the file. this despite the fact that the import window  (F8) shows the table in the preview pane.

Does anyone have any idea what is going on and how to work around it?

 

 

 

My first thought would be that CDX4 is not quite saving it accurately as CDR v 8. That said, there is an easy workaround assuming you are using a PostScript workflow: Export the table as EPS and import into V8 through the Encapsulated PostScript filter. Even if your final output device is not PostScript, you can always create a PDF out of V8 and print from there.

Thanks for the reply but this does not seem to work. I get the outlines of the table  but only at a reduced size and no text whatsoever. I have never had any luck getting an eps to display and size correctly in VP8....not even a single fraction, such as 3/4 (but as a vertical fraction) in text.

eweber:

My first thought would be that CDX4 is not quite saving it accurately as CDR v 8. That said, there is an easy workaround assuming you are using a PostScript workflow: Export the table as EPS and import into V8 through the Encapsulated PostScript filter. Even if your final output device is not PostScript, you can always create a PDF out of V8 and print from there.

 

PS...My final output is PDF, and that suggests a workaround (for me but not for VP8)--I can set up my VP8 page style in CDX4 and copy my table into the page and then print it directly to pdf. Then I can add it as a page in the final (pdf) document. But while it is a satisfactory workaround it begs the question of what is going on and why VP8 won't handle it.

I can't tell where the problem lies...in VP8 or CD14. CD14 has properly saved all other cdr's to version 8 format, including a previous table of the same size  but with less text and two less rows.

VP8, on the other hand, has easily imported that previous table and will import it again into the same, subsequent, frame that is currently rejecting the new table.

It seems like a CorelDraw problem but where? How? And Ventura "sees" the new table...as the preview indicates....so why won't it load/import the file?

Are you specifying the Encapsulated PostScript filter when importing? It sounds like you are using PostScript Interpreted instead. If you use the Encapsulated PostScript filter, all you will see is a low-res bitmap header in Ventura, but it should print to PDF perfectly.

If you do not specify a filter when importing an EPS file, Ventura guesses between the AI, Encapsulated PostScript, and PostScript Interpreted filters. The first one treats it like an Adobe illustrator file and tries to convert it to Ventura objects. The second just displays the low-res header in the EPS and dumps the file into the PS print stream (which is why it works). The third actually tries to interpret the PS code and convert it into Ventura objects -- and it's generally not that reliable. So, specifying the filter is very important when working with EPS files.

Also, when you export the EPS from Draw, make sure you specify that the header is a 72 dpi TIFF -- this will ensure that V8 sizes it correctly.

Finally, make sure you embed the EPS (so it won't try to guess the filter again next time you open the VP) or, if you need the file to be external, set up a special extension to force the import to always use the Encapsulated PostScript filter. We have this issue and rename our EPS files with an MPS extension to do this here. Here's the instructions to make that work if you decide to go that route (also includes a step to force import through the ANSI text filter using an ANS extension):

1. Open the Filters.ini file that Ventura uses in Notepad:
XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Application Data\Corel\Ventura10\Config\Filters.ini
Vista: C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Corel\Ventura10\ Config\Filters.ini
2. Find �[EPS]�
3. This is the section that covers Encapsulated PostScript import.
4. Locate the line in this section that says:
Extensions=*.EPS;*.DCS
and add �;*.MPS� to the end of it:
Extensions=*.EPS;*.DCS;*.MPS
5. Find �[VANSI]�
6. This is the section that covers ANSI Text import.
7. Locate the line in this section that says:
Extensions=*.TXT
and add �;*.ANS� to the end of it:
Extensions=*.TXT;*.ANS
8. Save and close the file.


Hope that all makes sense!

DWFII wrote:
> It seems like a CorelDraw problem but where? How? And Ventura "/*sees*/"
> the new table...as the preview indicates....so why won't it load/import
> the file?


Exactly. Have you tried saving as CMX 5 or 6 from Draw? This is actually the native format for Ventura graphic objects. It will load and print faster than a CDR.

Also, I just posted some additional notes on the EPS option.

Have faith -- there's definitely a way to get where you need to go! ;-)

[reposting since the quote marks got messed up on the last post]

1. Open the Filters.ini file that Ventura uses in Notepad:
XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Application Data\Corel\Ventura10\Config\Filters.ini
Vista: C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Corel\Ventura10\ Config\Filters.ini

2. Find "[EPS]"

3. This is the section that covers Encapsulated PostScript import.

4. Locate the line in this section that says:
Extensions=*.EPS;*.DCS
and add "*.MPS" to the end of it:
Extensions=*.EPS;*.DCS;*.MPS

5. Find "[VANSI]"

6. This is the section that covers ANSI Text import.

7. Locate the line in this section that says:
Extensions=*.TXT
and add "*.ANS" to the end of it:
Extensions=*.TXT;*.ANS

8. Save and close the file.

Eric,

Thank you for your time. We don't see much being posted here from Ventura users, but I believe that it is still the most powerful, flexible and easy to use DP app available. Especially for those of us who use CorelDraw. I have tried Scriptus and even Open Office but you're out of luck if you want to import a cdr into either of these.

I have the direct from CDX4 to pdf solution well in hand now so I don't feel so hemmed in and desperate. When I have time to play with the import eps setting i will and I will remember your advice in this regard.

The next thing I want to try however is to save my drawings as CMX...I haven't tried that...and see if they will work better or even as well as CDR's.  I

I wonder if CMX5 or 6 is the latest? I thought I had seen the option to save drawings in a later version. I assume CMX5 or 6 must be the last versions that VP8 will recognise.

DWFII wrote:
> I wonder if CMX5 or 6 is the latest? I thought I had seen the option to
> save drawings in a later version. I assume CMX5 or 6 must be the last
> versions that VP8 will recognise.


Your instincts are correct. CMX 5/6 is not the latest, but it is the latest that V8 recognizes, and it is the V8 graphic objects native format, V8 loves CMX. (If you save to a later version, the import often works, but you almost always get a warning.)

As for Ventura, most of us who still use it feel exactly as you do. People still seem astonished when I tell them what we are using and why. But after we start talking about the technical hurdles we need to manage, they begin to understand it a bit more. Most DTP programs are actually page layout programs. Ventura (and FrameMaker) are the only publishing programs.

If you are looking for more Ventura users, the Ventura newsgroups are a bit more active than this forum. You can find them here:

news://cnews.corel.com/corel.Ventura10
news://cnews.corel.com/corel.Ventura_older_versions


Oh, one more thing about using CDR/CMX files (from the FAQ):
____________________________________________________

When you have a graphic object with text in it (e.g., artistic text) or import a CDR/CMX file that has text in it, you must ensure that the fonts are installed on your machine when you print. You will not get a missing font warning when you open your publication. Instead, Panose font matching will automatically substitute another font without warning you when you print the page(s) that have graphic object or CDR/CMX files with missing fonts. If you look in Print|Miscellaneous|Info at the font list, it will list the substituted font, but give you no indication that it is a substitute.

In highly controlled workflows, where you can ensure that all necessary fonts are installed on all machines, this may not be a problem (e.g., a workgroup consisting of one or two people working closely together). However, in larger workgroups, it may be difficult to ensure that all fonts are installed. In this case, one possible way to avoid this issue with imported CDR/CMX files is to export the CDR/CMX as an EPS file with the fonts embedded and import that into V8. This guarantees that the fonts will be there when printed.
____________________________________________________

Eric,

Just thought I'd let you know...I tried the cmx format and voila! it worked like a charm. Funny thing I remember reading something to the effect that Ventura liked the cmx format some time ago--on the Ventura newsgroup (of all places :^D)--but since I never had a problem with cdr's previously I never thought to use it.

Thank you for that advice. I will convert all my cdr's to cmx before importing them into Ventura from now on.

That's part of what I love about Ventura. In spite of its quirks and bugs, there's almost always a way to get what you need done without too much pain.

Glad I could help!

The only thing I don't like about Ventura (and maybe this changed in v.10) is a lack of a clear and accurate resolution of illustrations and photos.

Computers are so powerful now, I don't know why...even with large pubs...that when I import a cdr or cmx I have to convert that page to pdf to be sure that it is going to print and display correctly. I have had occasion to note that using four different pdf interpreters, some elements of an illustration (particulartly technical illustrations) don't convert accurately. For instance, fractions...even those created with Equation Editor, will be unbalanced and different from what they look like in EE, when printed or converted to pdf. I've taken to creating fraction (especially for use in tables) in Coreldraw just because I can adjust the thickness of the denominator bar (?), as well as the alignment (critical, in some cases) of the nominator and denominator,  in CDX4 simply because I've never found an easy way to do that in EE and not at all in VP8.

An accurate, WYSIWYG display...perhaps one you could turn on or off...would be an absolute delight.

If it looks good in CorelDraw (going all the way back to v.9) it should be able to look just as good in Ventura...dang it! :)

DWFII wrote:
> The only thing I don't like about Ventura (and maybe this changed in
> v.10) is a lack of a clear and accurate resolution of illustrations and
> photos.

This goes back to Ventura's underlying paradigm -- that you import graphics through filters. Ventura maintains them in their native format, but uses filters to convert them into PS when printing. What's usually displayed in Ventura is a bitmap representation of the graphics. You can make these more or less accurate by tweaking the Publication Properties|Picture Defaults. You can also do this on a picture-by-picture basis under the Picture Properties.

If you bump up these settings you will see a closer representation. What you sacrifice is file size (since the bitmap representations are stored in the VP file) and loading speed. It won't ever be quite WYSIWYG, but it would be closer.

As for equations, you can adjust the thickness of the fraction bar on the spacing tab of the EE -- this works for horizontal fraction bars, but I don't think you can change it for slash fractions since the slash is a font character. And you can move most elements of an equation by selecting the element in the EE and then using Ctrl+arrow keys -- that's a trick most people don't know about.

eweber:

As for equations, you can adjust the thickness of the fraction bar on the spacing tab of the EE -- this works for horizontal fraction bars, but I don't think you can change it for slash fractions since the slash is a font character. And you can move most elements of an equation by selecting the element in the EE and then using Ctrl+arrow keys -- that's a trick most people don't know about.

I have adjusted the thickness  and the spacing of the fraction elements til I'm blue in the face and didn't see much effect.  Of course, I'm using reduced horizontal fractions and there may be a limit or maybe even a step I'm missing.

Just as I never knew you could adjust the or move the elements of the fraction with Ctrl+arrow keys!! That's worth the price of admission right there! Thank you! Thank you!

ChrisNon wrote:
> � = what does it mean?


It was supposed to be a quote mark, but didn't convert correctly -- I corrected it in my reply to my post.

BTW, are you aware your message contained thousands of spam links visible only when replying?