Determining Path for Inserted Graphics

[Kim]

Hi all,

 

I'm trying to figure out easiest way to setup a job to insert graphics from a folder of images.

 

Is it possible to code a path reference in a non-absolute way?

I'd like to be able to keep it generic enough to use the same rule for different job folders without having to edit the path in the rule each time.

 

For instance, I know how to setup a rule with an absolute path, such as:

 

return CreateResource("/Volumes/Server_1/Job123/SETUP/Image Library/" + Field("Salesperson") + ".tif", "graphic", true)

 

but I want to know if there's a way of doing something like:

../SETUP/Image Library/

so I don't have to go in on all the rules and change the path for Job123 or Job456, etc.

 

I'm going to be doing a bunch of different jobs that will all reference the same image library. I realize I could just put the image library out at very top level of Server1 and use an absolute path, but I'd like to copy the image library into the top level of each main job so it will later get backed up with each main job. And I want to have subfolders within the main job so I can organize all the categories for each job and not have a whole bunch of files all in one folder.

 

Basically I'd have folders kinda like this:

 

Job123 Main Folder (which would have subfolders as follows):

>SETUP

>>Image Library

>>Job 1

>>Job 2

>>Job 3

 

Then another

Job456 Main Folder (which would have subfolders as follows):

>SETUP

>>Image Library

>>Job 1

>>Job 2

>>Job 3

 

I want to have different acrobat setup files in each job folder that reference and insert images from the Image Library. And each main job folder is then a self-contained group that can be moved off the server when a job is completed and the image library will be backed up with each main job.

 

Hope I explained that well enough for suggestions on best way to handle this.

 

thanks!

kim

[DSweet]

Kim,

 

I actually use this feature quite a lot. One of our clients is a trucking company with terminals all across the US and Canada. All of their templates pull images, logos and background graphics from the same folder and I really don't want to have to make sure that all 50 or so of their templates are updated with a new logo or graphic. I have one "corporate level" folder that contains all of the individual template folders for that company (postcards, doorhangers, business cards, flyers, mailers, etc...) along with a shared resource folder. When I program the individual template I put the path to this folder in the Search Path location of the Composition>Advanced tab section. In there I simply use the "unc path" denotation (or whatever this function is called) to show how many levels back I need to go.

 

"./resources" if the folder is at the same level as the template

"../resources" if I need to back up one level

"../../resources" if I need to back up two levels

"../../../resources" three levels.....and so on and so forth

 

Putting the path string in the Searth Path location also allows you to have paths included within the data item itself such as "../allgraphicfiles/fordlogo.tif" so your graphic rule can pull from multiple locations or even uploaded images from different server locations.

 

I've also found out from FP users and forum advisors that you can place multiple paths within the Search Path definition - just place a semi-colon between the path names such as "../resources;../../truckPhotos/January;./helpFiles"

 

Good Luck

[Kim]

Thanks a lot, David.

 

That's really helpful. I should have thought about the search path option.

But I had no idea about the multiple path capability so I'm glad I asked b/c that's very cool to know! I always seem to learn something from your replies on the forum (even when I'm not the one asking the question), so thanks for being here.

-kim

[mgalligar]

David,

 

Putting the path string in the Search Path location, is great for composing. But..

You can't preview your images in the template itself. Is there a way to do it so that you could preview the images? I have lots of images & many templates. Many images are used in several templates some are not. It would be nice to organize the images in to folders & let all my templates have access to them.

CLIENT A (folder)

....ClientA_Images(folder)

..............Doorhanger Images(subfolder)

..............Headshots(subfolder)

..............Logos(subfolder)

....ClientATemplate1(folder)

....ClientATemplate2(folder)

....ClientATemplate3(folder)

 

Right now, images for a template are in the folder with the template. That means lots of duplicate images. & difficulty remembering which templates need updating when an image gets updated.

The above method allows me to, organize & have one & only one version of each image. Update the image and each template will update itself the next time it is opened. I would still like to see the images in the template while I'm designing new ones or modifying old ones.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[Dan Korn]

Putting the path string in the Search Path location, is great for composing. But..

You can't preview your images in the template itself.

Of course you can. Just check the box on the Preview Record Selector palette.

I have lots of images & many templates. Many images are used in several templates some are not. It would be nice to organize the images in to folders & let all my templates have access to them.

CLIENT A (folder)

....ClientA_Images(folder)

..............Doorhanger Images(subfolder)

..............Headshots(subfolder)

..............Logos(subfolder)

....ClientATemplate1(folder)

....ClientATemplate2(folder)

....ClientATemplate3(folder)

 

Right now, images for a template are in the folder with the template. That means lots of duplicate images. & difficulty remembering which templates need updating when an image gets updated.

Yes, that's a great reason to use a shared graphic library. This is sometimes called Digital Asset Management.

The above method allows me to, organize & have one & only one version of each image. Update the image and each template will update itself the next time it is opened. I would still like to see the images in the template while I'm designing new ones or modifying old ones.

The template doesn't update itself - you have to update it. It might pick up different graphics on a different composition run, however.

I would still like to see the images in the template while I'm designing new ones or modifying old ones.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. It sounds like you're trying to have it both ways: On the one hand, you want to keep the graphics in a central repository because you don't want to have to update them in each individual template. On the other hand, you want to have some templates still use older graphics while others use newer ones.

 

Most customers with advanced Digital Asset Management needs like this use FusionPro Server, which allows you to programatically update the Serach Path in the CFG file at composition time. This way, you can have full control over which graphic libraries a composition uses, without having to modify the template at all. Most Web-to-Print systems, such as MarcomCentral, do this.

 

However, if you're in FP Desktop, you can accomplish something similar by reading a Search Path from an external file with ExternalDataFileEx, then using that path in all your CreateResource calls in JavaScript. This strategy requires more modifications to each template than the FP Server method, but it can be done.

[mgalligar]

Thanks Dan,

 

You're right I just had to refresh the page!