Glitches Windows Metafiles (importing Visio files)

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Hi, I imported some Windows Metafiles (.wmf) images and embedded them. When I generate the PDF files they come out fine. However when I relocate the source InDesign file, when I reexport the PDF file, the images turn out rasterized. I embedded these files so relocating the source file should not be an issue.

Anyone else run into this problem? Or have any solutions? Better yet, does anyone have a better solution to importing in Microsoft Visio (2003) files?

Thanks guys!

Version: InDesign CS 3.0
Platform: Windows

Daniel Choe
***@readyatdawn.com

[R***@adobeforums.com]

Never use WMF in a postscript workflow. Bring those Visio files into
Illustrator or Corel Draw. Save as AI or EPS and place that.

Bob

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I'll try doing that. Thanks for the tip.

May I ask what's the problem with using WMF files?

[John Mensinger]

Daniel, while I'm not well-versed in all the inner technical nuances of the format, AFAIK, the entire "metafile" thing is/was Microsoft's attempt to create a universal graphics format for it's "Office" -level products. The format supports vector, raster, and mixed data, works well outside of the Postscript world, and can sometimes be made to work within a Postscript workflow...the operative word being SOMETIMES. Best to stay away from it if at all possible.

[R***@adobeforums.com]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Bob

[o***@adobeforums.com]

My solution to getting Visio files into InDesign is pretty long winded, but the results are the best I've yet managed to achieve.

Assuming you've got Acrobat, create a PDF file from the Visio diagram - you can distill it, or create it straight from a toolbar button (I'm using Visio XP and Acrobat Pro 6)

Take that PDF file and load it into Illustrator. You might want to rotate group of objects and possibly resize the group too. I then save the file as a AI file. (I'm using Illustrator 10)

Then, in InDesign, I create a new frame and place the AI file into it and do all the normal things with frame size, text wrap etc. (I'm using InDesign 2).

The only problem I had was with some TrueType fonts which seemed to get rasterised along the way. Luckily, I had PostScript versions of these too, so I removed the TT ones and installed the PS ones and all was well, though I expect I could have resolved this with some changes to the PDF creation options.

I think the above is all too much really. Ideally, InDesign should be able to import Visio files as it's a great diagramming package and is really good for business diagrams which might take ages in Illustrator. That's not to say Illustrator's not good too, but it's strengths are elsewhere.