#Faulty WMF import
13 messages in this thread
Bill –
This is a followup on a question which has (surprise! <g>) scrolled off. The
question was asked of Kelly, but I remember MikeD dealing with a similar
problem a while back. I have a copy of MapExpert 2.0 from DeLorme Mapping in
Freeport, Maine which exports files in WMF and BMP formats. Neither Draw 3.0b
or 4.0b+engine imports the WMF properly. Pagemaker 4.0 and 5.0, WPWin and
WinWord do.
Draw 4 imports the files with all letters in a text string piled on top of one
another. Using ^T or the rollup, changing the face from normal to bold or any
other available face spreads the string out – sometimes properly, sometimes
with incorrect intercharacter spacing. However, even after correcting in this
manner, the orientation is wrong.
The ends of streets and roads (created by drawing a wide black line with a
thinner white line directly on top) are nicely rounded everywhere except in
Draw. There, they simply have rectangular line caps and appear open-ended – no
matter what you do to change the defaults before importing.
Before you ask – no, the clipboard works no better. Obviously, the filter
could use a little fine-tuning. I think you're already aware of this, but I'd
be happy to send samples if you want. It'd make some of us REAL happy if you
tell us a new filter's in the works!
Jerry
Jerry,
>> I think you're already aware of this, but I'd be happy to send samples if
you want.<<
Please do. I would need to see some samples so that our filter experts can
examine them.
The fact that the clipboard doesn't work really bothers me, since this does not
rely on our filters.
Anyway, we will be expecting some samples.
Regards
Bill
Bill –
>> Anyway, we will be expecting some samples. <<
You got 'em! Thanks for the prompt reply.
Jerry
Bill, I have no idea what's happening, but after reading the first account
of this I tried it with Map Expert 2.0 and, sure enough, it happens every time.
Jack,
>>sure enough, it happens every time.<<
Thanks for the confirmation. The fact that the clipboard doesn't work either
really bothers me.
I'm waiting for Jerry to send me some samples.
We'll get right on it.
Regards
Bill
Bill –
>> I'm waiting for Jerry to send me some samples. <<
You posted the above at 9:23 this morning. I sent the samples last night via
MAIL. Does this mean you didn't get them, or am I chasing my tail because of
our off-line readers (not that I need an excuse – I chase my tail all the time
anyway <g>)?
Jerry
Jerry,
I've recieved the files and will getour Filter guy right on it.
Regards
Bill
Bill,
I have also had problems with importing WMF files or clipboard images from a
scientific graphics program, Grafit. The y-axis labels are all piled on top of
each other below the graph together with all text and drawn objects. Import
into WinWord works perfectly. I have talked to the Grafit programmer, who
claims to have followed the Microsoft specs. Since his graphs import into
WinWord without problem I presume the problem should lie with CD. This problem
arises with both CD3.0 and CD4 (rev. B3).
I can send you a graph if you like.
Martin
I should intervene here (Hi Martin!).
As the author of the GraFit program that is being referred to, I am well aware
that the Corel WMF import filter leaves much to be desired. However, I am also
well aware that reporting the problem on this forum has no effect whatsoever.
Over the past year I have, on several different occasions, reported import
problems and sent sample metafiles that fail to import correctly into Draw, but
are dealt with correctly by (essentially) any other major package. Result?
nothing.
My current "favorite" concerns text placement, and, as I can't produce a
work-around for this particular one, I have (once again…) described it below.
Problem:
Some metafiles import into Draw with the text offset in the y direction by
about half the text height.
This effect can be easily demonstrated using images pasted from Micrografx
Designer 3.1 (using normal MS fonts) — just in case you don't believe me and
think that the problem is specific to less widely used products. Unfortunately
it also affects code that I have been associated with, as has been referred to
by Martin Reddington.
I can even point out what features make a metafile "misbehave" in this way.
The Draw import filter incorrectly positions the text baseline for metafiles in
which the SetWindowExt( hDC, x, y ) is called with negative y values while the
SetViewportExt( hDC, x, y ) has positive y values. If you pass this
information to your WMF filter programmers together with the simple metafile
that I have mailed separately, it will take them minutes to fix.
Robin Leatherbarrow
Robin –
FYI, I included a copy of your thread with MikeD concerning this problem in my
upload to Bill. Things were quite a bit more hectic back then, so I can
understand this subject carrying a somewhat lower priority at the time.
However, things have settled down some now – so I'm sure Bill will get us some
results. Bill is really, really good. Bill really, really cares. Bill walks
on water. Right, Bill? <G>
Jerry
>> Bill walks on water.
Wow, that's a neat trick if he can do it! Count me in when he starts passing
around the loaves and fishes <g>
Robin
Hi Robin,
Well, I'm glad the expert has waded in! Let's hope this gets fixed. It's really
reducing the usefulness of Corel Draw for making slides and figures for
publication.
Best regards,
Martin
Oops! Belatedly realised I didn't give you the name of the file. WMFPROB.EXE –
self-extracting zip.