MIF Output Option

**This option is no longer supported.**

XSL Formatter MIF Output Option works with AH Formatter and outputs MIF (Maker Interchange Format File).

MIF is a format to interchange information between Adobe FrameMaker® and other applications. MIF format keeps all of the FrameMaker® objects and properties. AH Formatter generates MIF file from the Area Tree that is the intermediate format of the formatting.

By outputting MIF files, you can edit the formatting result of AH Formatter using FrameMaker®8.

In FrameMaker®, text is stored in ParaLine. The AH Formatter MIF output has three kinds of ParaLine generation methods that can be specified at output. To determine the correct output setting consider the FrameMaker® task you wish to perform.

 

1. Text Area Output Mode

This mode generates ParaLine from the text area. The text area corresponds to the fo:inline in XSL-FO. This mode converts the closest to the formatting result of AH Formatter. Sometimes the different decorated successive inline areas are divided into multiple text frames in the MIF output, making it difficult to edit using FrameMaker with this mode.

 

2. Line Area Output Mode

This mode generates ParaLine from the line area. The line area corresponds to each line generated from fo:block in XSL-FO. This mode enables easier line editing than Text Area Output mode, but it lacks conversion accuracy.

3. Block Output Mode

This mode generates ParaLine from the block area. The block area corresponds to the fo:block in XSL-FO. Editing in FrameMaker® is easiest using this mode, but has the least accurate conversions of the three modes.

Comparisons of the three conversion modes in terms of layout reproduction and editing capabilities:

    • Layout Reproduction
      Limited– Block Output < Line Area Output < Text Area Output –Good
    • Editing Capabilities
      Limited– Text Area Output < Line Area Output < Block Output –Good
The following limitations exist in MIF output concerning XSL-FO elements and properties. These limitations concerning XSL also exist in CSS formatting.

Table

  • The conversion mode of text and images in a table cell is restricted to the Line Area Output mode within the table cell.
  • A complex table that includes both images and character strings within the same table cell or a nested table may not be reproduced correctly.
  • Due to the difference of character placement between AH Formatter and FrameMaker®, text overflow in a cell frame may occur.
  • Rotation of a table and cell is not supported.

Border

  • Border styles other than double are assumed solid.
  • The border thickness of a table cell is outputted by the value of Thin, Medium, Thick, and Very Thin registered in the Ruling Style Catalog by default.
  • When a border style is specified in detail with a complex table, the border might not be reproduced correctly.
  • Border assignment for fo:table is ignored.
  • Border-radius is not supported. The converted result is a square.
  • When border and color fill are specified for the text area other than the table cell, the rectangle of border and color fill might be generated besides the text area. In that case, border, color fill might not match the text when ParaLine etc. are changed while editing.

Graphics

  • Supported raster graphic formats are BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF and GIF. Supported vector graphic formats are WMF, EMF, EPS, SVG, CGM and PDF. Unsupported vector graphics include MathML.
  • JPEG2000 is converted into PNG and embedded.
  • Graphic files are embedded into MIF file.

Text

  • Due to the difference of character placement between AH Formatter and FrameMaker®, the ParaLine cannot hold all of the text. In this case, the user must enlarge the ParaLine by hand.
  • If letter-spacing is specified, the ParaLine is made by every character.
  • If text-align=”justify” is specified in FO and the text contains U+200B, results displayed may differ between AH Formatter and FrameMaker®.

Font

  • If non-existing fonts such as bold MS-Mincho are specified in XSL-FO, it results in a warning error when FrameMaker® reads the MIF file. FrameMaker® will automatically replace it with an alternative font.

Leader

  • Leader styles supported are double, dash, dotted, dot-dash, dot-dot-dash, dots, use-contents. Other styles are assumed solid.

Other

  • MIF output does not support links.
  • MIF output does not support printer marks.
  • MIF output does not support document information.
  • MIF output does not support annotation.
  • MIF output does not support ICC Color Profile.
  • MIF output does not support complex script language such as Hebrew, Arabic, Thai.
  • If a line has a line number (axf:line-number), the output mode is fixed as text area output mode.
  • If text and graphics exist in the same line, the output mode is fixed as Text Area Output mode.
  • XSL-FO can define multiple page size masters in one document, but it is not supported with FrameMaker®. MIF Output Option adopts the first used page master when outputting MIF file.
  • The vertical writing mode is not supported with FrameMaker, documents in vertical writing mode cannot be correctly converted.

 

AH Formatter V5.1 or later is required. System requirements depends on AH Formatter.

 

Pricing

TYPE OF LICENSE PRICE
AH Formatter MIF Output Option for Standalone $200
AH Formatter MIF Output Option for Server $2,000

 

Licensing

  • The license of AH Formatter V5.1 or later is required to use MIF Output Option.
  • After getting AH Formatter, a user can purchase MIF Output Option as an option.
  • AH Formatter MIF Output Option is designed to work with a product version of the AH Formatter. MIF Output Option cannot be used alone.
  • AH Formatter MIF Output Option can only be installed and used on a computer of the registered licensee.