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Translator Help

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General Notes

MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

DOS File Errors

Common Questions and Answers


General Notes

Many new vector translators, developed by ImageMark Software Labs, Inc., are new and improved in Designer 4.1. The following notes list some of the differences.

Fonts

When exporting fonts that are not installed, fonts are mapped to the default font. This can be changed in the INI file for the specific translator.

Colors

Exports are limited to 256 colors. These are selected according to which colors are used the most, and then all entities exported are mapped to an exact color match or the nearest available color.

Importing Files with Layers

Designer 4.1 supports layers when importing. The following translators are the only ones that support layers: IGES, DRW, DXF, and DS4.

Two new MGX.INI settings (in the [Import] section) affect how symbols are treated on import. These settings are CenterSymbols and CollapseLayers. See the topic MGX.INI File Entries for details on these settings.

Translator-Specific INI Files

If an INI file for a specific ImageMark translator is missing, the translator does not work properly. Therefore, that translator is not listed in either the Import or Export dialog boxes.

Related Topics

MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

DOS File Errors

Common Questions and Answers


DOS File Errors

When exporting a file, Designer checks the destination drive to make sure it is not write-protected. MS-DOS returns error codes for specific DOS errors. Designer displays this code with the following message:

An unknown MS-DOS file error occurred: #x

Where x is one of the following error codes.

Value	Meaning

0x0001	Invalid function

0x0002	File not found

0x0003	Path not found

0x0004	Too many open files

0x0005	Access denied

0x0006	Invalid handle

0x0007	Arena trashed

0x0008	Not enough memory

0x0009	Invalid block

0x000A	Bad environment

0x000B	Bad format

0x000C	Invalid access

0x000D	Invalid data

0x000F	Invalid drive

0x0010	Current directory

0x0011	Not same device

0x0012	No more files

0x0013	Write protect error

0x0014	Bad unit

0x0015	Not ready

0x0016	Bad command

0x0017	CRC error

0x0018	Bad length

0x0019	Seek error

0x001A	Not MS-DOS disk

0x001B	Sector not found

0x001C	Out of paper

0x001D	Write fault

0x001E	Read fault

0x001F	General failure

0x0020	Sharing violation

0x0021	Lock violation

0x0022	Wrong disk

0x0023	File control block unavailable

0x0024	Sharing buffer exceeded

0x0032	Not supported

0x0033	Remote not listed

0x0034	Duplicate name

0x0035	Bad netpath

0x0036	Network busy

0x0037	Device does not exist

0x0038	Too many commands

0x0039	Adaptor hardware error

0x003A	Bad network response

0x003B	Unexpected network error

0x003C	Bad remote adaptor

0x003D	Print queue full

0x003E	No spool space

0x003F	Print canceled

0x0040	Netname deleted

0x0041	Network access denied

0x0042	Bad device type

0x0043	Bad network name

0x0044	Too many names

0x0045	Too many sessions

0x0046	Sharing paused

0x0047	Request not accepted

0x0048	Redirection paused

0x0050	File exists

0x0051	Duplicate file control block

0x0052	Cannot make

0x0053	Interrupt 24 failure

0x0054	Out of structures

0x0055	Already assigned

0x0056	Invalid password

0x0057	Invalid parameter

0x0058	Net write fault

Related Topics

General Notes

MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

Common Questions and Answers


INI File Entries
MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

The translators store configuration information in a file named MGX.INI, located in your Windows directory. There are several special options that can be set to configure import and export operations for all the translators. These special options are set by adding or modifying entries in the [Import] or [Translation] sections of the MGX.INI file.

Note: In addition, each translator has its own import and export INI files located in the MGXLIBS directory. Details on those INI file entries, if needed, are included in the on-line help for the specific translator.

[Import]

CollapseLayers = x

When x is set to 1, Designer 4.1 does the same as Designer 4.0, which is to collapse all the layers and put the symbols on the current layer.

When x is set to 0 (the default), the following test is applied: Does the imported file contain only one layer? If Yes, the symbols are placed on the current layer, even if the current layer already contains symbols. If No, the new layers are appended following the existing layers.

Note that if the imported file is a DS4 file and the first page references a master page, then the master page is treated as a separate layer.

[Import]

CenterSymbols = x

When x is set to 1 (the default), all imported symbols are centered in the same way as they were in Designer 4.0. If the imported file contains layers, and CollapseLayers = 0, the symbols are not centered.

When set to 0, the imported symbols will appear at the origin for formats that do not save page information and properly placed on the page for formats that do (such as DRW and DS4).

[Translation]

EnableAltTrans=1

By default the Micrografx Designer 4.0 vector translators (VCDR, VDRW, and so on) are not listed in either the Import or Export dialog boxes. To instruct Designer to make these translators available, add the line shown above. Note that this line also affects the MGX WMF translator. This entry affect both import and export.

The following INI file entries apply only to the Micrografx Designer 4.0 vector translators.

[Translation]

MMFDMP=0

Setting this option to one (1) creates a debug file, named MMF.DMP, that contains the intermediary format that results from an import operation. If you are experiencing import problems, you may be asked to set this option to provide information to Micrografx technical support. The default is zero (0), which does not create a debug file.

[Translation]

WarningLevel=20

This option controls the number of warnings that are processed before a message is displayed to determine whether or not to continue the translation. A value of zero (0) disables warning checking, and a large number processes more warnings before asking whether to continue. The default is 20. This option affects both import and export.

Related Topics

General Notes

MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

Common Questions and Answers


MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

The translators store configuration information in a file named MGX.INI, located in your Windows directory. There are several special options that can be set to configure import and export operations for all the translators. These special options are set by adding or modifying entries in the [Import] or [Translation] sections of the MGX.INI file.

Note: In addition, each translator has its own import and export INI files located in the MGXLIBS directory. Details on those INI file entries, if needed, are included in the on-line help for the specific translator.

[Translation]

BitmapResolution=300

The value is number from 10 to 2540. The value represents the DPI setting for the exported bitmap. The default is the current screen resolution. This entry is controlled by the export setup dialog box for any bitmap file format and should not be directly modified in the MGX.INI file.

[Translation]

ExportPageFill=0

If this entry is 1 then the page fill will be exported along with the other selected symbols. The default is 0.

[Translation]

ExportPointReductionFactor=4

This factor is an abstract tolerance factor that removes excess points from a polyline based on the distance and colinearity between points. The default factor is 4. The larger the factor, the greater the number of points removed and the fewer the number of points remaining in the polyline. The practical range of the value is between 1 and 10.

[Translation]

ExportPointReductionThreshold=50

This threshold defines the maximum number of points allowed in a single geometry before point reduction will be performed on it. The default threshold is 50. This entry lets you control the resolution of poly-geometries (polylines, polygons, polybeziers, and so forth). The practical range of the value is between 30 and 2048.

[Translation]

SimulateHatch=0

If this value is set to 0 and the vector export translator is capable of hatching, then Designer maps the hatch to a hatch pattern native to the export format. If the value is set to 1 or the vector format export translator is incapable of hatching, then the Designer hatch pattern will be decomposed and sent out as lines.

[Translation]

EnableAltTrans=1

By default the Micrografx vector translators (VCDR, VDRW, and so forth) are not listed in either the import or export dialog boxes. To instruct Designer to make these translators available, add the line shown above. Note that this line also affects the MGX WMF translator. This entry affects both import and export.

The following INI file entries apply only to the Micrografx Designer 4.0 vector translators.

[Translation]

GradientSteps=100

This option controls the number and size of polygons that are created when gradients are simulated during export. The setting must be a number between 0 and 255 (inclusive). A lower number creates a coarse gradient simulation using fewer polygons, but the file size is smaller. A higher number creates a smoother gradient simulation, at the expense of a larger file and a longer time to export the file. The default is 100.

[Translation]

WarningLevel=20

This option controls the number of warnings that are processed before a message is displayed to determine whether or not to continue the translation. A value of zero (0) disables warning checking, and a high number processes more warnings before asking whether to continue. The default is 20. This option also affects both import and export.

[Translation]

SimulateWinHatch=1

Micrografx applications support two kinds of hatch fills: the set of pre-defined Windows hatch fills, which are drawn using a pre-defined Windows bitmap brush, and Micrografx hatch fills, which are drawn using vector elements. While Micrografx hatch fills are always exported as elements that the target file format can understand, some file formats do not support Windows hatch fills. Setting this option to one (1) simulates the Windows hatch fills using vector elements. The default is zero (0), and Windows hatch fills are not simulated on export, but instead referenced as a Windows hatch fill in the exported file.

Related Topics

General Notes

MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

Common Questions and Answers


Common Questions and Answers

I'd like to know more about PostScript, EPS, and AI.

Why does importing an EPS file result in a gray box?

Bitmaps or bitmap fills do not export properly to the Adobe Illustrator (AI) format.

Why do weighted (non-hairline) lines export to DRW as polygons?

My text exports to DRW as individual lines.

Exporting a bitmap filled object results in a gray fill.

Printing to a Level 1 PostScript printer, a piece of one corner of a rectangle is missing.

Polylines export with too many points.

What is the limit on the size of a text file I can import?

Why don't bitmaps retain their original size when importing or exporting?

Why do CGM files exported from Designer import into some other applications at a different size?

Why do hairlines exported as HPGL appear to be thicker?

Why are bitmaps not the same size in CorelDRAW as they were in Designer?

The CorelDRAW 3.0 filter distorts imported shapes.

I can't import CorelDRAW version 4.0 files.

Related Topics

DOS File Errors

General Notes

MGX.INI File Entries for Importing

MGX.INI File Entries for Exporting

Translator Help


Why do weighted (non-hairline) lines export to DRW as polygons?

Exporting symbols that have weighted (non-hairline) lines to the "DRW -- Micrografx Drawing (mgx)" filter result in the lines being converted to polygons. Exporting to the "DRW -- Micrografx Drawing" filter correctly retains the weighted lines.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Why does importing an EPS file into Designer 4.1 result in a gray box?

EPS files contain PostScript data, which is not translatable by applications. EPS files may contain an optional TIFF or WMF header that can be used to view the content of the EPS file. Designer displays a gray box in place of the preview data when importing an EPS file that does not contain a preview image. If the EPS file contains a TIFF or WMF preview, then Designer displays that preview when the EPS file is imported. Designer imports and translates the Adobe Illustrator format of EPS so you can edit it in Designer. For more information, see the description of EPS and PostScript.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Bitmaps or bitmap fills do not export properly to the Adobe Illustrator (AI) format.

The "AI -- Adobe Illustrator (mgx)" filter does not support exporting bitmaps or bitmap filled symbols, including bitmaps that are used to represent hatched fills. Depending on the option selected in the Setup dialog box, bitmaps will be exported in one of three possible solid colors: the foreground color of the bitmap, the background color of the bitmap, or a blend of the foreground and background colors of the bitmap to create a new color.

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Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Exporting a bitmap filled object results in a gray fill.
Exporting a bitmap filled object results in a solid fill.

Many formats do not support, or do not support well, clipping of bitmap filled objects. Designer must clip the image and reduce the clipped bitmap to a series of scan lines that represent the bitmap fill in order to reproduce the object as it appears in Designer. This process results in exported files that may be large and take a long time to process. Designer will substitute a solid fill for clipped bitmap fills in these situations. An override exists if you wish to allow Designer to generate the clipped bitmap fill as a series of scan lines. Set ClipImageFill=1 in the [Translation] section of the MGX.INI file to generate the scan line fill. This process may take a long time and result in a large output file.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Printing to a Level 1 PostScript printer, a piece of one corner of a rectangle is missing.

This happens when you create an EPS file in Designer and put the EPS image into certain programs. To fix it, turn PSAdapt off in the MGX.INI . Then set the options of the printer driver to EPS. Print. Print to EPS and use the new file.

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Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


I'd like to know more about PostScript, EPS, and AI.

What is PostScript? What is EPS and why do there seem to be so many variations? Why can my application edit some EPS files and not others? What's the difference between AI and EPS files? How does Designer work with EPS files?

These are just a few of the questions people ask when confronted with distinguishing between PostScript, AI, and EPS. The following descriptions help to explain the differences and how to decide which format is appropriate for which use.

PostScript

PostScript is a high level, device independent programming language that is used to describe the appearance of text, graphical shapes, and images on displayed or printed pages. Printing or displaying PostScript involves the use of a PostScript interpreter written for a specific output device. The interpreter executes the commands in the PostScript language and converts them to the low level operations understood by the device.

In Windows, a PostScript print stream can be generated by an application printing to a PostScript device driver. Either the application or the device driver may generate its own specialized definition of the output pages using PostScript commands. The PostScript commands, along with printer-specific information, make up the print stream. A PostScript print stream that is saved to a file is a PostScript file, and typically has a PS file extension. A PostScript file is intended for output to a specific device, and as such is not editable or suitable for use as a file transfer format.

PostScript File Support in Designer

Set the Target Printer to a PostScript device and print to a file. Designer uses its own internal PostScript Adaptation Layer to generate the PostScript, which may be disabled to allow the device driver to generate the PostScript.

Designer does not read or import a PostScript print file.

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) is a file containing PostScript commands that describe a single page. An EPS file does not contain printer-specific information. The typical purpose of an EPS file is to be included, or encapsulated, into another PostScript page description. Applications import the EPS data into a document, which is then output (the original document plus the included EPS data) to a PostScript device. EPS files are not editable after they are imported into a document. Applications may manipulate the whole EPS data, to some extent, including modifying the size, position, and rotation of the EPS data, but they cannot modify the EPS data directly.

Since the application cannot edit the EPS data, the format of the EPS file allows for the inclusion of a preview image that an application may use to display the representation of the EPS data. This preview image is usually either a Windows Metafile (WMF) or a TIFF bitmap. Applications that do not support Windows Metafile or TIFF images usually display a place holder that assists in the placement and manipulation of the EPS data.

In addition to being used to display the representation of the EPS data, the preview may also be used when a document is printed to a device that does not support PostScript. An application that creates a document containing EPS data and then prints the document to a PostScript device passes the EPS data to the PostScript device for printing. If the application prints the document to a device that does not support PostScript, it must print the preview instead. A TIFF or Windows Metafile preview will give a more accurate presentation than a place holder, although it is usually inferior to the results generated by the EPS data to a PostScript device.

Some PostScript device drivers have an option to create an EPS file from a PostScript print stream. The PostScript driver supplied with Windows 3.1 has this feature. When the option is selected and an application prints to the driver, the user is prompted for the file name to be used to create the EPS file.

EPS Support in Designer

Designer supports four types of EPS export. Select the desired type in the Export dialog box.

•	"EPS - Encapsulated PostScript, No Header or Preview" generates a minimum EPS file.

•	"EPS - Encapsulated PostScript, No Preview" generates an EPS file with a header but no preview.

•	"EPS - Encapsulated PostScript, TIFF Preview" generates an EPS file with a TIFF preview.

•	"EPS - Encapsulated PostScript, WMF Preview" generates an EPS file with a WMF preview.

Designer does not fully support importing EPS files. The preview data is imported, but the EPS data is ignored. Importing an EPS file that does not have a preview displays a gray filled rectangle of the same size as the EPS data. Importing an EPS file with a TIFF or WMF header displays only the preview data. Select the "EPS - Adobe Illustrator EPS" filter in the Import dialog box to import an EPS file.

Adobe Illustrator

An Adobe Illustrator file (AI) is an EPS file that conforms to the language restrictions defined and published by Adobe for use as a file data transfer format. It is the native file format for Adobe Illustrator and has an AI file extension. Unlike other PostScript files that require device interpreters, the AI file does not contain custom extensions: It is a defined set of operators that can be translated into other page and graphical primitives. Applications can read and write the file format just like any other file data transfer format. Like other file formats, different release versions exist. Applications must ensure that they are compatible with the format version specified in the file.

Since it is an EPS file, an AI file also may contain the preview header. Applications that do not choose to support the AI file format primitives directly may elect to import the preview instead. Applications that do support the AI file format can edit the data that is contained in the file after it is imported.

AI files are sometimes called Adobe Illustrator EPS files, or AI/EPS files, and have an EPS extension. Most clip art packages that offer EPS files are AI files with TIFF previews and have the EPS extension. Applications can import and edit these EPS files, unlike other EPS files, because they conform to the AI language restrictions and can be parsed and translated. EPS files that do not conform to the AI language restrictions are not AI files and cannot be edited, only incorporated into a document.

AI Support in Designer

Designer supports importing and exporting the AI file format. Imported AI files are translated and the EPS data can be edited in Designer.

For files with the AI extension, select the "AI - Adobe Illustrator AI" filter for both import and export.

For files with the EPS extension that are AI files, select the "EPS - Adobe Illustrator EPS" filter for both import and export.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


I can't import CorelDRAW (CDR) version 4.0 files.

CorelDRAW 4 format is not supported.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


My text exports to DRW as individual lines.

A text block (container) exported to DRW -- or any other vector format -- exports as individual text lines, not as an entire text block.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


The CorelDRAW 3.0 filter distorts imported shapes that have the Perspective Effect added.

The CorelDRAW 3.1 filter distorts a CDR (CorelDRAW version 3.0) file that has the Perspective Effect added. The CDR-CorelDRAW 2.x, 3.x filter can successfully import the Perspective effect.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Polylines export with too many points.

You can change this behavior with an entry in the MGX.INI file.

This entry sets an abstract tolerance factor that removes excess points from a polyline based on the distance and colinearity between points. The default is 4. The larger the number, the more points are removed and the fewer points remain in the polyline. This entry can be modified in MGX.INI as follows.

ExportPointReductionFactor=(VALUE)

The (VALUE) is a positive integer value. The practical range is between 1 and 10.

Depending on the capabilities of the file format and/or filter, certain symbols must be represented by polylines instead of Bézier. More points must be maintained for visual fidelity.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Why do hairlines exported as HPGL appear to be thicker?

This is because the default pen nib width for HPGL plotters is used for the hairline width. This is correct behavior.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


What is the limit on the size of a text file I can import?

Importing text in a text block is limited to files that have less than 10,000 characters. Text is truncated after that.

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Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Why dont GIF, PCX, and TGA bitmaps retain their original size when importing or exporting?
Why don't GIF, PCX, and TGA bitmaps retain their original size when importing or exporting?

The GIF, PCX, and TGA filters do not understand the concept of the DPI setting. To them a bit is just a little square with no specific size. That means that the bitmap will appear larger or smaller when displayed on a lower resolution device or a higher resolution device. Some programs, such as PhotoMagic, assume that these files were created at 75 dpi. When importing one of these files, Designer assumes that it was created at the current screen resolution and will resize the bitmap according to that assumption. For example, if you are running SuperVGA mode (800 x 600), Designer resizes the bitmap as though there were 96 pixels per inch. When exporting to one of these formats, the BitmapResolution entry in the MGX.INI file governs the output resolution. If the entry isn't present, then Designer defaults to the current screen resolution and writes that value to the Bitmap Resolution entry in the MGX.INI file. If another application reads GIF, PCX, and TGA files created by Designer and assumes that they were created at 75 dpi, then the bitmap may appear larger than it does in Designer.

Related Topics

Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Why are JPG bitmaps not the same size in CorelDRAW as they were in Designer?

CorelDRAW ignores the dpi field in the file when importing JPG.

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Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help


Why do CGM files that were exported from Designer import into other applications at a different size?
Why do CGM files exported from Designer import into some other applications at a different size?

Designer exports metric, that is, with a scale factor. Some applications use an abstract scale.

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Common Questions and Answers

Translator Help