Exporting a page as Tiff or Jpeg

[xoomaster]

Is there a way to export a page from FMP as Tiff or Jpeg format automatically ? any plug ins ?

[Fenton]

You got something against PDF? You can Save As PDF FileMaker 8 and above; and on Mac OS X you can also Print to PDF. In both cases you get what you'd print.

[xoomaster]

short answer, I do like PDF output, but it does not work with my fax server well. While Tiff, JPEG file formats do well in this process.

Edited April 24, 2008 by Guest

[Fenton]

If you're on a Mac, you can use the background application Image Events, which is driven by AppleScript. It can convert images from one format to another. The AppleScript can be run by the FileMaker Perform AppleScript step. So you can Save as PDF from FileMaker, then convert the resulting file from PDF to JPEG or TIFF. The TIFF is huge however, like 8 MB from a single page. So I'd go with the JPEG.

I put it on the Desktop. It will put the PDF, and any existing JPEG of that name into the Trash. It could be made slicker, and just "remove" (rm) the file (or write it to the temporary items folder). But it's too late in the day for me to mess with rm.

(P.S. I read that Leopard added an option to specify the compression of the JPEG. But you and I, we're "obsolete" (but safe from the still existing bugs in Leopard :-).

[P.P.S. It is doing only the current record. Since you can only do 1 page, that makes some sense. If you want otherwise, modify the FileMaker script.]

Export_as_JPEG.zip

[xoomaster]

Thank you so much. Do you know if there is solution on the Windows side by any chance ?

Thank you again.

[Fenton]

I don't know much about image manipulation on Windows. I imagine several things are possible, but likely more trouble. There are plug-ins. I've seen people do some thing with PHP, using a plug-in such as Smart Pill. Then there are some dedicated image plug-ins.

I just tried it with a more general plug-in, Troi File, which has a Thumbnail option. It worked, but the image was really terrible. It works fine for some things, but PDF to JPEG is not an easy conversion. The Mac OS has built-in core image processing, so things like AppleScript work well with images. I don't think Windows has that (yet).

[xoomaster]

Thank you, I do agree it is a lot more complicated on the PC side : (

[librone]

Thank you, I do agree it is a lot more complicated on the PC side : (

it is not complicated on PC :

Enter Preview Mode

Copy [ ] [ Select ]

Enter Browse Mode

Paste [ container::container field ] [ Select ]

Export Field Contents [container::container field; “file:../../../Image.jpeg” ]

Ann

[librone]

Feedback?

Ann

[xoomaster]

Oh sorry, just noticed your comment. I 'll try it tonight !

But one question though :

By putting the file extension, are you forcing the output to become Jpeg , or how is this done ? is this FMP doing it or the Windows ?

Edited May 2, 2008 by Guest

[xoomaster]

Cool : ) yes it works. For "Jpeg, gif , tiff " !

[librone]

is this FMP doing it or the Windows ?

FMP

Ann

[comment]

Is it? It doesn't do it in Mac OS X. You can change the file extension to whatever you want, but the file format will remain PDF.

See also:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/182123/

[librone]

Is it? It doesn't do it in Mac OS X. You can change the file extension to whatever you want, but the file format will remain PDF.

I am sorry I don't use Mac.

Ann

[comment]

How did you conclude it is Filemaker doing the conversion, then?

[librone]

there is not conversion.

FMP do file in .wmf code

then you force extension to .gif or .jpg or ...

but same code is in

see also: http://www.fileinfo.net/extension/wmf

FMP do code.

I know this so.

Ann

I am sorry for english.

[comment]

I don't understand. WMF is an image format. This is the format that FMP (on Windows) uses to store the image when a clipboard is pasted into a container.

You are saying that the image format is converted to GIF/JPEG/TIFF when you export, simply by changing the extension? That seems too good to be true, but even if it works - how do you know it is Filemaker doing the conversion? I don't know that FMP includes a graphic conversion utility.

EDIT:

Sorry - I see you said "there is not conversion". But if no conversion is taking place, then the image is still in WMF format - which is very different from GIF or JPEG. So what's the point in changing the extension? It just doesn't make sense...

Edited May 4, 2008 by Guest

[librone]

I don't understand. WMF is an image format. This is the format that FMP (on Windows) uses to store the image when a clipboard is pasted into a container.

it is a common image format for windows platform.(exchange format)

But if no conversion is taking place, then the image is still in WMF format - which is very different from GIF or JPEG. So what's the point in changing the extension? It just doesn't make sense...

Why have we .fp7 and .USR? the code is same.

It is make sense because we must say to OS with what program to open the file.

Ann

[LaRetta]

I'm afraid I don't agree, Ann. Changing the extention DOES change which program is used to attempt to open the file but it doesn't change the format. You can change which program is used to open ANY file type in Computer > Tools > Folder Options > File Types. Windows ASSUMES that if a file's extension is GIF, the image is GIF but that isn't necessarily true. I can change a file's extension to .csv but that doesn't mean it will add commas to a tabbed file.

Extensions are only used to tell Windows what program is used during opening, nothing more. To achieve lossless imaging, we Windows people must use a conversion utility.

[LaRetta]

Awhile back, I had found this page enlightening when I was struggling with getting the best quality and smallest size from my windows shots. It is VERY basic understanding (which I needed because my knowlege was very basic).

[librone]

Changing the extention DOES change which program is used to attempt to open the file but it doesn't change the format.

Yes,it doesn't change the format.

But .wmf is a common format for windows platform...as the English language for this forum.

You, I and Soren can speak in this forum using English.

All Windows Microsoft viewing programs read wmf format

a lot of no windows Microsoft viewing programs read wmf format

Ann

Edited May 4, 2008 by Guest

[LaRetta]

Forgive my persistence but:

Enter Preview Mode

Copy [ ] [ Select ]

Enter Browse Mode

Paste [ container::container field ] [ Select ]

Export Field Contents [container::container field; “file:../../../Image.jpeg” ]

there is not conversion.

FMP do file in .wmf code

then you force extension to .gif or .jpg or ...

Performing the exact steps you've outlined, I end up with a WONDERFUL looking jpg - no quality loss at ALL!! And jpg isn't supposed to have this kind of quality with text (that I used from the FM layout). When viewing the new .jpg file's properties however, it is clear that it is NOT jpg simply because I changed the extension; file size for small one-page screen shot with only text is 2.42 MB.

So what good is this suggestion if it does not produce a true .jpg or .tif or whatever. The ONLY reason to use jpg is for file size; it will corrupt quality and isn't recommended for text. Unless your suggestion actually produces the file type requested, it is moot, I think.

:wink2:

[Fenton]

So I guess the real question for xoomaster is whether his fax program supports ".wmf" on Windows. Since it likely does, he can just use that as the extension.

I want to amend my earlier post, to suggest PNG instead of JPEG or TIFF (to convert from PDF). It's a better format for preserving FileMaker layouts at a reasonable size, cleaner than JPEG, which is kind of fuzzy. It is larger than Jpeg (usually), but smaller than Tif. If your scanner software supports PNG.

Export_as_PNG.zip

[LaRetta]

Absolutely, Fenton, and the link I provided says the same. I should have just come out and said it ... PNG is the only way to go for text (or any crisp) images. JPGs are fine for photos only. The link I provided is a great way to instantly tell which format is best to use. :smile2:

[comment]

jpg isn't supposed to have this kind of quality ... it is clear that it is NOT jpg simply because I changed the extension; file size for small one-page screen shot with only text is 2.42 MB.

That is not a very conclusive test. Although I agree that it's the most likely explanation, still a JPEG image CAN be be of very high-quality even with text (if it employs low-rate compression) and 2.42MB is not THAT small for a screenshot.

A better test would be to see what happens as you zoom in into the image, since WMF can be (and very likely is, in FMP's implementation) a vector image. If you don't get pixelation as you zoom in, then it cannot be JPEG (or GIF/PNG), as these are strictly bitmaps.

A conclusive test would be to open the file in a hex editor, and see the format declaration at the beginning of the file: this would be "GIF..." for a GIF file, and something like "...JFIF..." for a JPEF file (I think).

[xoomaster]

Thank you all for your contribution to this subject.

Yes it is working well for my fax software now.

The way I concluded "Who" is doing the conversion ? FMP or ?Windows is as such :

If you just change an extention of a jpeg file to tiff on windows, the file will change. Even the icon is changed. Now this can not be done with PDFs, since PDF is a completely different beast. Windows can not change PDFs to other file formats without some help.

I do not believe filemaker is doing much, other than exporting the contents of a container.

Now the only way to truly know the answer is to manually examine the output of a FMP container without using any extensions in the name of the exported file, then attempt to open it with different programs and see what can open the file ?

Also if you try to change the extension of a text file to PNG, tiff or Jpeg, it will not work ! So again, probably pointing to a conversion process not supported at the windows level.

Since the application "Paint" opens all the above file formats on the windows, it is still difficult to say if the file is truly changed in structure or if it is just a superficial ( icon, extension ) changes ?

Regardless of who does what, This is awesome. Now we know that one way or another we can have tiff, Jpeg, Gif out of filemaker also :

Edited May 4, 2008 by Guest

[Fenton]

In modern computer systems, both Mac OSX and Windows, the icon changes according to the extension. That does not actually change the file, I don't think. The OS isn't looking at the contents of the file, it's just looking at its map of what icon goes with what extension.

It isn't that hard to tell if the file is really changed. Just look at its size. If the size stays the same, the file has not changed. Different graphic formats have (radically) different file sizes for the (same) image.

[comment]

it is still difficult to say if the file is truly changed in structure

Actually, it's very easy: post the two files - the original and the "converted" one.

[librone]

Thank you all for your contribution to this subject.

Yes it is working well for my fax software now.

The way I concluded "Who" is doing the conversion ? FMP or ?Windows is as such :

There isn't conversion.

From FMP the code output is always .WMF

If you just change an extention of a jpeg file to tiff on windows, the file will change. Even the icon is changed.

only icon and open program are changed, file not.

Now we know that one way or another we can have tiff, Jpeg, Gif out of filemaker also :

They are not true tiff, Jpeg or Gif (as said Laretta)

They are .WMF file but now you have change extension and now windows know the program that can open they.

Ann

[xoomaster]

In practice that is a huge help, specially in my case of using a fax software. It is functioning quite well with any of the above extensions, but not PDF format !

My fax server is only supporting .txt, .rtf, .tif, .bmp, .jpg, .dcx, .pcx, .doc and .xls , so how is the .WMF format working if there is no conversion ? is .WMF related to any of the above extensions ?

Edited May 4, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

My fax server is only supporting .txt, .rtf, .tif, .bmp, .jpg, .dcx, .pcx, .doc and .xls , so how is the .WMF format working if there is no conversion ?

That is a good question. Did you check what the actual fax looks like?

[xoomaster]

It looks Ok as far as faxes go .

[comment]

Well then either the fax software understands the WMF format, or there is magic going on somewhere. Why don't you post the two files and we'll find out?

[LaRetta]

If you don't get pixelation as you zoom in, then it cannot be JPEG (or GIF/PNG), as these are strictly bitmaps.

Zooming in produces no pixelation so it is still .wmf. Another test was to open the file in paintbrush and save it again as .jpg. In that case, the second file is terribly fuzzy (just as was explained in the link I provided), sized at 35.8 KB, and obviously correctly converted to .jpg. No need to even zoom it.

I don't know what a .hex editor means but I found two free ones for the test. One was here to use. Opening the first file (.wmf saved as .jpg), the beginning of the file says EMF and GDIC. I see no indications which might refer to file type. Downloading a second hex editor says the same thing ... but it looks like meta file format(?)

Edited May 4, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

EMF is essentially the same as WMF:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Metafile