Blank box when importing EPS files into Word 2003

[LuckyLuke]

Hi,

I have seen some similar posts on this problem, but none have come up with a
solution that would help, so I am giving it a try:

We create PDFs of Word documents to send to customers, and this usually
involves importing an EPS file into the Word document. Currently we are using
Adobe Illustrator 8 and the EPS files render fine in the Word document, but
in order to improve our the graphics capabilities we are going to upgrade to
Illustrator CS2.

Test EPS files made with CS2 (all with TIFF previews) import into Word but
do not render (the old EPS files did not show the TIFF preview, but rendered
the EPS file itself) and just show a blank box. When the PDF is created the
EPS files can be seen but this makes it hard to place the figures correctly,
especially as there are often several EPS files per document.

Converting the EPS files (e.g. to WMF) works, but is not workable as we need
to keep the images in EPS format and converting all the files would clog up
our network drives.

Does anyone have a suggestion? I have contacted Access Softek who make the
EPS import filter that Word 2003 uses and they say they don't have an update
for the filter, does anyone have any ideas???

Cheers

Luke

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Luke

We create PDFs of Word documents to send to customers, and this usually
involves importing an EPS file into the Word document.
Why?


Currently we are using
Adobe Illustrator 8 and the EPS files render fine in the Word document, but
in order to improve our the graphics capabilities we are going to upgrade to
Illustrator CS2.

Test EPS files made with CS2 (all with TIFF previews) import into Word but
do not render (the old EPS files did not show the TIFF preview, but rendered
the EPS file itself) and just show a blank box.

Are you positive on this? I have yet to see an EPS rendered directly in
Word (I never saw more than the preview if there was one). The only
thing I've been successfully able to do with EPS files in Word are
printing the document to a PS printer (driver).

When the PDF is created the
EPS files can be seen but this makes it hard to place the figures correctly,
especially as there are often several EPS files per document.

Converting the EPS files (e.g. to WMF) works, but is not workable as we need
to keep the images in EPS format and converting all the files would clog up
our network drives.

Does anyone have a suggestion? I have contacted Access Softek who make the
EPS import filter that Word 2003 uses and they say they don't have an update
for the filter, does anyone have any ideas???

Ahh, this could mean that this is a new feature of Word 2002 or 2003 --
makes sense, because my tests in this regard were a couple of years back.

Tough situation. You need to find a common denominator for Illu and
Word. If you can stay with the older version, I'd try that. And wait
until Word 2007 is out to see whether it has an updated EPS filter.

I Hope somebody else has a better idea!
Robert

 

[LuckyLuke]

Hi Robert

Thanks for taking the time to respond, the EPS files we import are figures
and graphics intended for print.

Yes the new filter in the Word 2003 grahpics filter pack (from Office
Online) attempts to render the EPS in the document, I don't have an older
version of the filter that would let you see just the thumbnail instead.
Perhaps there is some way of doing this?

I signed up for the beta of Word 2007 thinking that they might solve it in
that, but as of beta2, this issue still hasn't been resolved. I will have to
check the studio, but as far as I am aware they have already paid for CS2 and
so will be itching to use it.

Cheers

Luek

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Robert,

Almost every version of Office seems to have some sort of issue with one EPS graphic content part or another For awhile you
could use monochrome previews, or color previews of less than 256 colors and sometimes when you printed you'd get both the EPS
intended graphic and the preview as well. (If you check the FAQ for Powerpoint on EPS at http://rdpslides.com you'll find more
information. Steve Rindsberg has had an annual discussion of requesting better/more consistent(?) support of EPS graphics through
MS for a number of years, it's basically not one of MS's 'favored' graphics formats, partially because the results are somewhat
unpredictable if a document is going to be viewed by people on more than one version of Word or on more than one version of
Windows.)

In versions prior to Word 2002 if you did not have an EPS Printer attached to Word your inserted graphics would show only the
preview, which usually was of a lower quality than what the printed result would be, so they revamped to enable the actual EPS to be
rendered, without needing to be using a Postscript printer attached.

This 'conversion' was a bit slow and didn't work too well with complex EPS files. One of the 'torture tests' we used were maps of
the London underground (tubes) that were in EPS. I was going to put a link here to one of these, but it seems that they're pretty
much posted as PDFs these days <g>.

When MS changed from their GDI to GDI+ engine they also changed the way the Office reads inserted EPS graphics files, starting with
Word 2002. Basically it creates its own preview from the EPS itself, but it has limitations on what EPS format version it can
support and you'll also note that EPS is the only graphics format for Word that is listed in both sections of
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290362/en-us?FR=1
for graphics formats that have built in support in Word and that require an additional filter to be installed, and the result you
get can depend on which EPS Import filter is installed, used. The 'current' one is part of the set at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/212265/en-us?FR=1
it's the 2000 version of the Access Softek filter, and is apparently included in Office 2007 Beta 2 as well, in fact Word 2007
wouldn't insert an EPS file without that converter. Hmmm. Looks like the new 'Escher 2' Office graphics engine, only partly
implemented in Word 2007, could make EPS handling confusing again.

For quick testing of which graphics behavior is in Word, Steve created a small EPS graphic with text on it, and attached a separate
preview. The basic graphic is white text on a blue background that says 'Rendered EPS' the preview is white text on a red
background that says 'EPS Preview'

===========
Hi Luke
Are you positive on this? I have yet to see an EPS rendered directly in
Word (I never saw more than the preview if there was one). The only
thing I've been successfully able to do with EPS files in Word are
printing the document to a PS printer (driver). >>
--
I hope this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office system products MVP

LINKS to the 2007 Office System

1. Read about it, try it, or watch the movie
the 2007 Microsoft Office system info,
online Test Drive, or downloadable beta is at
http://microsoft.com/office/preview

2. Already have 2007 Office System Beta 2?
Send Microsoft your feedback (with pictures)
http://sas.office.microsoft.com/

3. Use the 2007 OfficeOnline website without Office2007

a. Install the ActiveX access control
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=XT101650581033
b. then visit http://officebeta.iponet.net

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hello Bob

Almost every version of Office seems to have some sort of issue with one EPS graphic content part or another For awhile you
could use monochrome previews, or color previews of less than 256 colors and sometimes when you printed you'd get both the EPS
intended graphic and the preview as well. (If you check the FAQ for Powerpoint on EPS at http://rdpslides.com you'll find more
information. Steve Rindsberg has had an annual discussion of requesting better/more consistent(?) support of EPS graphics through
MS for a number of years, it's basically not one of MS's 'favored' graphics formats, partially because the results are somewhat
unpredictable if a document is going to be viewed by people on more than one version of Word or on more than one version of
Windows.)

Yes, I remember a couple of threads with PPT MVPs on EPS in their app.
It's even worse than in Word if it doesn't render properly, because
working for printed stuff is still the biggest group in Word, while in
PPT, it's presentation. And a non-rendered graphic on-screen is, well,
less than desirable! .-)

In versions prior to Word 2002 if you did not have an EPS Printer attached to Word your inserted graphics would show only the
preview, which usually was of a lower quality than what the printed result would be, so they revamped to enable the actual EPS to be
rendered, without needing to be using a Postscript printer attached.

This 'conversion' was a bit slow and didn't work too well with complex EPS files. One of the 'torture tests' we used were maps of
the London underground (tubes) that were in EPS. I was going to put a link here to one of these, but it seems that they're pretty
much posted as PDFs these days <g>.

When MS changed from their GDI to GDI+ engine they also changed the way the Office reads inserted EPS graphics files, starting with
Word 2002. Basically it creates its own preview from the EPS itself, but it has limitations on what EPS format version it can
support and you'll also note that EPS is the only graphics format for Word that is listed in both sections of
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290362/en-us?FR=1
for graphics formats that have built in support in Word and that require an additional filter to be installed, and the result you
get can depend on which EPS Import filter is installed, used. The 'current' one is part of the set at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/212265/en-us?FR=1
it's the 2000 version of the Access Softek filter, and is apparently included in Office 2007 Beta 2 as well, in fact Word 2007
wouldn't insert an EPS file without that converter. Hmmm. Looks like the new 'Escher 2' Office graphics engine, only partly
implemented in Word 2007, could make EPS handling confusing again.

For quick testing of which graphics behavior is in Word, Steve created a small EPS graphic with text on it, and attached a separate
preview. The basic graphic is white text on a blue background that says 'Rendered EPS' the preview is white text on a red
background that says 'EPS Preview'

Cool, thanks for the heads-up. This posting is definitely a keeper!

Greetinx from good old (and _hot_) Europe!
Robert

 

[LuckyLuke]

Hi guys

Thanks for the replies, was out of town on buisness last week. This seems to
be one of those monsters that wont go away doesn't it? I thought that perhaps
a third-party app or filter might be able to do the job, but I suppose that
the scope for this is limited (although judging by the numbers of posts on
this there is definately a market for a good one!). Maybe something from the
Ghost script people...(hint hint)

It seems odd that Microsoft would use a 7 year old EPS filter in Office
2007, hopefully they will upgrade this before final release but at the moment
I am not holding my breath. In the mean time, still struggling to find a
solution that would be passable...hmmm

Cheers

Luke