eps graphics

[danmac]

I'm using NeoOffice 3.0.2 on a MacMini 2 GHz Intel with 2Gb memory. I have been able to insert eps graphics into both Writer and Impress documents using Insert-->Picture-->From File ..., and for a time, everything is OK. In previous versions of NeoOffice, everything seemed to work fine, both on screen and printing, but with 3.0.2 I've started to have problems.

Now, after certain editing (I can't be sure exactly what it is, but moving a graphic seems to be the main cause), the eps graphic no longer displays in the document on screen properly. Instead, I get what seems to be a place holder with information about the graphic like creator and creation date. I haven't tried to print a document when the graphic is in that state, but quitting and restarting NeoOffice seems to correct the problem. I wouldn't have posted this except that is a pain to have to restart NeoOffice every time the graphics disappear.

I did search the Forum but couldn't find the same problem. I really don't want to have to go through the process of converting eps graphics into some other format if it is at all possible.

Is this a bug, or shouldn't I be using eps in the first place?

Darryl

[djpimley]

Hi Darryl,

I did a quick test and I can't reproduce this behaviour. Is it one EPS file in particular that is causing the problem? Have you embedded it or linked to it?

[danmac]

Hi,

Thank for the reply.

It's all eps graphics. All of the eps graphics have been added to the files via the Insert>Picture>From File... menu item. I guess that would make them embedded. Is there something I can do to make this easier to sort out?

Cheers,
Darryl

[pluby]

I suspect that you have discovered a very difficult to reproduce bug that is only triggered by some set of editing actions and that bug is causing NeoOffice's underlying OpenOffice.org code to not call NeoOffice's custom EPS image rendering code.

The hard part is that you need to help us find what editing steps trigger so that we can reproduce it on our machines. Can you attach a sample document that has images that fail to render that we can look at?

If so, you can attach the sample document by replying to this post and attaching the document to your post using the steps in this forum post.

Patrick

[danmac]

I have attached one of the files (minus some of the text) that I have had problems with. Believe it or not, I tried to make the graphics disappear but couldn't . One possible cause could be that I often have seven or eight files open at the same time, all with a varying number of eps graphics in them. Perhaps that's too many?

One other problem I'm having with eps graphics that I forgot to mention is if I set the wrap to contour, all works fine until I save and close the file then reopen at a later date. When I open the file again, the wrap is gone and the graphic is sitting on top of the text.

One other thing that might have an effect (though I can't imagine why) is that I use DropBox and all the files I'm editing are in the DropBox folder. Could this be a possible cause of my problems? Is it possible that DropBox is trying to update the files I'm working on and confusing NeoOffice?

Darryl

[pluby]

[danmac]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought about the graphics cache at all! Duh! That would seem like a good place to start. I haven't been able to reproduce the problem since yesterday morning.

I'll keep you posted, though it may take a couple of days to confirm if tweaking the cache fixes the problem.

Cheers,
Darryl

[danmac]

Hi there,

I increased the memory as suggested, but still the same problems. It just happened to me in fact. I was working on a file with eps graphics (2 to be exact) and all was fine until I saved the document. As soon as the save had finished, the graphics disappeared. Saving the file isn't the only trigger to the problem, but come to think of it, it is often the culprit.

Reloading the file makes not difference; still only place markers instead of graphics. I took a screen shot so you could see what I mean. I hope it's helpful.

Cheers,
Darryl

[danmac]

Me again.

Just an addendum to the last post: as I said, after saving, eps graphics disappeared, but the graphics in all other open documents also disappeared suggesting that it is an underlying problem and not related to specific files.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,
Darryl

[pluby]

Your screen snapshot shows the standard way that NeoOffice's underlying OpenOffice.org code displays EPS images so my theory that the EPS is failing to render somewhere still seems most likely.

So, the next place to look is if the Mac OS X functions that NeoOffice uses are the cause of the failure. Can you launch the /Applications/Utilities/Console application and when this problem occurs again, copy any new messages that appear in the Console window into this forum topic?

When you copy any such messages into this forum topic, can you also tell us which version of Mac OS X you are using by selecting the Apple :: About This Mac menu and copying the version in the dialog that appears?

Patrick

[danmac]

I'll do what you suggest the next time I experience the problem.

I appreciate your help.

Darryl

[danmac]

The 'problem' just occurred again. I opened the Console, but I have no idea which log to look at. There seem to be a lot of them. Which log(s) should I be looking at in the Console?

I'm using OS X 10.6.2 by the way.

Darryl

[djpimley]

In the panel on the left hand side of the window, select "Console Messages" to display the console log. The entries at the bottom of the list are the most recent. The log is pruned regularly, so you can probably copy and paste the entire thing here if you don't know what to look for.

[thboyd]

I'm having the same problem. Here's the console log for the last few minutes, which includes two restarts of NeoOffice. I have not used eps files before today and everything seemed to work ok for a while. It seems to me that this happens when I move or resize an image.

[pluby]