Photos gray out

[kbay]

I have been working with PM for a while now. For some reason, I open my files and every once and a while, a photo on the page is grayed out. It will be in the same place and the same size as the photo but now it is just a big gray box. When I click on the box, it says "Cannot use OLE object". Has anyone experienced this or have any idea why this is happening and what I can do?

 

[BionicJohn]

The ONLY way to import images into PM is to use File -> Place.

Don't use either copy'n'paste (the windows clipboard) or insert object/paste special.

The preferred image formats are TIFF for bitmaps and EPS for vector graphics.

Follow the above advice and all will be well.

More info at:

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@@.ef85028/0

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[kbay]

But when I use file place, the resolution of the photos do not look as good. How can I fix that? And it also makes the file huge.

 

[BionicJohn]

the resolution of the photos do not look as good

PM's screenview is renown for being less than good, but the image will print fine. You can increase the screenview via File -> Preferences -> General and seeting "Graphics Display" to "High Resolution". To quickly view the image in High Rez, use Ctrl+Shift+F12.

And it also makes the file huge.

That's because you are embedding the file, and not just linking.
I quote from the first paragraph of the FAQ I referred you to (which is also at faq227-5345):

ONLY use File>Place to bring graphics into PageMaker

When placing images in a PageMaker file, the following message appears:
“The graphic in the linked file would occupy xxxxxxx bytes in the publication. Include the complete copy in the publication anyway?”
The correct answer to this question is always "NO".

(You can permanently avoid this popup in future docs by unchecking "store copy in publication" under Element -> Link Options with no publication open. You can do the same to avoid further prompts in pre-existing documents.)

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[saffyre98]

I've found that if I copy and paste from Photoshop to Pagemaker and close Photoshop before saving the Pagemaker files (or if you crash before saving) the grey boxes will appear. It is a much better idea to place as a .tif.

 

[BionicJohn]

It is a much better idea to place as a .tif.

Yes, that's the best workflow.


Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[Eggles]

>>I've found that if I copy and paste from Photoshop to Pagemaker and close Photoshop before saving the Pagemaker files (or if you crash before saving) the grey boxes will appear<<

It never ceases to amaze me the many and varied ways people use to get graphics into PM.

 

[saffyre98]

Yes, placing photos from Photoshop to Pagemaker is the "best" way, but if I'm working on a huge layout, say a real estate page with dozens of small house or realtor photos, the time savings of copy/paste over save/place is substantial. It does have its advantages in some cases.

 

[Eggles]

Yeah, but not if you can't see the images you just pasted because they've tuurned into grey boxes.

 

[saffyre98]

Aaaah, but, as long as I save the Pagemaker file before closing the photos out in Photoshop, that doesn't happen.

 

[BionicJohn]

It never ceases to amaze me the many and varied ways people use to get graphics into PM.

Seconded.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.