Integrating 3DVIA Composer Images into Microsoft Word
| 3DVIA Composer is a middle-man, plain and simple. Composer utilizes 3D CAD data to generate both pre- and post-production images that will allow Technical Publishers to generate owner’s manuals, spec sheets, instructional material, or whatever while the designers are still designing. The power behind 3DVIA Composer is its ability to integrate output into the final publication programs, such as Microsoft Word, especially as that output updates. |  |
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As usual, you’ll start by opening your fileset in 3DVIA Composer, manipulating actors and creating views, and finally saving your output (.jpg, .bmp, .tif, or .png) through the High Resolution Image workshop. You may save multiple views by selecting the “Multiple” tab and enabling the “Views” option. The integration may now begin!! |
| I will outline the process first for MS Word 2007 then highlight the differences for Word 2010. The first step is to insert a picture into your Word Document, nothing out of the ordinary yet. |  |
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The important step in integrating your 3DVIA Composer output into Word is to ensure that you choose to “Link to File” before hitting the “Insert” button. |
| The inserted and linked picture will look just like any other picture, only it has a hidden agenda. That agenda is to continue looking at the file you inserted and to update when you change it. |  |
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To update the picture is nearly as easy. Again, the update will begin in 3DVIA Composer after the designers have settled on their final designs (I’m certain that your patience with the designers will be greatly appreciated). Open the .SMG file you’ve already generated and used to produce the output for the initial design document. Choose File > Update > 3DVIA Composer Document > select the updated CAD data > watch and wait while the updated actors and all views are updated! (You may need to click the “Redraw All Views” brush button) Don’t forget to save your updated file! |
| Now to begin the magic!! Once again, open the High Resolution Image workshop and resave your views by overwriting your original output files. The key here is that you overwrite the original output files with the new output files, and they need to remain in the same folder that you inserted them into your Word document. Enabling the views option again will speed this process. |
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The process is similar in Word 2010 except they hid the “Edit Links to Files” button. Refer to the big red arrow pointing to the hidden button. |
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The following screen shots highlight the settings (both 2007 and 2010) for controlling inserted picture placement and linked picture updates. |
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Now, Publish away!
