Many writers include images when producing documents using Adobe FrameMaker. Most writers typically insert images into Adobe FrameMaker source documents in one of the following ways:

If you copy an image into an Adobe FrameMaker source document, Adobe FrameMaker copies, or embeds, the image in the Adobe FrameMaker source document, and the image becomes a part of the document.

If you import an image by reference in Adobe FrameMaker source documents, Adobe FrameMaker creates a link to the image and displays the image in the Adobe FrameMaker source document. The link becomes a part of the document, but the actual image file is not inserted into the document, although the actual image files is displayed in the document. If you update the image file referenced by the link, Adobe FrameMaker displays the updated image referenced by the link automatically.

There are benefits and drawbacks to copying images directly into Adobe FrameMaker source documents and importing images by reference.

For example, if you copy images into Adobe FrameMaker source documents, you do not have worry about breaking the reference, or link, between the Adobe FrameMaker source documents and the image files. If you import the image by reference into Adobe FrameMaker source documents, you must ensure that you keep the same file structure for the image files in order to not break the references, or links, between the Adobe FrameMaker source document and the image file.

However, importing images by reference in Adobe FrameMaker source documents, rather than copying images into the source documents, provides the following benefits:

When you work with Adobe FrameMaker source documents that you will use to generate output, ensure you follow the guidelines specified by the Stationery designer for the following items:

For more information about image considerations see Defining the Appearance of Images.