WriteRAP Image Library

WriteRAP includes two features for inserting images into a WriteRAP document: Insert Local Image (only available on Windows), and the Image Library. Both these features allow the insertion of an image while retaining the image name in the output, something Word would not naturally do on its own. Note the information box containing the image name that appears in the screenshot below, where the cursor is hovering over the image.

Other than this potentially useful line of code, WriteRAP offers no additional art program management. In addition, all limitations of artwork within Word apply: if your author uses Local Image to include a photo (instead of Word’s Insert Picture from File), the original high-res photo must still be supplied separately.

It is a project decision as to whether or not to use an image library. Some things to consider are:

Positives

• If your extraction was done using BatchXPortPro or BatchXSLT, jpeg files are automatically generated and are available without further conversion.
• Using a low-res image will allow you to editing of captions in context.
• For technical books and books relying on screen shots, the availability of the art can be crucial to the authoring/editing process.
• The author can mark broad changes to art within the WriteRAP manuscript. However, detailed art development is still probably best handled with a separate art manuscript.

Cautions

• A lot of art will increase file size. There is still a risk of server error, document corruption and slow upload/download times if files become ungainly.
• For the foreseeable future, WriteRAP neither helps nor hurts art program management. It is not currently integrated with other systems, and the timing of manuscript development in WriteRAP often does not coincide with art program development.