Problem reading mif file into Trados (mif=Adobe Frame Maker) Error StartIndex cannot be less than zero.
Parameter name: startIndex

Question

Hello Everyone: 
 I am trying to read a .mif file (an Adobe Frame Maker fie) and I get this weird error 
 StartIndex cannot be less than zero. Parameter name: startIndex and the file is not included in Studio 2014, Same thing with Studio 2015. 
 I can read the file fine with Adobe Frame Maker 10 ( i have not tried with the 2015 Version (too expensive). 
 I searched the knowledge base and I get: 
 KB #5400 Error message after translating an HTML file in Studio, this seems to relate of occurrence of this error when saving an HTML file from Studio, does not seem relevant. 
 I have also checked all articles about cumulative updates about Studio and Frame Maker without success. 
 Please Help, my deadline is short and the project is over 80,000 words. 
 Thanks Guys 
 Ivan

Ivan Bertrand · Accepted Answer

Hi Paul, thanks for getting back to me. 
I do not think this will be necessary. After a little thinking and some common sense I figured out what was going on. 
This is a user and maintenance documentation for a CNC Machine that is used in the process of constructing various parts of airplanes. 
The final customer sent us a bunch of .FM files. My customer, an agency in North America, was complaining of this error when trying to include the MIF versions of these FM files into Trados 2014. 
I did get Frame Maker and checked out these FM files a little bit. 
When opening some of the FM files, I would get an error pointing out that some files were missing. This is the typical documentation with a lot of illustrations (photos with legends) and what they call tables (Auto Cad files). Apparently all these graphic elements have to be in a specific directory and in the EPS format (encapsulated PostScript I guess). I did not have the files, so I simply ignore all the missing files and saved the files in MIF 10 format and it worked like a charm. With Trados 2014 and Trados 2015. 
Of course I do not have the graphic elements in the files yet (after checking with the customer, they do not know where they are) but this is not a big deal, we will edit using Frame Maker the graphics that are available in the PDF format of the manuals. 
Well, it taught me a lesson, when you want to inject a file in Trados, let's make sure you can open it without errors using the native tool, otherwise you will get some strange results. 
To be a little smarter, how would I do to send you a file, I do not see here any attachement tool? 
Thank you Paul anyhow for your help. 
Maybe we could post this in the knowledge Base ? Although it is pretty dumb. 
Let me know. 
Kind Regards 
The dumb user of Frame Maker. 
Ivan

Paul · Answer

Hi Ivan, 
 
I think the first thing to do is validate a couple of things. If you can share the file with me I can see whether I have the same issue in 2014, and can also test this with the latest version of 2015. 
 
Regards 
 
Paul 
pfilkin@sdl.com

Trados Studio > 1. Trados Studio

Problem reading mif file into Trados (mif=Adobe Frame Maker) Error StartIndex cannot be less than zero. Parameter name: startIndex