[Flex] FastLane update

[Diane Pencola]

Hi all,

I'd have to agree with Claire.  Now that we all are up to speed with PDF
conversion, I think we should stick with it.  This way we can ensure that
all formatting is carried through.

Diane

Claire Reid wrote:

> Message from FastLane below...
>     Somehow, I think, that if we have got the PDF conversion working, we
> should stick with it.  "Better the devil you know...  "  However, the
> choice, evidently, is now yours.
>
> Good luck,
> Claire
>
> FastLane Users,
>
> FastLane is now accepting file uploads in a variety of formats including
>
> Word, WordPerfect, PostScript, plain text, RTF, EPS, PowerPoint, DVI and
> TeX
> (MiKTeX 1.20e) within FastLane Proposal Preparation sections.   Over
> 1000
> files were converted by users this weekend.
>
> Most of these were converted to PDF (for NSF use) without errors.
> However,
> given the large numbers of files uploaded to FastLane in a given year
> (over
> 200,000/year at our present rate), we anticipate that there will be
> various
> possible combinations that will not work properly.  As problems are
> identified, we will correct them or let users know how to avoid them.
> It is
> recommended that PIs continue to use standard fonts to avoid font
> substitutions when their files are converted to Acrobat 3 PDF format.
> Users
> will be shown the PDF file resulting from their original file and they
> will
> need to accept the results before the file is stored in FastLane.
>
> A few viruses were uploaded with Word files on Friday evening and, while
>
> detected by our software, they required manual intervention to clear the
>
> system.  This is no longer necessary.   Another incident occurred this
> weekend when a PI uploaded a file that produced a 30,000 page PostScript
>
> file.  This also required manual intervention, at present.
>
> PDF files will continue to be accepted if properly created (e.g. the
> file is
> in Acrobat 3 format (PDF Version 1.2), PDFWriter was not used to create
> the
> file and that all fonts are embedded).  The restriction against
> PDFWriter
> files is active and necessary since these files do not combine properly
> with
> other PDF files.    FastLane is evaluating software that may reduce the
> known problems of combining together Acrobat 3 and Acrobat 4 files.  If
> successful, this may allow the PDF version restriction to be eliminated.
>
> FastLane is still exploring options for robust checking, in batch mode,
> for
> font embedding in uploaded PDF files.
>
> --Craig Robinson, NSF
>
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