Quickly convert text box to image?

[mango]

In my large writer file, i have several hundred text boxes (in frames). I am trying to convert the document to an epub with lulu.com and it says it cannot accept text boxes. the solution is to convert them all to images. This seems like a daunting task. Is there any quick way to get this done… somehow automated? The text boxes are a crucial part of the book…

[oweng]

When you say “text boxes (in frames)” I am not clear what you mean. You will need to more clearly indicate the type of content (text or image or both) enclosed and the method by which you inserted the content. By way of example, here are some of the more common options. In v4.1.0.4 inserting a frame (Insert > Frame…) results in a text box element within a frame element:

<draw:frame draw:style-name="fr1" draw:name="Frame1" text:anchor-type="paragraph" svg:width="72.00pt" draw:z-index="0">
    <draw:text-box fo:min-height="72.00pt">
        <text:p text:style-name="P1">Here is a frame</text:p>
    </draw:text-box>
</draw:frame>

Inserting a text box (using the T icon on the Drawing toolbar) results in the same sort of element arrangement, but defined differently:

<draw:frame text:anchor-type="paragraph" draw:z-index="0" draw:style-name="gr1" svg:width="72.00pt" svg:height="72.00pt" svg:x="15.00pt" svg:y="15.00pt">
    <draw:text-box>
        <text:p>Here is a text box</text:p>
    </draw:text-box>
</draw:frame>

Inserting a frame and then a text box within the frame, results in a text box, within a frame, within a text box, within a frame, which is rather unnecessary (yet similar to a picture in a frame):

<draw:frame draw:style-name="fr1" draw:name="Frame1" text:anchor-type="paragraph" svg:width="72.00pt" draw:z-index="0">
    <draw:text-box fo:min-height="72.00pt">
        <text:p text:style-name="Frame_20_contents">
            <draw:frame text:anchor-type="paragraph" draw:z-index="1" draw:style-name="gr1" svg:width="36.00pt" svg:height="36.00pt" svg:x="15.00pt" svg:y="15.00pt">
                <draw:text-box>
                    <text:p>Here is a text box within a frame</text:p>
                </draw:text-box>
            </draw:frame>
        </text:p>
    </draw:text-box>
</draw:frame>

Inserting a graphic into a document (Insert > Picture > From File…) results in a <draw:image> element within a frame, but it is clearly not a text box:

<draw:frame draw:style-name="fr1" draw:name="graphics1" text:anchor-type="paragraph" svg:width="72.00pt" svg:height="72.00pt" draw:z-index="0">
    <draw:image xlink:href="Pictures/10000000000002680000033579D2BB49.jpg" xlink:type="simple" xlink:show="embed" xlink:actuate="onLoad"/>
</draw:frame>

Inserting a graphic into a frame results in a <draw:image> element within a frame, within a text box, within a frame:

<draw:frame draw:style-name="fr1" draw:name="Frame1" text:anchor-type="paragraph" svg:width="72.00pt" draw:z-index="0">
    <draw:text-box fo:min-height="72.00pt">
        <text:p text:style-name="Frame_20_contents">
            <draw:frame draw:style-name="fr2" draw:name="graphics1" text:anchor-type="paragraph" svg:width="36.00pt" svg:height="36.00pt" draw:z-index="1">
                <draw:image xlink:href="Pictures/10000000000002680000033579D2BB49.jpg" xlink:type="simple" xlink:show="embed" xlink:actuate="onLoad"/>
            </draw:frame>
        </text:p>
    </draw:text-box>
</draw:frame>

I doubt there is a simple way to convert text boxes to images as the containers are designed for different objects. Any possible solution will depend on what you have done with your content.