Importing .docx or .pages files in Scribus 1.4.6?

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utnik

Quote from: CGood on March 13, 2017, 05:44:27 PM
Might templates or scrapbook items be more useful and intuitive here?

that's hard to tell – maybe you should play with all the options...
i use own templates, multiple copies of pages, page import from other .sla files, scrapbook items and different master pages – each of them when i think it's the best for a specific task.

utnik

JohnJR

Hi Folks,

Dammit, or be damned, One of my own issues above resolved itself, but I was too impatient or slow to realize it happened.  Fully justifying the body text frame from the first of those pages, I just noted, did carry itself throughout the entire rest of the document.  Sometimes I wonder how you guys put up with me.  Hopefully I'm of some use to others equally challenged.  If it helps I'm a user who left middle-age behind me several decades ago with decreasing regrets and just returned to childhood.  Its safer there.  Right now I should go back-in and construct a profile.

I might try going back into that first body text frame highlight all the text (paragraphs), and manually reformat the indention tab-thing  there and see if it applies re-indents to the rest of the manuscript like the justification flowed from there.

I still have a question about Master Pages.  I created my pair of mirrored (double) Master Pages (?) in New Document and just applied that pair 27 times (56 pages minus the original pair equals 54 divided by two equals 27 pairs).  I didn't save this one as a template that I know of since saving to Own Templates had gotten so clogged up with fits and starts.  All three of my text frames were created at that point equally, but only the margin-sized one activates, the other two--text frames, not headers--just sit there outlined in grey no matter how many times I click on them, let alone entering stuff into them.

Thanks again,

utnik

hi john

Quote from: JohnJR on March 13, 2017, 08:51:17 PMI still have a question about Master Pages...

...All three of my text frames were created at that point equally, but only the margin-sized one activates, the other two--text frames, not headers--just sit there outlined in grey no matter how many times I click on them, let alone entering stuff into them.

i can repeat it as a prayer wheel:

Quote from: utnik on March 11, 2017, 01:01:56 AM
QuoteI have both a page-number text frame and a chapter text frame both in the header.  They show as gray (un-selected) boxes in the document.  And they seem to stay that way...

you can't edit master page objects on the document pages.

Quote from: utnik on March 13, 2017, 06:06:37 AM
QuoteThere might be something about Master Pages I don't understand. When I set up this document I created a set (double) of mirrored pages and constructed three text frames...

as i said before, you can't edit master page objects in the individual document pages!

for the margin sized frame: i suspect you generated an automatic text frame while creating the file. there may be another frame of the same size on the master page. (i don't have the time to check your file at the moment...)

utnik

JohnJR

Hi Utnik,

I finally got it.  The root cause was not really having a clear understanding that the whole document wasn't one big Mater Page pair.  Couple that, then, with a terror of creating new Master Pages just for this header-stuff thinking that it might delete or destroy my original Master Pages.  I see now that all Master Pages can sort of layer on top of other Master Pages, transparently, and any given document page can have more than one Master Page happily applied over it

Given that, with fits and starts, everything became magik-k.  Except for one hex.  I got to the end of my document and found that I had two pages (one sheet) that should be blank.  Instead they had the new header-stuff Master Pages layered on them with their page numbers and header text (in two separate frames).

So Hah, I thought with my new found prowess I can solve this.  I went back in and re-applied my header Master Pages setting to not include the last two pages.  Nothing changed.  So Hah, it's because of the pagination.  I can handle this.  I went back in and changed the page numbering to stop before those two pages, and re-applied the new Master Pages again.  Sure nuf, the page numbers disappeared, but the header text still remains glowing away on those last two pages, otherwise properly blank.  I think somehow the new Master Pages are still applied there in spite of re-applying to exclude them.  I thought one way out of this would be to just delete those two pages and then append them back in using the original Master Pages.  I can find no path to delete the pages themselves however, making the appending part moot. 

Now What?

Thanks,


utnik

hi john

Quote from: JohnJR on March 18, 2017, 01:34:14 AM...I see now that all Master Pages can sort of layer on top of other Master Pages, transparently, and any given document page can have more than one Master Page...

i don't know what you're talking about.
afaik there's no way to apply multiple master pages to the same document page...

utnik

JohnJR

Hi Utnik,

P.S.: I just read your reply after posting this.  Applying two Master Pages to the same document page did seem to solve the problem of header items making it into the document.  However the header text boxes were already formatted (empty) but wouldn't activate (probably as you point out because I added them after initial set-up).  Given that, see below for additional grief.

I hate to complicate your day, but just now I ran into a larger problem related to the post above.  I think they both have something to do with Pages > Apply Master Pages.

This morning my document sat nice and neat on my screen with only the issue above pending.  I wanted to investigate something in Preferences and so I saved and closed the document.  As the document closed, it seems somehow(?) there appeared the same document again underneath it.  I saved and closed that one too (or again).  Suspicious of this process, I re-opened the document and found the same issue posted above still there, but with a new one had interjected itself in as well.

The new Master Pages were applied correctly, however they had re-populated themselves onto other pages where they were not before (or intended) with in-congruent page numbers that assigned even numbers to odd pages and vice-versa, however it did not disrupt the correct numbering system already applied (pp.10-48)  I thought okay I'll just re-apply the new Master Pages again to exclude those pages where they didn't belong.  Nothing changed, they stayed as such.  Just like above.

I did note in the Apply dialog box that after selecting either of the new Master Pages (left or right, even or odd) that the "within page range" would not consistently stay selected.  Also if I typed in the first page to apply "from" and tabbed over to the "to" box and typed in the last page to apply; the first "from" box would change radically.  For example, say, odd pages would have been "from" 11, that number would have morphed into, say, 4 as I typed in the first digit of the "to" destination.  Correcting the "from" box did not alter the "to" entry in this way.  Just now I wonder if this phenomenon might be because the cursor might have highlighted a page somewhere that Scribus automatically assumed was a default start "from".  Might is be a key to the whole root issue?

Anyway when things were finally entered correctly, hitting the Okay button--nothing changed; the old issue in the post above remained and now also this new misapplication remained.  In any event the Apply dialog didn't affect either one.

I can hear you say, "send me the file", so I've attached it herein I hope warts and all.  I wonder though if this might be something inside my iMac or my Scribus download might have been corrupted from the beginning (about three months ago)?

Thanks,



[attachment deleted by admin]

utnik

hi john

you're right – i would have asked for the file, because i don't understand your problems.
but the file doesn't really help; i can't find anything special except the empty (and unusable) textboxes from the master pages.

btw. there are no other master pages than 'normal left'  and 'normal right' and i can't find any page numbers – so i don't understand the following part:

Quote from: JohnJR on March 18, 2017, 01:34:14 AM...with a terror of creating new Master Pages just for this header-stuff thinking that it might delete or destroy my original Master Pages.  I see now that all Master Pages can sort of layer on top of other Master Pages, transparently, and any given document page can have more than one Master Page happily applied over it

Given that, with fits and starts, everything became magik-k.  Except for one hex.  I got to the end of my document and found that I had two pages (one sheet) that should be blank.  Instead they had the new header-stuff Master Pages layered on them with their page numbers and header text (in two separate frames).


Quote...I can find no path to delete the pages themselves...

just try 'page' → 'delete'.

utnik

JohnJR

Hi Utnik,

I checked here and there should be four Master Pages.  The default Normal Left and Right Master Pages I originally used to construct the entire book.  Your assumptions from the beginning that those originals had only the margin-defined text box set up at that point, while I added the header and page number text boxes to those two in Document Set Up later.  When I applied those two Master Pages, only the margin-defined text box would activate, the two header boxes remained mute, just grey outlines.

That is when I thought I was doing the right thing by creating two new Master Pages via Edit > Master Pages.  These two new Master Pages are named "Numbers Left" and "Numbers Right" and are listed as such at my end.  The two new Master Pages were created from the original Normal Left and Right by applying text frames to the two header boxes greyed out on those and adding repetitive text and pagination place holders two those header text boxes.

In that sense maybe they are not stand alone Master Pages in their own right but somehow only derivatives of the two originals.  Could that be why they might not show as Master Pages in there own right--named as such?  And perhaps acting now like such renegades?

After all, I applied these two "Numbers" Pages By defining pagination for them and then what I thought was correct; applying them over the original Pages for the specified pagination and it worked.  I thought the manuscript was done, saved.  But opening it up, originally had only the two pages at the end that just needed deleting.  (Thanks for the tip: Pages > Delete I was highlighting the pages and trying to use my delete-key.  There was na-da I could find in help forums about that simple sequence.)

Upon opening the file for the second time, that is when the rogue new "Numbers" Masters Pages populated themselves where they were never applied to: document pages 3-9 (title page through first chapter page, also note the pagination reverses itself, left odd right even while the text remains correct) with page numbers commencing with 2 and going thru 8.  Beginning with document page 10 (numbered as 2) both header text boxes are applied correctly as specified to document page 48 (page number 40).  As I said, Page > Apply and re-applying the Numbers Pages does nothing to eliminate the initial header wackiness up to document page page 9.

I've saved, closed, and reopened the file enough be fairly confident that the document seems fairly stable and in case something has changed I'm attaching a new zip file again.

Thanks,






[attachment deleted by admin]

utnik

hi john

yes, that's different from the file you uploaded before:

       
  • now there are four master pages – but of course not two of them applied to the same document page, as this is not possible... (three of them are used in the document, 'normal right' is unused so far.)
  • and there are two sections
Quote from: JohnJR on March 22, 2017, 12:37:28 AMYour assumptions from the beginning that those originals had only the margin-defined text box set up at that point

no, these boxes aren't on any master page. when creating a new document, you can tell scribus to apply a chain of linked margin sized text boxes across all pages of the document – independent of the master pages. that's where they went from.

Quote...also note the pagination reverses itself, left odd right even...

again, it's not something scribus does wrong.
you should be more careful when experimenting with functions which are new for you!
in the 'sections' tab of 'document setup' you told scribus to start the numbering in the first section (pages 1-9) with '0' – so scribus does it's job well and marks page 1 as '0', page 2 as '1', page 3 as '2', and so on.
as all the left pages in this section and te first page are based on 'normal left', they don't show any page numbers.
but all the right pages aof the whole document (except the first one) are based on 'number right' and show page numbers based on the counting and formatting scheme you defined in the 'sections' tab.

utnik

JohnJR

Hi Utnik,

So the numbering and header text are setup on/as a new (or should I say additional) pair of master pages, titled "Numbers" (L and R).

Whether I did this correctly or not, in one sense it does seem somehow I did join two sets of master pages: Two Normal's and two Number's to document pages 10-48.  Document Pages 10-48 now appears exactly as intended.  Not knowing any better at the time layering these two sets respectively, L and R, was what I intended to do.  I don't understand, or should I be concerned, why Normal Right is "unused"; it appears as it should with properly formatted text throughout the book.  Maybe I should have named the two new master pages "Header" L an R instead of "Numbers".

Touching on why the wacky numbers show up on document pages 3-9, (I thought all pages had to be accounted for, I was using the zero in "start" to represent none--empty).  With neither header text frame showing then I didn't see that as a concern, the result is what I intended--blank headers.  And initially it stayed that way though a couple of saves and closes.

Out of the blue, on document pages 3-9 the "Numbers" master pages (both header text frames) showed up where they were never applied.  Studying your suggestions, I found the wacky pagination made sense, but why had it suddenly appeared where it was never applied?

The "show" box in Sections had checked itself.  So I'll just un-check "show" again, click Apply and Okay.  They were still there.  I went back into Sections and the "show" box had checked itself again: un-checked again, Apply Okay again; still there again.  It became a loop.  Finally I just deleted the first pagination row in its entirety hoping the remaining row wouldn't jump up and populate document pages 1-9, let alone page 3.  It didn't.  Document pages 10-48 remain as intended.

However only the pagination disappeared (as intended).  The other header text frame still remains with its text visible in document pages 3-9.  Page > Apply Master Pages and re-entering the specified document page range 10,11-47,48 for "Numbers" L and R does nothing to change this for document pages 1-9

You will be relieved to know I did find a solution, unless I didn't find a solution I guess.  I went back into Page > Apply Master Pages and re-applied the Normal L and R pages to the document page range 1-9 and clicked Okay.  The offending header text was gone, greyed out header text frames, and both empty.  Crossing my fingers, I exported the document using the holy grail PDF-x-1a.  The pdf looks perfect, cross your fingers.  Maybe I can stay out of your hair for a while.

I note that on about March 13th the discussion matter veered far from the original subject title (importing .docx etc.) into the world of Master Pages.  Any lessons learned through Master Page fiascos might not show up to other pilgrims searching for similar enlightenment.  Can you--or is there a set procedure for--moving the portion of this thread dealing with Master Pages to a place where it finds more daylight to those experiencing similar Master Page issues?

Thanks,


utnik

hi john

finally you found a solution to deal with your file – that's good.
but you should still learn a lot about master pages, pagination and sections. it looks still like stumbling over one or another easter sgg by accident...
QuoteOut of the blue, on document pages 3-9 the "Numbers" master pages (both header text frames) showed up where they were never applied.

you applied them by accident. (such things happen – even to me. but as i know if an element is on a document or masterpage, i can recognize what happens – and fix it...)
QuoteThe "show" box in Sections had checked itself.

i see! – my dtp work is much less esoteric than yours...
QuoteHowever only the pagination disappeared (as intended).  The other header text frame still remains with its text visible in document pages 3-9.  Page > Apply Master Pages and re-entering the specified document page range 10,11-47,48 for "Numbers" L and R does nothing to change this for document pages 1-9

of course not, as you only reapplied the master pages for the section starting at page 10.
QuoteI went back into Page > Apply Master Pages and re-applied the Normal L and R pages to the document page range 1-9 and clicked Okay.  The offending header text was gone, greyed out header text frames, and both empty.

yes, on your 'normal' master pages you have two empty frames, while on the 'number' pages there's some content...
QuoteCan you--or is there a set procedure for--moving the portion of this thread dealing with Master Pages to a place where it finds more daylight to those experiencing similar Master Page issues?

no, i can't – that's admin business.
but i don't think, that a lot of scribus users will encounter the same issues anyway...

utnik