Been using Scribus for a couple months now I am hitting a wall...

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Killandra81

I really don't know what I am doing wrong. I didn't have so many problems until the last Scribus update.
Now, no matter what file format I try to export to, Scribus cashes- PDF, SVG, even saving as an image. I can save in maybe 3-20 page chunks, but to do the whole file- nope. Sometimes it wont even do a page and crashes.

Pictures where the path was fine then say its a broken path until I shut Scribus down and reopen it.

What I have done to try to fix the problem- went page by page to ensure no errors, virus scan, uninstalled and reinstalled Scribus, uninstalled and reinstalled Ghost Script, I even reinstalled Windows back to factory settings-clean copy.

I am running Windows 8.1 (Hoping to order a new computer this week barring another crisis). 16 Gig Ram. Scribus 1.4.8, document is 257 pages.

I am by no means a tech guru or know programmer, I am on the art side of the computer world, if you'd be so kind to not lay heavy on the technobabble so I can understand, it would be appreciated. I really appreciate any help anyone can offer. I am doing this project on my own time and dime for a nonprofit dear to my heart and we were hopping to wrap this up by next week, but Scribus is really giving me a hard time and I don't get what I am doing wrong especially when everything used to work. :(


a.l.e

i wonder if it's outlining a huge amount of text...
if you have 300 pages, you will need a font that can be embedded in the pdf.

in the case of scribus 1.4, you will need a ttf font. (not an otf one)

you can also try to download scribus 1.5 and open a copy of your current document and see if it works better.

Killandra81

I believe my fonts are, but I will double check and try the 1.5. Thank you, I'll let you know my results.

Killandra81

Unfortunately, Scribus 1.5 won't even load half the time. It keeps crashing.

My fonts are okay.

Scribus 1.4.8 won't export to anything more than 3 pages without crashing. I even tried saving the project as individua pages as a jpeg

a.l.e

can you please share the .sla document?

if you don't want to put it in a public place, you can ask for my email address in a private message.

ciao
a.l.e

Killandra81

Of I could email it, that would be preferable. I really appreciate the help.

a.l.e

i got the document just as text and i could easily create a pdf (it was faster than opening the .sla itself).

of course i was missing the fonts and images.

if you want me to do a full test, i will need to get the full document.
with the images and fonts you're using.

if you want to send me the full project:

- don't send it to me by email: it will be too big!
- launch "file > collect for output", check the inclusion of the fonts and let scribus put all the files in a new dictory.
- zip the directory
- upload it somewhere on the net (if you don't have your own space you can use https://framadrop.org/, google drive or dropbox)
- send me the download link per email or in private message here in the forum.
- again: please, don't send me the zip file per email!!!!

on my side i will send you the pdf without images and the replaced fonts...

ciao
a.l.e

Killandra81

I really appreciate all your help.

I will inbox you the link.

I really cannot thank you enough. I hope you can discover where I goofed so I can learn better for next time.

Killandra81

Or, is there another program anywhere (I havent found anything) that can convert Scribus files?  I even bought a new computer and I am still having the same issues. I haven't moved files, etc and the program all of sudden can't find a photo that it no problems with previously that wasnt moved or edited. Is that normal for the program to just forget paths?

I'm just getting so frustrated. I've been working on it this on my own time and expense for a non-profit close to my heart for months and it just feels like the Scribus universe is working against me at every turn.  I'm assuming since I'm a new user it has to be something I'm doing wrong on my end, but aside a couple photos being low dpi, there I literally no errors listed.

I get Scribus constantly saying access violations and shutting out, not displaying correctly, and it used to export to PDF just fine, now it will export a few pages and then fail no matter the format I choose- PDF, jpeg, etc.

I'm about to throw in the towel and just tell the non-profit that this isn't happening. It's frustrating. It's all done except for a final look over by the head of the non-profit before I design the spine and covers.  :'(

a.l.e

i got the full project and i could open it.

it took some time but that worked.

i could also produce a pdf from it.
it also took its time -- a few minutes -- but the result seems ok.
i'm uploading the .pdf and will share the link with you later.

it's very likely that the issue on your side is: lack of memory space (most likely RAM, less likely disk space).






concerning the lost paths: no it's not normal... but you should be careful when you move around .sla file and / or the images it uses while working on your documents.
if you put all images in a subdirectory of your project, then you should never have any issues with the links.

from the number of issues you're facing i have a wild guess: the "power" of your computer is too low for the projects you're doing.
you need a "better" computer.
or (if the same projects worked in the past (and you're using windows)) you probably need to get your computer cleaned up.

scribus works  well on "small" computers when you have small projects. for bigger projects you really need good hardware (it does not have to be really high end... but not a cheap one either... i've created the pdf from your document on my xps 13 laptop... it's already a few years old: a good laptop, but it can't have that much power in such a small package : - )

a.l.e

hi killandra

you wrote in a private message, that you have 16 gig of ram (it's also written in this thread) with an intel icore i7 processor.

which is similar or more than what i have.

so the problem is not what is *in* your computer, but what is available to scribus.

for some reasons there are other processes that eat up your RAM (or you have limited the RAM available to scribus) and scribus cannot complete this "huge" task.

from the distance it's hard to say what the real issue can be...
as i wrote, i could create the pdf on my laptop...
(you're getting a new copy, since you were too late for getting the first one...)

ciao
a.l.e

Killandra81

Thank you so much. It's a bran new system, so I haven't really installed or downloaded much on it, but I definitely will take a look if I have any ram eaters. Thank you so much for doing this and explaining things to me.

Hopefully, I can return the favor in the future for another newbie. :)

Killandra81

Quote from: a.l.e on November 25, 2019, 11:15:42 AM
hi killandra

you wrote in a private message, that you have 16 gig of ram (it's also written in this thread) with an intel icore i7 processor.

which is similar or more than what i have.

so the problem is not what is *in* your computer, but what is available to scribus.

for some reasons there are other processes that eat up your RAM (or you have limited the RAM available to scribus) and scribus cannot complete this "huge" task.

from the distance it's hard to say what the real issue can be...
as i wrote, i could create the pdf on my laptop...
(you're getting a new copy, since you were too late for getting the first one...)

ciao
a.l.e

Doing some last minute edits, it still crashes when trying to export to PDF or any other format. It will not do past page 10. I've checked my processes and I have literally Scribus and the operating system running. Everything else is disabled. Scribus either says that it isn't responding or that it is an "access violation". Any further suggestions of what I can do?

mnawij

Hi Killandra81,

Could you screenshot each of the tabs in the pdf export screen, I would like to know which options you are selecting to make the pdf.  Are you exporting from Scribus or are you trying to use a 3rd party pdf creation software/printer driver?  I have used Scribus on a couple of occasions with 100+ page documents, with images and type with no issues.

Cheers!

mnawij

a.l.e

@mnawij i could export the document killandra has sent me.

the document is rather big and it takes some time to process. but nothing really unusual.
everything seems to be fine in the document and export settings.
also, the computer specs seem to be ok for the task.

@killandra81 : what you can do is to shut down your computer and start it again (do not restart) and try to export the file as the first task you do.
sadly, it's typical for windows program to add "starters" that are run when scribus starts and depending on what other programs you have installed, you might have many of them.
if you feel that your computer takes a long time to start, until it is ready for you, then this might be the reason why you have less memory available than you should.
but it's just a wild guess.

at this point, i think you should get the help of a computer supporter.

ciao
a.l.e