Going backwards in the functionality of Scribus. Seriously???

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judgedredd

Pretty pissed off at those behind Scribus.

Here I am trying to help someone use Scribus 1.4.0 rc6 while I am using 1.3.3.14 and its like night and day.

The opposite way to what one would think.

And what would one think??? Hmmmmm???? That 1.4 is better?? That 1.4 is easier to use????

Oh noooooo! The opposite is actually true.

One example!!!!

In 1.3.314 one can edit the styles of text within the story editor. Where it should be accessible. And where it logically should be done from, although even there it is clunky to do.

In 1.4.0 rc6, Hahahahaha! Where is the edit style section? No where to be found. At least not in the Story Editor area where it is actually used!!. Why, you have to click out of this window by exiting and saving your work, or exiting without saving your work. Then you go to 'Edit' > 'Styles' in the menu bar. There you have a great, confusing, selection, of styles to edit or choose from. Can you create New styles the way you could in 1.3.3.14? Nooooooo. It does not say 'Edit Styles ...' anymore. You actually seem to have have LESS options than you did before. Way to go!!!!!

What moron decided to create more work for us poor users?

One helluva interface designer you have (NOT). Who would have thunk it? A newer version worse than the previous one.

Even the color management section needs a science degree to understand. Instead of being able to choose ALL possible colors (the old version had a scrollable menu where you had hundreds of colors to choose from for backgrounds or fonts) you can only choose colors within their own groups. Yeuch.

Need to scratch 5 hours of an international phone call with someone in Arkansas and wait for him to go and get the older version from a friend up the road (he has no internet and NEVER intends to get it either), install it and start from scratch.

No wonder people use programs like Quark Express, etc. Downgrading??? Who would have thought!!!! Yippee!

Nermander

The story editor access to styles was removed due to some bug if I don't remember wrong.

As for colors, since Scribus can use both RGB and CMYK colors, having ALL colors in the list would give 255^5 (that is like 1078 billion) colors to chose from...

The idea with colors is that you can create your own, give them what names you want. The supplied palettes are example palettes, and you can import colors from them.

a.l.e

you can still access the style editing when in the story editor!

just use the main menu "edit >  styles"!
it's *always* available!

but, basically, for most types of work you should be able to type, edit and format your text in the frame itself. there are much more features in the the text tab of the properties palette than you have ever dreamed off while working in the story editor!
and it's wysiwig!

the story editor was (and is) there to compensate for scribus slowness and was not meant as the main tool to work in scribus. today, scribus is much faster and most people shouldn't really need it any more.

also, you still can get the old stable from scribus official download page
http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Download (you just have to click on the big "download" link on scribus main page!)
no need to call somebody in arkansas for it!

concerning the colors: you can always choose to show bigger palettes palttes... but, as you can guess from nermander words, most people working with scribus can't choose the color they're using, since they're defined by their client!
the old default list was very disturbing for them.

all in all: glad that you like scribus 1.3.3.14. nobody, will forbid you, to use it forever... you can even clone the repository and start your own program based on it! all for free!

next time, just ask the right guys, and forget about your friend in arkansas!

scribus will have to further improve, no doubt!  but i don't think that you've spot the real problems in scribus...

ciao
a.l.e

judgedredd

Thanks for the response and being patient with me.

Got what you are saying but it does puzzle me when such good features as the scrollable color menu disappears and is replaced by something that I can't use.

I've actually installed QuarkXpress from a friend and have seen for myself why it is so expensive. Very intuitive and easy to use.

As to your comment about the 'real problems in scribus' how about the fact that when you click on the 'insert text frame' icon and create one text frame the cursor 'loses' the ability to draw another text frame and you have to click on the icon again to do so? With QE, the cursor stays active with the type of frame you last used until you choose something else to draw/insert.

I've actually gone back to the 1.3.3.14 version of scribus. 1.4x  is too unintuitive and more difficult to use in the color area.

I did figure out in the end that whatever one has on the page can be edited without going into the story editor but by doing it through the properties box/window. You can improve on this box too if you look at the QE one.

I don't remember this window being up by default. Maybe that is something that can be changed in the config file for setup/install.

As to the having to go to the menu and Edit> Style this should be accessible through the properties box or right click menu via the mouse (and default keyboard shortcuts).

Sorry about the first belligerent post but I have had my fill of software changing from one version to the next.

utnik

...
sorry, took the wrong menu entry – was too tired → deleted...

utnik

judgedredd

I just tried that and it didn't do what I expected it to do (staying active after clicking on the 'insert  .... frame' icon and creating a frame). It went back to the arrow/cursor.

Meho R.

Quote from: judgedredd on January 29, 2012, 01:58:21 AM
I just tried that and it didn't do what I expected it to do (staying active after clicking on the 'insert  .... frame' icon and creating a frame). It went back to the arrow/cursor.

Insert > Sticky Tools?

judgedredd


John_Jason_Jordan

Quote from: judgedredd on January 29, 2012, 12:41:34 PMI don't have that option under 1.3.3.14.

Well, there's part of the problem. Version 1.3.3.14 is very old and no longer being maintained. The current stable version is 1.4.0, which adds a lot of functionality.
Linguistics on Linux!

judgedredd

Well, I am not upgrading to what I consider a much more complicated program to use. I have Quark Express 9.0 now so I will use that if I run into any problems.

John_Jason_Jordan

Quote from: judgedredd on January 29, 2012, 06:09:48 PM
Well, I am not upgrading to what I consider a much more complicated program to use. I have Quark Express 9.0 now so I will use that if I run into any problems.

OK, now we know for sure you are a troll.
Linguistics on Linux!

judgedredd

Resorting to name calling now are we?

Probably another reason to stay clear of 'free' software.

When individuals like myself write about their experiences they get name called when the post is less than flattering.

Ha. Maybe you are the troll, asshole.

Meho R.

Please stop. This forum has been a nice and quiet place, let it stay that way. Be respectful. Thanks.

Nermander

Quote from: judgedredd on January 29, 2012, 01:26:39 AM
Got what you are saying but it does puzzle me when such good features as the scrollable color menu disappears and is replaced by something that I can't use.

You are missing the point. There has never been "the" scrollable color list. There has always been several different lists to choose from. However the default list has been changed.

You can go into the preferences (with no document open) and change the default list to get the same one as in the 1.3.3-series.

Just start Scribus with no document open and go to Edit -> Colors and you have I think around 100 different color sets to chose from.

a.l.e

hi judgedredd

if you want to insert a bunch of text frames, the lazy but not so efficient way is to enable the sticky tools... as you already have been told.

the good way to do it is to learn that the escape key takes you out of the edit modus and the "t" key starts the text frame insert modus...

the day that you will discover the guidelines and the fact that shift-clicking in an area delimited by guides (and margins) creates a frame filling the area itself, you will start being proficient with scribus.

this same steps probably apply to quark and other DTP programs, too.

the part where you are right is that scribus is not as easy to use and learn as it could be. but this does not matter as much as you think: with DTP software it's in your interest to really know how to use the program and its paradigms. and this applies to any DTP package you my be using using (except maybe with MS Publisher... since it seems to be missing all the advanced features which would make a real difference against simply using word...).

if you don't want to invest the time to learn how to work in DTP, well, you're probably better off if you use an office package to do your work.

ciao
a.l.e

ps.: ah, and don't forget to pay for the quark express license! it's not free, even if a friend handed it to you!