Dynamic date

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Davoody

Hello ALL,

As a novice user, I wonder how I can insert a dynamic date onto a frame? I have a python script for the date-stamp!

Greatly appreciate any help, or direction in Tutorial, etc.
--DB

GarryP

You might like to read http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Date_Setting_by_Script and http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Automagically_add_Date_to_a_Document_with_a_Render_Frame which give two different ways of adding a date. I don't use render frames or scripts so I couldn't say how informative/useful either article is.

I don't know how you are with compiling your own software but in Scribus 1.5.0svn (currently being developed) you can use Variable Text marks to achieve this sort of thing without scripts. However, you have to manually change the date as required (at present).

A feature request http://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=9429 was created some time ago that deals with this kind of thing and hopefully it's "on someone's radar" for inclusion in 1.5.0 when it comes out.

In the meantime I hope you get some help with what you need now.

Davoody

Thank you, Garry.

I tried the first (Script) – not working and will try to troubleshoot! I may have my (scripter) pointers mixed, even though python is working OK!

"Render Frame" seemed easy, yet generated following error (when I placed the frame on a doc):
The application "pdflatex –interaction nonstopmode" failed to start. Please check the path:

I wonder if anyone would know how to fix the error generated using Render Frame? Where's the pdflatex located / inserted?

GarryP

DB, in order to get render frames working you have to have a renderer installed on your system.

Go to Scribus "Preferences -> External Tools" to see the list of possibilities - LaTeX, Gnuplot etc.

Installing any of these tools will depend on your OS and which one you want to use.

If you want to use LaTeX (which the wiki example uses) on OSX I can recommend BasicTeX (see http://forums.scribus.net/index.php/topic,668.0.html). It's a cut-down version of the full LaTeX and seems to work well with Scribus.

However, you may already have LaTeX installed but your "paths" aren't set-up correctly.

On OSX you can use something like muCommander - http://www.mucommander.com/ - to find where the pdflatex executable/link is. (Finder won't do it, unless you've set various hidden options.) Then you can add this path to the Scribus pdflatex command (in the External Tools section).

On other OSes maybe someone else reading this can help. (Unfortunately the wiki isn't particularly extensive when it comes to explaining this but there must be so many OS/Renderer combinations that it'll be near to impossible to get a comprehensive list, not to mention keeping it up-to-date with every addition/change.) If you give your system details it will help someone to help you.

Anyway, good luck.

Davoody

Thanks Garry.

After posting I realized your direction, got the TeX Live and have it working (on Win 7). I shall add that this version of Tex has a poor set of fonts (or at least I haven't got to that point yet!). I will try the same on Win-XP and Ubuntu as well (I've got to have the best available!)

On this subject, I wonder if you or someone could direct me on having a dynamic-pick from a table of a database (MySQL, Oracle, or even MS-SQL!)

You have been very helpful, Garry. Thank you.

GarryP

You're welcome DB. I'm glad to help.

Unfortunately I can't help with the database pick thing. (I don't know whether it would be best if you started a new separate topic explaining what you are trying to do. It's up to you of course.)

However, I do have an extra something you might want to consider regarding the render frames.

The default rendering DPI (in "External Tools") is set to 72, which isn't very high (for example, Scribus, by default, warns when image DPI is below 144).

The help files say that this is because of performance reasons but also acknowledge that it isn't good enough for professional printing. So you might want to look at this depending on where your output is going.

Davoody

Your rendering suggestion definitely helps. However, I only have 4 font-faces (Computer Modern, Concrete, Helvetica -sf, and Courier -tt)! How can I add more fonts? Even though I think the Tex Live includes many font-faces, I cannot see where to enable them! Any hint?

Per database read / write, I will follow your advice and post a note on forum. Appreciate ALL your help.

GarryP

Sorry, but I don't know enough about TeX to troubleshoot problems.
I'm sure you'll be able to get loads of suggestions through a search engine though.