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Scribus => PDF Generation => Topic started by: JohnJR on February 04, 2017, 12:46:55 AM

Title: Preflight verifier: Object is not on a page.
Post by: JohnJR on February 04, 2017, 12:46:55 AM
I have encountered a persistent problem when trying to export a book cover.  Export to PDF brings up the Preflight Verifier and the error message "Free Objects" > "Background  Object is not on a Page".  This is Scribus 1.4.6

The only advice I have found suggests that I click on the error message and it will be identified.  I tried both categories above and neither one revealed anything I could identify.  I tried View > 400% and studied the page boundaries as best I could.  I thought an Image Frame I inserted might be a little outside the page by a few pixels, nudged it comfortably back in and saved.  No change in the error message.

Next I thought perhaps I had jimmied the whole background color off-kilter a smidgen, I reset that by Shift-clicking on the color (which all my text or image frames reside inside of) and also verified the x-,y- coordinates in the page using the properties palette and saved.  No change in the error message.

There is an insidious little option box titled Ignore Errors, but I'm nervous about using it as it might open a Pandora's Box, or whatever the male equivalent might be, down the road.

What could be causing this error and what to do?

I thought about resizing the Page up a little and shoving the book cover inside it a little, but that seems dicey, clunky, and I might revisit Pandora down the road again.

Thanks,

Title: Re: Preflight verifier: Object is not on a page.
Post by: utnik on February 04, 2017, 02:18:49 AM
hi john

when you click on the name of your free object in the preflight verifier, it will be selected on the canvas – so you should be able to identifie the problem...

utnik
Title: Re: Preflight verifier: Object is not on a page.
Post by: JohnJR on February 06, 2017, 01:57:45 AM
Hi Utnik,

Thanks for responding.  I think I did both of the steps you suggest.  I did click on both "Free Object" and also "background not on a page"
within the Preflight Verifier and nothing was identified--inside that window.

To be sure I have the terminology correct: Page is the window I created first of all using x-,y- coordinates and started out blank (white), Background is the first "Shape" I created and Shift-clicked to fill with a background color entirely, Image Frame contains the inserted an TIFF photo imported from my desk top and filled to "fit frame size" (visually it might have gotten outside the page coordinates, but was nudged back inside). The Text Frames all reside well inside the colored background and I can't see how they might not be on a Page.

"Objects" are the background color and image text frames that float on top of the Page; there are no Layers I'm aware of unless I have inadvertently done so by inserting the (opaque) Frames on top of the (opaque) background color, underneath.

Since the "Free Object" had the sub-listing as "Background...." beneath it, I clicked that line in the Preflight Verifier and examined the x-, y- coordinates, which match the same as the original Page exactly.  The preflight error messages hadn't changed.

I thought maybe there was an "Object" I created that might be invisible?  I noted your use of the term Canvas, which in this context I haven't found a Scribus definition for, and assumed it meant the, entire, colored "Shape" that fills the, entire, Page that all the other frames sit on top of (in the same Layer).

But with the notion that Objects might be invisible and floating around like space junk, Canvas might really be a term for all the white space with rulers along the top and left side that contains the Page.  I expanded the ruled white space to the limits of my computer screen and to the far right side a colored vertical bar appeared without a frame, just color.  I clicked on it this bar and hit the delete key and the colored bar disappeared.

Immediately I returned to Preflight Verifier and, immediately, zipped thru with flying colors, no problem.  The only explanation I have for the colored bar is that I changed the background color for another one.

Like exasperating knots that have a simple solution, might I suggest that us neophytes be made aware that Canvases are not Pages and rather worrying excessively over the Page they should cast their nets far and wide in search of space junk.

Thanks, without your mention of the word canvas I would still be starring at my Page, infinity fiddling with it.
Title: Re: Preflight verifier: Object is not on a page.
Post by: LudwigF on May 10, 2020, 10:36:50 PM
Hi, since I had the same trouble, and this post was the first reasonable hit in google results, I would like to add one more detail which I needed to solve my issues: When you click on the listed free object line, the object will be selected! But it was outside of my canvas which I could not extend in any direction. But having a selected object you can hit F2 to see the properties window to see its X/Y coordinates. Here I had way off numbers. I changed X/Y to be inside my canvas (according to the rulers), and the object jumped into sight.