Screen readable results - even with tables

[Flaxx]

Hi all,

Thanks first for the efforts developing Scribus for quite a while now. However, if this part of the forum is sort of a wish list I like to extend it.

I'm working on a possibility to transfer the usual content of an internal information paper for a NPO (it's a club for elder people) to Scribus. At the moment there are people using MS Word integrating each month between 20 and 48 pages from different sources (which is a pure pain usually). My general template is almost ready, however I don't have no solution transferring tables, being produced with office programs (I'm using LibreOffice) in a way being readable with screen readers used by visually handicapped or even blind members.

My recommendation, as stated above, would be to create tables in something like LibreOffice Calc and export them - as PNG/SVG/etc. - for import into Scribus. There are way more formatting options.

The above mentioned method looks good, but doesn't work - for obvious reasons, of course.

When importing PDF, I didn't find up to now a method formatting the included text in a way not being screwed up. This is true even if I formatted the source to the standard text format being used in Scribus (font and it's size). I even tried to transfer it to SVG including text - with no avail as SVG-import can cause similar trouble as well.

Finally, even if I would like to fulfil the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, all is done on a pure voluntary base having limits regarding the possible efforts.

Any idea or solution i welcome, but most appreciated would be a "perfect" PDF-import or an internal table handling offering more options.

[RodneyLee]

did you try .PNG or .SVG as suggested, if so did it work at all?

My recommendation, as stated above, would be to create tables in something like LibreOffice Calc and export them - as PNG/SVG/etc. - for import into Scribus. There are way more formatting options.

[AdmFubar]

Will this table information be static or have live updates?A script for importing csv data could be implemented, which might be outside your abilities. But not to difficult to implement. How soon is your deadline for completion?.
Details on the amount of information you are looking to fill a table, number of columns and rows?, how many characters per cell? as page size will limit how much information can be displayed on a page.I'm sure there are points that are missing, but it is what i can think of off the top of my head. You know the data amounts better then us. Post a few more details about its characteristics.

[AdmFubar]

Dug around the scripter documentation in scribus. this might be a solution for you. this was in the 1.5.6 version of scribus. check the docs if you are using a different version
[/size]Importing Tables from Calc
Since Scribus's table implementation is rather simple, it may be more convenient to create a table in a dedicated spreadsheet application like OpenOffice.org Calc. Here's a step-by-step instruction for successful table import from Calc:
1. Create your table in either OpenOffice.org Calc: 2. Copy the table items you need in Scribus (i.e., not the whole spreadheet) to the clipboard, create a new OpenOffice.org Draw document, and use Edit > Paste Special > GDI Metafile to insert the table as a vector file into Draw:

[Flaxx]

did you try .PNG or .SVG as suggested, if so did it work at all?

My recommendation, as stated above, would be to create tables in something like LibreOffice Calc and export them - as PNG/SVG/etc. - for import into Scribus. There are way more formatting options.

Yes, it worked - until I discussed our newspaper with a blind member of our club. It is obvious that their helper-devices can't decipher any kind of pictures.

[Flaxx]

Will this table information be static or have live updates?A script for importing csv data could be implemented, which might be outside your abilities. But not to difficult to implement. How soon is your deadline for completion?.
Details on the amount of information you are looking to fill a table, number of columns and rows?, how many characters per cell? as page size will limit how much information can be displayed on a page.I'm sure there are points that are missing, but it is what i can think of off the top of my head. You know the data amounts better then us. Post a few more details about its characteristics.

The need of updates could be each month, but rather three or four times a year.
Regarding the deadline: The average age of our members is well in the seventies. Those who are formatting our newspaper are all over 80! They are are still keen doing their "job" as long as possible. However my plans are jumping in with members who are a bit younger and so we are learning Scribus as backup that could be necessary anytime - tomorrow or in a couple of years (we don't know).

I could even produce a patchwork from different sources (the table direct from LibreOffice), but I would prefer a solid solution done via scribus.

[Flaxx]

Will this table information be static or have live updates?A script for importing csv data could be implemented, which might be outside your abilities. But not to difficult to implement. How soon is your deadline for completion?.
Details on the amount of information you are looking to fill a table, number of columns and rows?, how many characters per cell? as page size will limit how much information can be displayed on a page.I'm sure there are points that are missing, but it is what i can think of off the top of my head. You know the data amounts better then us. Post a few more details about its characteristics.

Okay, having now a bit more time, I'll try to explain a bit my desire:

• Screen readable in this context means a device interpreting screen contents for people with reduced sight (or blind), thus no pictures
• You're right, writing a script myself in order to import a CSV in Scribus is beyond my momentary ability
• The table (at the moment) has 4 columns (3 columns 4.75 cm each, 1 having 2.25 cm
• one header line plus 31 table rows containing about 56 lines of text (max. 2 lines per cell), visible grid
• Font type: 10p "Liberation Serif"
• Two columns are left, one is right aligned and one is centred (if this could be done after importing a CSV - fine!)
• The vertical alignment is centred

Of course we could construct such a table cell by cell, but this would be a real pain in the back. I would like this this to be done as easy as possible. Most of our members are beginners who joined the club in order to learn how to deal with all kind of PC and mobile devices and there is only a minority having the ability (and the will) to help. It is hard enough convincing people being used to office applications to even try DTP-methods in order to produce printed media.Tying this for people in their best retirement age...