'Embed PDF & EPS Files' is permanently greyed out?

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richardgriffin

I'm using Scribus 1.5.8;  in the "Save as PDF" dialog (General tab), the "Embed PDF & EPS files (EXPERIMENTAL)" option and its check-box seem to be permanently greyed out.

Using Scribus 1.5.5 a couple of years ago I wrote an 92-page training manual with 35 detailed PDF diagrams which I'd drawn in Inkscape, many of which include raster elements (blurring or opacity-gradients). I added these PDF files to my Scribus document within Image Frames.  In Scribus 1.5.5 this all exported fine, with every part of my lovingly crafted PDF diagrams faithfully reproduced in the final document, and the text in the diagrams searchable too.

My folder even contained a note to myself to use ONLY Scribus 1.5.5 because it was the last version where this "Embed PDF" option worked.  However, today when I came to update my book, I found that 1.5.5 always crashed on load because (I think) Python 2.7 is no longer included on my Mac (nor does it seem to be possible to insert a symlink to a version I could install using MacPorts).

I've tried inserting the PDF file directly into the Scribus document, but this loses the raster elements I described, prevents text-searching, and possibly does something nasty to the colours too.

Any ideas, please?

toyotadesigner

You might try a newer PDF version.

I just dragged and dropped a PDF into a new document and simply generated a new PDF without any additional settings, just PDF 1.6 (Acrobat 7). No problems here with Scribus 1.5.8 on macOS


richardgriffin

Thanks @toyotadesigner for taking an interest in my query.

Unfortunately, your second screenshot shows exactly what my problem is — the option to embed PDF files is greyed out.  I agree, it is tick-able in the Preferences > PDF Export > File Options menu as shown in your first screenshot, but it *is* greyed out in the Save as PDF dialog.

Also, I am specifically dropping the PDF files into Image Frames (which is how this all used to work, but now seems not to), because I don't want all the text to be turned into shapes (and so be un-searchable) and to possibly lose the raster elements too.

It sounds as if I'm asking for a lot, but in fact all I'm asking for is the functionality that we already had working just fine in Scribus 1.5.5, which I don't understand why it has since stopped working (for me?).

Any ideas gratefully received — I can't be the only person with this mission-critical misunderstanding / bug / feature-removal problem?

toyotadesigner

Quote from: richardgriffin on September 10, 2022, 07:56:48 PM
Unfortunately, your second screenshot shows exactly what my problem is — the option to embed PDF files is greyed out.  I agree, it is tick-able in the Preferences > PDF Export > File Options menu as shown in your first screenshot, but it *is* greyed out in the Save as PDF dialog.

I don't know why, but it makes sense, because you can deactivate it in the Preferences.

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Also, I am specifically dropping the PDF files into Image Frames (which is how this all used to work, but now seems not to), because I don't want all the text to be turned into shapes (and so be un-searchable) and to possibly lose the raster elements too.

An image frame is for — tataaahh — images as the name implies. Just drag and drop your PDF onto the page and everything is fine. You can scale it freely on your page if you want.

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It sounds as if I'm asking for a lot, but in fact all I'm asking for is the functionality that we already had working just fine in Scribus 1.5.5, which I don't understand why it has since stopped working (for me?).

My blind guess is, that the developers modified something for future use or a feature they want to implement later.

BTW, I've never experienced this problem, because I never ever drop a PDF into an image frame.


richardgriffin

Quote from: toyotadesigner on September 10, 2022, 09:12:04 PM
I don't know why, but it makes sense, because you can deactivate it in the Preferences.

If that's the case, why can't I *RE*activate it in the Preferences, seeing as I require its use?

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An image frame is for — tataaahh — images as the name implies.

See my attached screenshot.  If you hover your pointer over the tick-box dialog item in question, you'll see that it specifically relates to exporting PDFs in image frames as embedded PDFs — which is exactly what I already did in the previous published versions of my document, and exactly what I sought to continue doing with the same document.

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Just drag and drop your PDF onto the page and everything is fine.

It might be fine for you, but that's only if you don't mind throwing away the carefully crafted PDF input file.  I have twice tried to explain that adding the PDF directly to the Scribus document won't work for my purposes, because I need the text to remain searchable.  If you import the PDF into Scribus (by dragging and dropping), it gets re-interpreted by Scribus.  All textual data are lost, rasters may be lost, colours may be altered... none of which is wanted in this case.


toyotadesigner

If you don't want to print your »carefully crafted PDF input file«, just don't import it. Simple as that.
Option: Rebuild your super-duper input form in Scribus, it shouldn't be too hard.

Read the label carefully: It says EXPERIMENTAL, which means the developers are still working on the feature.

If you don't like the status quo, rent an Adobe product or purchase an Affinity product.

Other than that, I can't help, because I am not a developer or support team member.

richardgriffin

Quote from: toyotadesigner on September 11, 2022, 12:15:17 AM
If you don't want to print your »carefully crafted PDF input file«, just don't import it. Simple as that.
Option: Rebuild your super-duper input form in Scribus, it shouldn't be too hard.

My PDFs are railway track diagrams drawn in Inkscape, for a reference manual for my colleagues who (like me) are train drivers. There are no input forms or anything like that, just Bezier lines, simple shapes and text (labels), with some non-100% opacity where tracks cross one another on bridges.  My reference manual is basically built around my diagrams, so I can't just leave them out.

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Read the label carefully: It says EXPERIMENTAL, which means the developers are still working on the feature.

Oh, indeed. But despite being experimental, it worked fine for my humble needs n v1.5.5 (hundreds of copies of my book were printed)... hence my surprise that it has since stopped working, without any apparent documentation of the fact.

That is why I wonder what I must be doing wrong?  Especially as I can see that other folk *do* have the ability to tick this box in v1.5.8, e.g. https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=16492

a.l.e

hi richard

from what i can judge from here, you seem to be missing a library/tool (ghostscript?)

but, if you want to have vector graphics in your pdf output you have to ways you can experiment with:

- import the PDFs as vectors instead of loading them into image frames
- import SVGs as vectors instead of using PDFs.

you can try both of them and check which one works better for you.

ciao
a.l.e

richardgriffin

Quote from: a.l.e on September 11, 2022, 11:38:11 AM
from what i can judge from here, you seem to be missing a library/tool (ghostscript?)

Thanks a.l.e for this. It certainly sounds like a plausible explanation. But when I've gone to check, ghostscript appears to be present and known about by Scribus (see 2 screenshots, from my command line and from Preferences > External Tools).  Does that look correct to you?

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but, if you want to have vector graphics in your pdf output you have to ways you can experiment with:

- import the PDFs as vectors instead of loading them into image frames
- import SVGs as vectors instead of using PDFs.

Hmm. I did already try both of those, but they each come with stark compromises compared to the "PDF in image frame, embedded and exported" method which used to work.

It does seem to me that getting THAT to work — or even, if it solves matters more simply, being able to run Scribus 1.5.5 on this Monterey Mac — would be the best option.  I couldn't run 1.5.5 when I tried it, as it instantly crashed because I didn't have Python 2.7 any more.  I installed Python 2.7 via MacPorts, but then it's not in the location that Scribus was looking for it, and even with _sudo_ I couldn't install a symlink to it... any workarounds for that?

Cheers,
Richard.