Several basic stuff I cannot do in Scribus... Please help!

[tom]

* Cannot convert a vector thing to bitmap
* Cannot resample/resize images

[rocking]

Does the image display?  Have you tried hitting F3 and then using free scaling to change the size of the image?

[tom]

I can change the size but it does not resample. For example, I imported 300 x 300 pixel image and it is 1 inch square at 300 dpi. Let's say now I want to upscale it to 600 x 600 pixels while staying at 300 dpi. Makes sense?

Another thing:
* When editing a curve's control points, there is no option to smooth/cusp the node.

[Nermander]

As far as I know the only resampling Scribus supports is downsampling during export to PDF. Anything else you will need to do in an external program.

[PatJr]

maybe you could do the graphics work in gimp and inkscape then save them at the dimensions you want
scribus has some tools and filters but is not so good with nitty-gritty graphics editing
 

[tom]

After decades of using Corel, I really wanted to switch to Scribus but, these excuses are killer. It is very interesting that we pro-users know what is exactly needed and the freeware developers are really acting free. 

[tom]

Another thing:
* When editing a curve's control points, there is no option to smooth/cusp the node.

OK, I found they are called "Move Control Points Independently" and "Move Control Points Symmetrical". It's fine except, there are no direct conversion without reshaping the controls by hand. Plus, Move Nodes and Move Control Points as separate controls are making it very hard to edit.

[tom]

OMG! On the nodes panel,

- Mirror Path Horizontally
- Mirror Path Vertically
- Rotate
- Scale
- Shear

are amazingly useless controls.   It's like this is designed by someone who has no idea about how things are really going on.

Hide nodes checkbox is another... Crazy...

[tom]

If you need to build a straight line between 2 nodes. You need to visit the respective control points on each end and do "Reset This Control Point" to straighten the curve. What a pain! Are you doing it like this because you think it is better or you just have no idea?

[tom]

Can't even convert the embedded images to Greyscale, CMYK, or RGB? Sorry, enough pain for last 24 hours messing with Scribus. It's very sad you have wasted 22 years and the application is at this point. I must uninstall now, good luck and very sorry....

[a.l.e]

tom, it would be much more interesting to read your rants, if we had an idea of what you're trying to do.

you're highlighting several things that scribus cannot do or does not do well, but none of them are really features i would try out first, if i were evaluating a DTP package.

since you say that you're used to corel products and corel does not seem to offer a DTP application (i could not find any on their website and i know them for corel draw and wordperfect...), i guess that you're more into the artistic parts of layouts and not doing the boring work scribus is good at.

scribus is probably not the right tool for your tasks, and that's fine.
and it probably also does not have the vibe you're used to.
we're lucky to live in a world where very different software can (still) be used on our computers!
choose the program that fits your needs and taste!

but there is no need to be offensive towards the people who created scribus and those who are trying to explain you what you can expect from it.

have fun
a.l.e

[tom]

No offense, sorry. I'm a DTP professional for 30 years and really wanted to replace Corel with Scribus. It's just a total frustration for me. I appreciate who develops and uses it happily. Obviously, what you and I understand from DTP are totally different things.

Some other people developed free applications to replace Photoshop as well (no, GIMP is not any close to PS as strictly Scribus is not any close to Corel), Photopea succeeded at that point (except CMYK workspace, yet).

Me being offensive won't help you and me in any way but, you being deffensive cannot help you building a better application...

We need:
- Complete color-managed workflow supporting resources with several different color profiles.
- Color profile conversion and resampling of embedded bitmaps.
- A fast and powerful curve tool.
- Overprint preview.
- Customizable base point for objects.
...
I can count forever but anyway...

Peace! I go back to my cave!

[a.l.e]

defensive?

what do you expect for a reply?

yes, tom, you're right.
all our effort were in vain, and we stop developing THE ONLY existing open source DTP package*?
on top of it, the only DTP application that works on open source operating systems!

or would you prefer: we don't have the programming workforce for improving scribus the way we and you would like, but here is the new node editing tool, i quickly programmed for your last night?
it can do everything coreldraw can do and some more.

seriously, there are multiple sides of the medal and, as much the state of scribus often makes me sad, i really think that the world needs scribus.
even in its current shape.

for sure, it won't win a prize for the best DTP software!
not even the second prize.
(it probably will get in the top ten, but only because it's likely that there are not 10 DTP packages around)
but we need it.


finally, i can definitively tell you that scribus cannot replace the corel tools you're using.
don't even try!
you might get closer to a solution if you mix gimp, inkscape, krita, libreoffice and scribus.
but scribus alone will for sure not make you happy.

my last word for today?

if you want to know how things can be done with scribus, you're welcome to ask.
if you want to suggest how scribus should work, you're welcome to write down detailed proposals.
if you want to vent your frustration, that's also ok. but, please keep it decent.
if you want to document, what kind of work you wanted to do with scribus and were not able to do with scribus, that's perfect: but at least share the artworks you were trying to replicate.
and if you are just disgusted and don't want to touch scribus anymore, that's sad, but als also ok.
nobody says that you need to use it or like it.

greetings to the cave
a.l.e


* to be honest, there is a second open source DTP tool... created by tom for tom and -- probably -- only used by tom... while it's one of the coolest pieces of software i have ever seen, i cannot count it as an alternative to scribus. (for the curious ones it's https://laidout.org ... and it might still support the usage of two mouses, one in each hand.)

[tom]

if you want to know how things can be done with scribus, you're welcome to ask.

OK, I will try to be clear without tons of complaints.

Let's check this everyday example...
Subject: There is a poor bitmap logo (sent by client) and you typically need to vectorize it by hand.
Steps:
1) Bring the bitmap logo on the page. (works fine)
2) Decrease transparency as much as needed. (works fine)
3) Lock the bitmap image so you can comfortably work on it. (works fine)
4) Pick Bezier and start working on it. (works nice except why do I have snapping? -CASE A-)
5) Switch to wireframe view to precisely draw your curve. (oops... the bitmap became invisible -CASE B-)

Suggestion?

[RodneyLee]

I can change the size but it does not resample. For example, I imported 300 x 300 pixel image and it is 1 inch square at 300 dpi. Let's say now I want to upscale it to 600 x 600 pixels while staying at 300 dpi. Makes sense?

I think it's pretty easy to resample an image in Scribus