[SOLVED] Making a bilingual book

[Gy1l0om]

Hello there    I've read a few tutorials on the basics but I've yet to find this information.

I'm making bilingual books, with English on left pages and French on right pages.

How can I automate the process of linking text boxes on left pages and text boxes on right pages ? I know how to make it by hand, but we're talking hundreds, thousands of pages accross seven books. I'm sure there's a better way. Is there a script/plugin that does that or a native way I've not yet come accross ?

Thanks a lot in advance    !

[a.l.e]

I've read your question already on Reddit (is it indeed you?) and thought: no, Scribus is not really the right choice for a bilingual book.

The issue is that you cannot synchronize the start of the paragraphs and keep the flow going hand in hand on both sides.

But.

But, now that I read a bit better your question, you're asking something different.

Yes, it is possible to import (or paste) a text that flows on the left pages and one other that flows on the rights ones.

And it's even pretty easy to do so.

• Create a Scribus document with facing pages.
• Create the first pages, up to the first two where you want the translated text to start (I have created three of them: a cover page and two pages for the facing translations).
• Create a frame on each of the two pages where the translation starts.
• Paste (or load) your English text in the frame on the left page and your French text in the one on the right side.
• Create n double pages where you want your text to flow into (I've created five of them): If it's not the right number, you can later add more pages in the same way or delete the ones which are left empty.
• Click on the frame on the left side and start "Item > Duplicate/Transform > Multiple Duplicate".
• Activate the "By page" tab.
• Select "Following Even Pages" and check the box for "Link Text Frames"
• Do the same for the right page and the odd following ones.

Now, you have your text and you can add spaces or even try to split the frame inside of a page to manually synchronize the start of the paragraphs / sections / chapters (whatever you want to synchronize...)

[Gy1l0om]

That was indeed me on reddit, so thank you one more time (also, hello fellow Swiss person) 

My post on reddit clearly wasn't accurate enough, but what you're describing now seems perfect for my needs ! Many thanks, I'll get to work now.