Drop shadow and others

[ali2013]

Hi, it is the first time I am using Scribus and I have some questions which are as follows:

1/ When I open Scribus, I see there is a drop shadow on the canvas/page, how to remove it? It's annoying!

2/ How to create page based on pixels and inches once startup? I saw "point" is default and I do not see any place where I can change.

3/ Suppose I want to use a background on the page, how to do that? I may use more than one page with the same background. The background should cover the page fully, without affecting the margin.

4/ When adding image frame, I don't see any place to make the image fits in the size of the frame. I mean stretch. Can you show me?

Thank!

[GarryP]

I'll take your questions one by one:

(1) Go to "Preferences" (on OS X you get it from the "Scribus" menu, on Windows it's from the "File" menu) then select "Display" from the list on the left of the window (you might have to scroll down). You'll then get various options and one of them will be "Show Page Shadow", just uncheck it. (Note that you can't get this option from the "Document Setup" menu item, just the "Preferences" menu item.)

(2) You can't create a document based on pixels but you can use inches (or other units). When creating a document set a different "Default Unit" in the options box of the "New Document" window. Alternatively, you can use the drop-down box on the far left of the bottom status bar of the main Scribus window to change the unit type while you are editing a document.

(3) For page backgrounds use Master Pages. Go to "Edit -> Master Pages" to see them. The Scribus help system will give you information on how to use them. (Way to much info to put here.)

(4) To make an image fit a frame, when you've put the image in the frame right-click the frame and select "Adjust Image to Frame". You can then right-click and select "Adjust Frame to Image" to then make the frame fit the image, if you wish. Or, for more control, use the "Image" section of the "Properties" palette (PF2 to get that palette).

I hope this has been of some help.

Garry.

[ali2013]

I did everything according to your instructions and all went OK. Thank. However, for the background matter, you said to convert the page to Master page, but how to add the background first do that I can make it master page?

[GarryP]

I'm happy to assist.

You don't need to convert pages to master pages unless you've got a page you want to use as a master page. I'll try and explain that a bit better.

Basically it's easier to think of master pages as "page backgrounds". You can put whatever you want on a master page - in exactly the same way as you would any other page - then you can "apply" the master page ("Page -> Apply Master Page...") to any other normal document pages. When you apply a master page to a normal page you are telling Scribus to use that master page as a background to the normal page.

Having said that, if you've already got a page arranged as how you want a background to be then use menu "Page -> Convert to Master Page..." to make that page into a master page which can then be applied to other pages as a background.

If you go to "Edit -> Master Pages..." you can change the master pages as required. You can also add new master pages but you don't have to use all the master pages you create. The things on a master page will only be seen in a document if that master page is applied to a normal page. Unused master pages just sit there doing nothing and don't affect the document.

Any change to a master page will be automatically "pushed" to any page which uses that master page as a background. (To stop editing the master pages you need to close the "Edit Master Pages" dialog. It took me a while to figure that out as I was looking for a "Close/Stop/Back" button.)

I hope that makes sense. It sounds a bit complicated but once you grasp the basic idea it becomes second nature. Just think "page background" whenever you see the words "master page" and you'll be fine.

If you go to menu "Help -> Scribus Manual..." and search for "Master Page" you'll get more information. It might be best to start with "Working with Master Pages" first.