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Scribus => Beginner Talk => Topic started by: philosoraptor on January 25, 2014, 11:15:37 AM

Title: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: philosoraptor on January 25, 2014, 11:15:37 AM
I'm beginning to teach myself Scribus and so far I'm impressed one moment and frustrated the next. I believe the latter reflects my own inexperience more than anything else, so hopefully it will subside when I stop making rookie mistakes. I've been trying to create the general layout I want via Master Pages, but either I don't understand them as well as I think I do or they're the wrong tool for the job.

Maybe I should just describe the end result I want, and ask what the best way to get to it is. I'm sure parts of the answer can be found in wiki pages or similar resources that already exist, so feel free to link me to any such resources that you think I may have overlooked if that will save time.

I want a textbook-like layout with the following features. I will be using it across multiple documents (think of them as chapters), so it can't be tied to one particular document.
I know how to do many individual bits of the above, but being new to DTP in general and Scribus in particular, I can't seem to bring it all together.

Also, much simpler question (which may be part of the above anyway) - how do I save a master page so that it appears as an option in all documents I create, not just the one under whose aegis it was created?
Title: Re: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: philosoraptor on January 25, 2014, 09:48:09 PM
To add another detail and maybe give the question a bit more focus:

I tried to set up Master Pages that fit the requirements mentioned in item 1 above, but when I actually add them to a document, the text frames from those master pages are NOT there for me. Instead the entire printable area is set up as one big text frame! If I wanted that, I'd just use the built-in default page, not go to the trouble of setting up my own. Note that "Automatic text frames" was not checked. What was I doing wrong?


Further edit: Also, I guess you can ignore item 5 above. I just found another thread in the Layout forum where someone who seemed to know what they were talking about explicitly said what I describe in 5 can't be done (or rather, can't be automated) in Scribus at present. That's very disappointing but at least now I know, and knowing is half the battle...
Title: Re: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: Nermander on January 25, 2014, 10:58:34 PM
Scribus will NOT add pages automatically, you will have to do that manually (but you can chose to insert a dozen pages at once).

Master Pages works as a background to the page, they are NOT page templates.

Best solution for page templates is to use the scrapbook feature. Place the frames on a page, select the content and "send to scrapbook". Then for each page you add, just double click the item in the scrapbook and the content is inserted on the page.

Linking between frames has be done manually, but you can link frames "as needed" (i.e. drop the content into the first text frame even if it's overflowing, then link to the next and the rest of the content will appear in the next frame). If I recall correct you can also quite easily link several frames in a row (just click them in order when zoomed out so you have multiple pages on screen).
Title: Re: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: philosoraptor on January 26, 2014, 04:15:55 AM
Thanks, that sounds helpful. Seems I need to check out the scrapbook, which I have not come across so far.

I wish there were a way to automate this slightly more - especially given that the main thing I'm trying to do right now is determine what my page count actually is - but this sounds like it will come close enough to not leave me tearing my hair out, at least.
Title: Re: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: Nermander on January 26, 2014, 08:55:08 AM
You can always add a bunch of pages, add frames to them (with a double click in the scrapbook for each page), link the frames (one click per frame) and then when you start seeing empty frames you stop linking and delete the rest of the pages.

I guess you could also write a script for it, but scripting in Scribus is really not for beginners I think. You have to consider the time to write the script.
Title: Re: Best way to create this layout?
Post by: utnik on January 26, 2014, 09:25:14 AM
here's another solution, without the scrapbook:
as with the scrapbook, the frames aren't linked by default – you have to do this manually.