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#91
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by a.l.e - October 18, 2025, 02:47:39 PM
Let's start from the end: I will try to create a script for getting images from Wikimedia.

I'm not sure that I personally want to do the work for non free collections, but once the script is there, other can for sure extend it for other sources (or the tool could be flexible enough to be able to use them, after some config).

Second: I plan to work on extending the Style search to also be a tool for applying typographic formatting.
The current idea is that typing one of the keys used for the typographic shortcuts (the arrows, <, >, ...) will start applying that formatting (no more applying of styles until the next time the shift-esc is pressed. Typing any other key will start searching for styles (and no access anymore to the typographic formatting).
By doing this, we could use all the best keys for applying the formatting, without having to fear about the shortcuts being already used for other things.

Here is the ticket for it: https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=17634

Feedback on this plan is welcome (from you or other readers of this forum).

Finally (for now), concerning the wrapping, on top of the work Martin already did, which is still in "review" (https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=1096), I guess that you could also go "the other way round":
you can create a clip path in Gimp (or any other image editor of your choice), use an image format that supports it, and let Scribus use it (it's the last button in the text flow options).
Would that work for you?
#92
Linux / Book creation with scribus
Last post by kroben - October 17, 2025, 07:07:29 PM
I have developed a toolkit, designed to be usable by everyone at a low cost, and therefore the target computer was chosen to be Raspberry Pi, used against an already existing TV. This means that the tool is currently only usable in a Linux environment.
I use it to write user manuals using scribus, for documentation of my projects, which are mainly in the "Home Automation" field. I use Raspberry pi as a control computer in various automation projects.

I have called the tool scibusbook, and it works well, but, it requires at least scribus version 1.6.x, for scribus scripts to work! The tool is built around scripts, and is therefore naturally open source, and works as a wrapper for scribus, to compile an e-book from the components of a book, produced in scribus. Some parts are completely automated, such as generating tables of contents for headings, images and tables, and also generating indexes from inserted index marks in the different chapters. There is also a function to generate a list of inserted TBD marks (To Be Determined), which, however, are not included in the final book.

The tool is a prototype, or "proof of design", to see if it is possible to imitate my previously used "Framemaker-bookfiles", which are far too expensive for private individuals. But before the final scribusbook a cleaning job is needed. For now, the design of templates is done in A4 page format, which requires some change of layout if another page format is chosen.

This all sounds great, but there is one ugly spot.
Generating tables only works partially from scribus scripts.
When the table is generated, from a text frame with inserted text in cvs format, generated from a spreadsheet, with ';' as a separator, all text gets the paragraph style "Default". There doesn't seem to be any way to access the text frame in a table cell from scripter. If the file is opened directly in scribus, after a little fiddling with a pointing device, you can select a cell and open it in "Story Editor", and there the style for the paragraph can be changed, so there is demonstrably a text frame in the cell. My current method is to run an OS command from a script, which, using the stream editor sed, changes the XML code of the sla file directly, which is not an acceptable solution.

If anyone has an idea for a solution to the problem, or just wants to try scribusbook, the manual and tar file for scribusbook can be downloaded from the website:

https://privat.bahnhof.se/wb187803/hygget251001/eng/scribusbook/scribusbook.html

/kroben
#93
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by Solara Maris - October 17, 2025, 12:50:34 PM
Here's a curated list of free and paid clipart libraries that could be integrated with Scribus, especially if the developers were to consider adding native support or integration features.

These services offer professional-grade assets and APIs that could be integrated into Scribus:


Adobe Stock

Format: SVG, EPS, AI, JPG
License: Paid (subscription or per asset)
Integration Potential: High (via API)
Notes: Already integrated with Adobe tools like InDesign



Shutterstock

Format: EPS, JPG, PNG
License: Paid
Integration Potential: High (API available)
Notes: Extensive library, used in many publishing tools.



Freepik

Format: SVG, EPS, AI
License: Free with attribution / Paid for no attribution
Integration Potential: Medium (API available for developers).



Vecteezy

Format: SVG, EPS
License: Free and paid tiers
Integration Potential: Medium
Notes: Offers an API for developers.




Integration Considerations for Scribus Developers

If Scribus developers were to integrate a clipart library, they should consider:

SVG support (already strong in Scribus)
Licensing clarity (preferably public domain or CC0)
API availability (for dynamic search/import)
Offline access or caching (for portability)
User interface for browsing assets (like a plugin or sidebar)
#94
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by Solara Maris - October 17, 2025, 12:42:48 PM
Thank you for priceless tips. Since yesterday we are more skillful.

Firstly If any of our work fits scribus showcase gallery we are happy to send you samples from our books.


Here is our input on your questions

MISSING missing a proper styles properties clone formatting tool: Do you mean that one should be able to copy the formatting of a text snippet and apply it to a different text snippet? A fast way to create a style based on the current text selection would also do?

Yes, similar to MS Word format cloner tool.

We also found a big blocker on our comic strip book as we inserted a soft enter (not full enter) to split the dialogue texts in speech bubbles. While aligning left|center|right seems impossible. It makes sense as it only works on paragraphs.




See the context:





POOR it needs a restyle of text properties: e.g. kerning tool it should be obvious simple.: Is there more to be done, than having shortcuts for kerning?

We have numerous size edits in the bubble speech dialogues. A shortcut like Ctrl+Up/Down/LArrow/RArrow for tasks like font increase, letter tracking/kerning would be a hand wrist paracetamol.
I think this is the feature where QuarkXPress was at its best in the back gold times.


I don't see challenging from developping point of view in term of costs adding these non expensive features.




BUG - applying guidelines in a master will multiple overlap the existing ones: is it this one? https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=7764

Yes!


POOR - wrap editor: What is the wrap editor? Text flow around the contour line? If it's the case, there is a patch hanging for defining a wrapping area around "simple" shapes (https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=1096). Is there more that is urgently needed?

I appologize. The text wrapping works fine (see the screenshot above). It is just that it does not have automatic shape detection and it needs a manual bezier path editing around the figures in a bitmap picture. Here AI could bring power.

VERY POOR - handling of copy paste non european alphabet glyphs etc hebrew letter with niqqud or arabic: none of the developer speaks any non european languages... we need specific examples here...

I work now at a hebrew/greek/arabic alphabet workbook and i have vowel particles (niqqud) in the consonants. I had to copy paste or import hebrew words from word into scribus as typing in scribus with niqqud didn't worked. If need more details then I can try to record to prepare a more complex demo scenario


Better keyboard shortcuts integration: Have you tried the "Action search"? Personally, it covers most of my needs for shortcuts (for commands that I can't or don't want to specify in the shortcuts list)
A dingbats, clipart platform integration (open for contributors paid or free): Do you have an example of such a platform that could be integrated into Scribus?



Action Search is very useful. The same History Tool




I could come with more input if needed.






#95
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by a.l.e - October 16, 2025, 09:30:53 PM
Thanks VERY MUCH for this precious feedback!

First, I have some hints, about things that are actually already there (but sometimes well hidden...):

  • Scribus 1.7.1svn can save in 1.5-1.6 format (and I'm working right now, to making it a bit more comfortable to use...)
  • Lowering the page preview is also a must for bigger documents (improvements are planned, probably also a prompt to lower the preview when the document gets bigger).
  • F12 is Scribus' distraction free mode.
  • If you can't fulfill the Preflight Verifier, you can set in the preferences and in the document settings which checks it will go through (If you can't get it to work to your needs by tweaking them, would you mind sharing a screenshot of the entries that disturb you?)
  • In the current version, there is a Style Search (shift-ESC by default) that works in the same way as the Action Search (ctrl+/): in my eyes, it's a more powerful approach than defining style shortcuts


Things I think that we can make feature requests:

  • It's probably better to give no name to a Scrapbook item, rather than giving a bad name like "Object 1". Personally I'm comfortable with the idea that adding an item to the scrapbook should not ask for a name: a name can then be added in a second step (for those who really want to see one).
  • Adding a filter could be useful, but the fact that we have categories is even more useful.
  • We need to have export and import scrapbook buttons, that let the user copy the scrapbook file to a custom location. (Personally, right now on my computer, Scribus 1.6 and Scribus 1.7 seem to share the same Scrapbook file... which is also a bit weird.)
  • Keyboard shortcuts integration for font handling (size, kerning, spacing, lead etc.): I plan to integrate them into the "Style Search" (or create a further dialog that captures the keys and allows to adjust the typographic formatting with simple key presses).
  • A floatable toolbar (similar to the one in Quark) where I could customize the most useful features: There are concrete plans to add a toolbar for launching scripts, it could be extended to make it possible to write tiny scripts that trigger simple commands!

Things that won't change that fast:

  • Tables in Scribus are bad. Martin wanted to tackle this, but I'm not sure it will be done before the next stable 1.8 is out.
  • What is symbols palette useful for? Good question... but we would need a new concept and I don't think that anybody who is currently coding for Scribus is really using it...
  • A plugin platform (open for contributors paid or free): Theoretically, Scribus does support plugins. But in practice the cannot be used for tweaking Scribus to the user's needs. Personally, I'd prefer to push for improving the scripting (which allow to even better improve Scribus with Python scripts): some bits already landed into Scribus and several people are contributing to a better coverage of Scribus functions. (It's likely that you don't see such a big difference between plugins and scripts... I can explain more about it, if it's wished)

Things where I have further questions:

  • MISSING missing a proper styles properties clone formatting tool: Do you mean that one should be able to copy the formatting of a text snippet and apply it to a different text snippet? A fast way to create a style based on the current text selection would also do?
  • POOR it needs a restyle of text properties: e.g. kerning tool it should be obvious simple.: Is there more to be done, than having shortcuts for kerning?
  • BUG - applying guidelines in a master will multiple overlap the existing ones: is it this one? https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=7764
  • POOR - wrap editor: What is the wrap editor? Text flow around the contour line? If it's the case, there is a patch hanging for defining a wrapping area around "simple" shapes (https://bugs.scribus.net/view.php?id=1096). Is there more that is urgently needed?
  • VERY POOR - handling of copy paste non european alphabet glyphs etc hebrew letter with niqqud or arabic: none of the developer speaks any non european languages... we need specific examples here...
  • Better keyboard shortcuts integration: Have you tried the "Action search"? Personally, it covers most of my needs for shortcuts (for commands that I can't or don't want to specify in the shortcuts list)
  • A dingbats, clipart platform integration (open for contributors paid or free): Do you have an example of such a platform that could be integrated into Scribus?

And finally:

QuoteAs a one liner. Scribus needs way too much mouse interaction and gets tiresome on repetitive tasks.

I fully agree!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
They are very welcome.
#96
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by Solara Maris - October 16, 2025, 06:04:33 PM
Quote from: a.l.e on October 16, 2025, 08:57:04 AMFrom the screenshot I see a few interesting things, about the way you're working!

It would be interesting to know more about how your work with Scribus, what you are liking, what you are missing and what you dislike!

One question from my side:

would a filter in the Scrapbook help you?
(i.e.: show all items containing a specific text; adding a tagging mechanism (with buttons on top to filter))

And I guess that when trying the new 1.7 / 1.8, you will appreciate the improvements Martin did in the editing of the nodes!



Scrapbook is definitely a precious help. In my project it was gold in help managing the various callouts and baloons. On another project I work I tried to sort them up in categories:

I use glyphs that match different categories:

I find it handy to send them with RClick in a specific category.

I keep one sort of glyphs in a category

https://imgur.com/screenshot-jGcrIFX

While other in another:

https://imgur.com/pIfgtrb.png

I have to give them a name manually.

Having a filter is only helpful if they go beyond 100 in number.
In my opinion is a good feature but not a crucial one.

The blocker comes when you open the same document in Scribus 1.7 and you realized the scrapbook is not automatically available even I carefully exported into .sce files in the project root folder.
Scribus 1.7 requires .scs filetype and is not clear why.
Scrapbooks can only exported if you manually drop them on a page save document and open it in 1.7.


I only partially tested Scribus 1.7 because once you save your project there is no way back.

So far Scribus 1.7 seems solid and stable with a mature UI. I love it.


What I love to Scribus in general:
- speed and stability tough it cracks sometimes when you adjust Image Preview Quality to high. In 1.7 seems more stable if you are patient.
- other things I love: linking tool, QR code generator, styles, image framing, text handling in general, master edits, printing and color management, layers, story editor, node editors, baseline grids just rocks!



What I found less desirable.

- VERY POOR  table handling and table imports (almost impossible to do a proper work with tables)
- POOR preflight tool is impossible to fulfill. It is always a pain.
- MISSING missing a proper styles properties clone formatting tool (it is a must!)
- POOR it needs a restyle of text properties: e.g. kerning tool it should be obvious simple, style applying should have keyboard shortcuts.
- POOR keyboard shortcuts integration for font handling: size, kerning, spacing, lead etc.
- BUG - applying guidelines in a master will multiple overlap the existing ones.
- POOR - what is symbols palette useful for?
- POOR - wrap editor
- VERY POOR - handling of copy paste non european alphabet glyphs etc hebrew letter with niqqud or arabic

Needed features

A clear distraction free mode: when I hit tab to get rid of palettes (adobe styles)
Better keyboard shortcuts integration
A plugin platform (open for contributors paid or free)
A dingbats, clipart platform integration (open for contributors paid or free)
A floatable toolbar (similar to the one in Quark) where I could customize the most useful features


As a one liner. Scribus needs way too much mouse interaction and gets tiresome on repetitive tasks.
#97
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by a.l.e - October 16, 2025, 12:06:32 PM
I'm really interested to hear it from someone who is indeed using the scrapbook for some advanced and -- i guess for at least during part of the workflow -- intensive work.

They might also say that, nah, no filtering, I'm really fine with scrolling up and down, as long as it is two columns.
I would not use the keyboard for typing and I prefer to always see all of them at once: they almost fit in the column!

Or: yeah, filtering would have been possible to split the left column in two and I've put there blah blah (which is the default now in 1.7).

Who knows?
#98
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by prcek - October 16, 2025, 11:57:14 AM
Although I use scrapbook much less, I think some "collections" or filtering would be helpful.
#99
General Discussion / Re: Find where I am using a fo...
Last post by Aleks100 - October 16, 2025, 11:01:04 AM
Open Scribus file in Visual Studio Code.
Open the Search view (Ctrl+Shift+F or Cmd+Shift+F) and enter FONT="
Edit, Save
#100
Showcase / Re: Our New Comic 175 pages St...
Last post by a.l.e - October 16, 2025, 08:57:04 AM
From the screenshot I see a few interesting things, about the way you're working!

It would be interesting to know more about how your work with Scribus, what you are liking, what you are missing and what you dislike!

One question from my side:

would a filter in the Scrapbook help you?
(i.e.: show all items containing a specific text; adding a tagging mechanism (with buttons on top to filter))

And I guess that when trying the new 1.7 / 1.8, you will appreciate the improvements Martin did in the editing of the nodes!