Importing complete PDF pages

[javierdl]

Hi all,

I am a total rookie to Scribus, I just started 3 days ago! 

I was wondering if there is a way to import a PDF page.
I am faster working out the layout using Inkscape. But I need a multiple pages document.
If importing a PDF page is not possible, I will appreciate any advise on work arounds.

Thanks in advance guys

JDL

[Christen_Anderson]

Welcome to Scribus! 
Importing pdfs into Scribus is not the ideal situation - but it can be done by creating an image frame (keyboard shortcut "I") and importing each page into a separate frame (Ctrl + I). AFAIK, there is really no other way to do it. The obvious problem with this solution is that the pdf is treated as an image - therefore, the text in the final document won't be searchable.

~Christen

[Meho R.]

Welcome to Scribus! 
Importing pdfs into Scribus is not the ideal situation - but it can be done by creating an image frame (keyboard shortcut "I") and importing each page into a separate frame (Ctrl + I). AFAIK, there is really no other way to do it. The obvious problem with this solution is that the pdf is treated as an image - therefore, the text in the final document won't be searchable.

~Christen

If "Embed PDF and EPS files" checkbox is ticked in "Save as PDF" dialog, text from included PDFs would be treated as text and thus searchable, and vectors will not be rasterized, but rather remain vectors.

javierdl, if by "working layout" in Inkscape you mean creating design elements, background or draft of a page which are starting points or inputs for creating final layout in Scribus, that's fine. But keep in mind that Inkscape is still just a vector editor and hasn't much of a typographical or layout capabilities. Depending on complexity of the design you create in Inkscape, you can try saving the file as SVG and import it in Scribus via "File > Import > Get Vector File". You can even edit imported shapes in Scribus. If that doesn't work well, then do as Christen suggested.

[javierdl]

Thank you kindly to both, Christen and Meho
That's the feedback I needed.

JavierDL

[Transalpler]

I have another question - just started working with Scribus..
Wenn i load a PDF into an Image Frame - I get a red cross over the frame with the filename of the pdf written in red letters...
Whats wrong with it - running Win Vista with the actual Scribus.
When exproting to PDF - there is nothing where the Image Frame had been...

[a.l.e]

hi transalpler,

do you have ghostscript installed?

if you put a pdf in an image frame, you need ghostscript...

if yes, are you sure that what you are loading is a pdf? ... just guessing

ciao
a.l.e

[utnik]

if you are importing .pdf files (and check the 'embed pdf & eps files' box to prevent the files from rendering to pixel images), keep in mind, that they should already have the final color profile (at least for color sensitive artwork...)

utnik

[Transalpler]

Hi a.l.e.

That would be the problem - i just installed Ghostscript yesterday - so maybe a reboot will be neccessary.

@utnik: I'm just creating a little brochure for an anniversary of a choir - most of the pdf's are advertisments from our sponsors - so it won't become a kind of artwork....

[Xariann]

If "Embed PDF and EPS files" checkbox is ticked in "Save as PDF" dialog, text from included PDFs would be treated as text and thus searchable, and vectors will not be rasterized, but rather remain vectors.

javierdl, if by "working layout" in Inkscape you mean creating design elements, background or draft of a page which are starting points or inputs for creating final layout in Scribus, that's fine. But keep in mind that Inkscape is still just a vector editor and hasn't much of a typographical or layout capabilities. Depending on complexity of the design you create in Inkscape, you can try saving the file as SVG and import it in Scribus via "File > Import > Get Vector File". You can even edit imported shapes in Scribus. If that doesn't work well, then do as Christen suggested.

Where is this "Save as PDF" dialog? I don't see it when I import the PDF into an image frame. I made the PDF from Inkscape so I also tried to import SVG with the method you suggested however it tells me there are some unsupported features and the document doesn't get imported correctly.

[utnik]

hi xariann

we are talkaig about the window which pops up after the 'preflight verifier' when you export your final .pdf file.
it's the same as 'file' → 'document setup' → 'pdf export'...

utnik

[PelesDaughter]

hi transalpler,

do you have ghostscript installed?

if you put a pdf in an image frame, you need ghostscript...

if yes, are you sure that what you are loading is a pdf? ... just guessing

ciao
a.l.e

Re: ghostscript... I read about this after I installed, but also read that if I didn't have it, that I'd be alerted as such, which I wasn't. How do I know if I have it or not?

[a.l.e]

with the current scribus 1.6 you don't need ghostscript for importing pdfs as vectors.

you might need it if you load it as an image in an image frame.
but that's probably not what you want.

[Flaxx]

with the current scribus 1.6 you don't need ghostscript for importing pdfs as vectors.

you might need it if you load it as an image in an image frame.
but that's probably not what you want.

Nice that such an aged thread is still alive. 

Actually I was hoping that either table import from .ods or .pdf import with readable text would work in 1.6. Unfortunately it doesn't (html is reduced to pure text, too). Text in vectors looks nice but doesn't help blind or nearly blind people. Producing tables in Scribus is still a pain.

The best I can do momentary is leaving one or two blank pages, setting up footers and headers in LibreOffice, exporting the result to PDF (twice, because of the different paper sizes and margins needed). This way the result can be included, with some more steps to do as well. 

I'm voluntarily working to produce a monthly newspaper aiming elder people where some need a text to speech translation, even for tables. This means all the nice picture solutions doesn't work. I really would wish that Scribus could import the way Inkscape does. The text would be recognised and even the used font and size. As Inkscape is FOS the related code should be available (of course it would need adaption).

It would be sufficient as well if PDF objects could be embedded in Scribus untouched as they are (text still readable). The way it is at the moment is fully sufficient for printed papers. In my case I'm producing one version for screen readers and one printed version needing 3 mm trim around and higher resolution. Both are finally done in a minute or less by using (almost) the same Scribus PDF-export.

So pleeeese, make imported pdf readable!