[Scribus] The best way to make a book

[Christoph Schäfer]

Am Mittwoch, 26. September 2007 22:36 schrieb Dr. Werner Popken:
> I'm not sure if this is how to do it?
>
> File->New, double sided, 200 pages, automatic text frames
>
> Styles for header, body, body indented, body drop cap, italic
> indented, italic rigth aligned
>
> Sections in three parts (title pages without numbers, introduction and
> toc with Roman numbers, content with Arabic numbers, maybe a fourth
> part for bibliography.
>
> Mater pages left & right for page numbering. Every chapter starts with
> an image aligned to the left. Image frame and image parked as dummy on
> scrapbook, copy from there, switch to desired image; unlink text
> frames as seems fit, import text with filter formatting.
>
> Now this works with 1.3.3.9 and 1.3.4, the latter being able to handle
> styles more elegantly. A first try with 500 pages lead to a crash in
> 1.3.5 when defining all the details, the first two backup files not
> being able to open later. So I reduced to 200 pages, went fine.

I'd even suggest to split it up into smaller files (eg one file for each 
chapter). In its current state, Scribus doesn't handle huge amounts of text 
very well.

>
> Is this the way to go? It is pretty straightforward, this way.
>
> I notice that word tracking and glyph extension has to be defined on
> every text frame, or rather the setting seems to disappear every time
> you switch to another frame. Optical margins setting is kept, though.
> Any idea?

If you click into a paragraph, the correct information will be displayed. 
That's a known usability issue that will be addressed, I'm sure.

>
> Another observation: opening the text editor, the formatting rules are
> lost or falsely displayed, for example right aligned instead of left
> aligned (and in red color?!).

You mean the buttons indicating alignment? If yes, that's a bug. Would mind 
filing it? bugs.scribus.net

>
> Thanks a lot!
>
> Werner


HTH

Christoph