[scribus] Loading pdf files into Scribus.

[john Culleton]

On Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:57:52 +0200
Vladimir Savic <vladimir.firefly.savic at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 04/21/2012 01:18 AM, john Culleton wrote:
> > I have four pdfs from a customer that I need to patch a bit. They
> > are roughly 14 x 11 and run about 3 to 5 mb each. As near as I
> > can tell they are about 100 dpi density. These are cover
> > graphics produced by InDesign.
> >
> > I have a problem with the density. But laying that aside I don't
> > seem to be able to load them into either 1.4.1 svn or 1.5.0. I
> > tried importing one of them and also loading into a graphic
> > screen. They can be viewed in Acrobat Reader and Gimp. But
> > Scribus (both versions) chokes. I tried converting to ps and then
> > loading them but that doesn't play nicely either, and the ps file
> > was huge.
> >
> > Any suggestions on how to tame the beasties in Scribus?
> >
> 
> All depends on what you mean by "patching a bit"...
> 
> Is it a bitmap contained into PDF file or it's a mixture of bitmap
> and vector elements. If you're not sure, I suggest opening file in
> inkscape. If there are vector elements, you'll be able to select them
> individually in inkscape as separate objects. If not, you're likely
> dealing with picture (just as png, jpg or tiff) exported as PDF.
> 
> Problem with editing in inkscape is that you'll lose cmyk and spot
> color properties if exported to svg or pdf. For simple files you
> might be able to export svg from there and importing it into scribus
> (as vector graphic), where you can tweak colors.
> 
> Other solution is to import given PDF in graphic frame in scribus. If 
> you've built your version with podofo library, there is an
> Experimental option in Export dilog to embed PDFs in PDF. You wont be
> able to edit them, though. This approach is the best for including
> adds into magazine layouts, for example.
> 
> If you have to tweak bitmap graphic of PDF, you might be better 
> rasterizing pdf in GIMP, but bear in mind that 100dpi isn't suitable
> for home printing, let alone commercial printing, be it offset or
> digital. I would never go below 300dpi for my own work...
> 
> As you can see, there are numerous approaches to your problem, but
> you need to know what you WANT to achieve. Without seeing problematic
> PDF I can't help you any further.
> 
> Cheers,
> Vlada

The customer file is an LSI cover template that was completed in
InDesign and saved in PDF 4. I need to eliminate the price text in
the upper right hand corner of cover 4 and also convert the price
bar code to 90000.

The reading of 100 dpi was from Gimp import and may not be
accurate. 

Like most book covers it has a mixture of bitmap and vector
elements.

The customer neglected to save the file in PDF X/1-a:2001 which
is an LSI requirement. So I want to save from Scribus 1.5.0.

I want to stay in vector if at all possible for those parts that
are in vector. 

The color scheme is mostly blue, black and white so going from
cmyk to rgb and back again may not cause that much problem.
Indeed it may be in rgb already. Not sure how I can test that
characteristic on a pdf file.


-- 
John Culleton
Free list of books for self-publishers:
http://wexfordpress.net/shortlist.html
Police Procedural and Expose: "Death Wore Black"
"Create Book Covers with Scribus"
http://www.booklocker.com/books/4055.html