[scribus] reading pub and idd files

["Christoph Schäfer"]

> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 18. April 2013 um 13:57 Uhr
> Von: "Alexandre Prokoudine" <alexandre.prokoudine at gmail.com>
> An: "Scribus User Mailing List" <scribus at lists.scribus.net>
> Betreff: Re: [scribus] reading pub and idd files
>
> On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 11:41 AM, "Christoph Schäfer" wrote:
> 
> > the PDF Importer/Exporter in 1.5.0svn is already equal or better than InDesign's.
>
> That's one hell of a serious claim :) What facts support it?

Try it ;) 1.5.0svn can open PDF files directly (not just "place" them), and the layout looks exactly like the original. Even PDF form elements are imported as such. All elements are editable, no matter whether the file has been opened or imported as a vector file. It's not perfect, though, as text will be imported as vector graphics, and layers aren't imported either (yet). But the layout as such is preserved, including correct colour values.

>
> > To sum up, "file exchange" in DTP is pretty much an illusion. What is needed is something like a commonly agreed-upon open file standard, like ODT (and even that one is being torpedoed by MS) for Office documents.
>
> I dare say, such a file format is an illusion too :)

Sure, unless OASIS or a similar standard body picks up the task. IDML seems to be a good starting point, just like the StarOffice SX* formats were for Office files. Of course this would require the participation of those who have a stake in the business, if only to balance the differing interests. I'm not sure how much cooperation could be expected from Quark, Corel, Serif, RagTime or Calamus. Plus, as mentioned above, there is always PDF (plus PostScript), and as of 1.5.0/1.6.0, Scribus will be well-positioned in this regard.


Christoph