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Scribus : open PDF

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rimsdorf Posted messages 2 Status Member -  
contrariness Posted messages 17903 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -
Hello
I would like to open a PDF file with Scribus (I just installed it)
I also installed Ghostscript, and the path to access Ghostscript is correctly set in the Scribus preferences.
My problem is that the PDF file opens (Scribus tells me the file is converted with the original file name), but I see a blank page...
I'm getting to know Scribus, so does anyone know what to do to see the content of a PDF file and work with it?

Could the problem be related to Gimp? I also installed it, but I’m not sure what to input for the path in Scribus preferences – since there are several Gimp applications in the Gimp folder...
Thank you

2 answers

  1.
    contrariness Posted messages 17903 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   6 243
     
    Scribus is a layout software. You can import PDF pages, but not modify them. The page is a link that will be used later for printing.

    Inkscape will allow you to modify a PDF page... if the PDF is correctly made, of course.
    Even with paid software (Acrobat, Illustrator, etc.), there are times when PDFs cannot be easily edited.
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    1. pat
       

      Scribus is indeed "marketed" as allowing the modification of existing PDF files!!

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      1. contrariness Posted messages 17903 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   6 243 > pat
         

        The PDF format is an evolution of the EPS format... In its programming language, there are certain instructions, but it is both simpler and more complex.

        To modify a PDF file, it needs to be interpreted, meaning the software must be able to read the PDF code... Scribus is not designed to do that.

        However, what can be done is to import a PDF page and add elements to the page while hiding certain things and adding blocks where we want.. It's a form of modification!!

        Inkscape allows for more things,..

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  2. rimsdorf Posted messages 2 Status Member
     
    Ah, thank you...
    I conclude that Scribus is not what I need (in fact, I want to add dropdown menus, checkboxes, etc. to an existing PDF created by someone else).
    Apparently, PDFescape does this very well (I was just looking for a free offline solution, since the free version of PDFescape is only online) and I will settle for that.

    I had found a site that praised the merits of Scribus for PDF forms, but I must have misunderstood... perhaps you have to first create the file with Scribus.
    Yet in the Scribus menu (windows), there is indeed talk of PDF tools... so I thought it was meant to modify a PDF, precisely.

    When you are as ignorant as I am, you thank the people who enlighten you.
    So, thank you.
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