Hello. This is Jason Nail.

Why doesn't Scribus export PDF? I have a MacMiniPPC OSX10.5 running Scribus 1.4.0 RC1 and Ghostscript 8.71.

Hi Jason,
You mentioned in your reply in this topic: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6468 that you tried to save a blank doc. I know a lot of programs don't allow you to save a blank doc. So maybe just draw a simple square (or something like that) and try again?

If it still doesn't work, please give the steps you went through, so we can try to replicate. Like, I'm not clear if you were trying to save a drawing made in Inkscape as PDF and open it in, or import to Scribus.

Or do you mean that you're trying to create a doc with Scribus and save as PDF, having nothing to do with Inkscape? If that's the case, you'll have to consult scribus support, which annoyingly can only be done via IRC.....unless you're lucky enough to have your problem covered in the help manual. (I consulted the help manual on "working with text", where it instructs to "use the Story Editor". When I finally managed to get help on IRC, they said "why are you using the story editor?"!! Those who know me say I have a lot of patience, but scribus has surely tried my patience, lol!)

Jason Nail wrote:Why doesn't Scribus export PDF? I have a MacMiniPPC OSX10.5 running Scribus 1.4.0 RC1 and Ghostscript 8.71.

You might get better informed answers in the Scribus Forum (new) or Scribus User mailing list.

'File > Export > Save as PDF' works fine and as expected with Scribus 1.4.0 RC1 on Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard (i386).

Initially I imported an SVG to Scribus. It wouldn't save as PDF. So, I simply tried to save a blank screen as a PDF (in Scibus) and same thing. As I just now verified my statement (whilst writing this post), I found a button to change the PDF type in the top right hand corner. It worked. I just went to find it again and its gone! and I'm getting the same error again. I'm going to dig deep all into this program and pull it out with my teeth if I have to. LOL I'll report back when my computer stops thinking. I still am going to report back on the other stuff too. (purple/green drab) Laters. Jaso

OK now!

I've created an image in InkScape and saved as plain and InkScape SVG's. However, InkScape ususally lets me save as PDF. But, this time (I guess because the image is so big) it said it cannot. I noticed it was saving as PDF 1.4. I adjusted the DPI a few times (72, 144, 300). But, it still couldn't save. Actually it did save something. But, the file (when trying to open with Preview) said it may be corrupt. I threw it in the trash. I have a sneaking suspicion I should have imported my images (the ones I put together for the main, big image) with their respective filters entact prior to tweaking them on the go, as it were. (importing the SVG and applying a filter as opposed to applying the filter and saving, then importing) I'll have to make a test on some smaller images to see. I will report my findings. Or, do you guys know what is going to happen already? Is this a simple case of the PDF format not new enough to handle InkScapes filters?

I found why I couldn't save PDF in Scribus. It simply was because the save directory (I guess being in default) was the Scribus directory and not my desktop. It saves PDF fine now. But, I am getting the drab green blues again (on said PDF files). I isolated the color on black to be RGB 11, 14, 6. (I opened it in the GIMP and color picked the [what was supposed to be] area of black) Is this the same faulty bug (inherent on MacPPC) that you mentioned in the earlier post that my MacPPC is prone to and will probably not be rectified? Its OK. I am looking into getting a MacMini with Intel inside. Plus, I have InkScape and the GIMP running on this Acer laptop.

OK, I will now post this and go back to my Mac now and try opening an InkScape or plain SVG in Scribus and seeing if it will save the same (huge image) as PDF. Or, if Scribus will even import the image with all the filter tweaks (I made on the fly).

OK now!

Scribus tried to open my huge (60 MB) SVG (InkScapeSVG) image and came right out and said it contained some unsupported features. Then, it said, "Scribus crashes to system failure #6." Any idea what is going on? I think the file may be too big. I just now tried plain SVG and got the same thing. It's currently trying the SVGZ version. But, I don't think that would work if plain and InkScape SVG's don't work.

I just now downloaded the Win32 version of Scribus and it is trying as I type. It already said the "Unsupported Features press OK" prompt. Should I just send my huge SVG to my cousin who has the latest Ai software and let him convert it to PDF? InkScape won't export the SVG as PDF. Scribus won't load the SVG, muchless convert it to PDF. Illustrator won't load the image correctly (with the filters in effect). Preview doesn't even open SVG. It seems as though it's coming down to my 60 MB image must have filtered SVG's that are too advanced and/or in combination to, maybe since there are a mix of SVG's and PNG's in the image that Scribus and Ai don't like that. I wonder if I had converted all those PNG's to SVG's first, tweaked (with filters) them second, and then imported them, if that would have made the difference in Scribus and Ai being able to read them?

OK. Thank you very much! Jaso

PS The Win32 Scribus just stopped thinking. Normally, after the "unsupported features" prompt, the little page cursor comes up asking me where to put the image. This version didn't do that. (Nor did any image show up). I went to undo to see if, "Undo import" would verify if it actually did load up. But, the undo's don't show the last command taken. So, I am left hanging without knowing what happened. My Mac version at least told me about the #6 failure.

Yess!

I did a VacDef and it is working like a charm! 60 MB SVG is now 8 MB PDF (@72DPI)! Thank you very much.

Jaso

PS. I just encountered a new dilema. My 1st (backdrop)image has been removed in the course of saving (said SVG to PDF)@ 300 DPI. I'm sure I'll figure that out. OK. Unless somebody already knows what happened.

OK.

I can get the SVG to save as PDF all the way up to 290 DPI. After that, it looses the first SVG backdrop image. Any body know what is up with that?

Thank you very much Brynn. The Vacuum Defs suggestion from the prior post made all the difference!)

Jason Nail wrote:I can get the SVG to save as PDF all the way up to 290 DPI. After that, it looses the first SVG backdrop image. Any body know what is up with that?

Do those "SVG backdrop images" [1] have filter effects applied? If so, you most likely hit

• Bug #494115 in Inkscape: “Save as PDF with rasterized filter effects at high DPI looses random elements of figure” (see comment #8 for an explanation)

[1] what are the "SVG backdrop images" actually - embedded or linked bitmap images? blurred vector objects, possibly with a gradient or pattern fill?

~SUV. It is an honor.

Yep. It was originally a PNG I made with the GIMP. (Three 9 color bars on a black background) Then, upon opening with InkScape, as embed, I traced to bitmap and applied 2 filters. This became my backdrop SVG image. After adding numerous SVG's and PNG's the filesize ended up @ 60.9 MB as a plain SVG.


InkScape allowed up to 290 DPI PDF's to be written flawlessly. After that, it continued, (exluding omission of first backdrop SVG) with almost undetectable disturbances to other filters in the image, up to 391 DPI sized PDF's. At 392, it had a guru meditation. LOL


Can the 100MB security cap be lifted? I'm sure it's probably there for good reason. Should I make the image as best I can in the GIMP and trace to bitmap in InkScape and use those plain (unfiltered) SVG's when hoping to attain 1400 or so DPI? What does InkScape max out at in DPI for PDF? (from 60.9 MB SVG files and I'm running MacPPC OSX 10.5)


Thank you very much! Jaso

PS. Does Scribus have a better max DPI for PDF? I would answer that myself, but my file is having a hard time opening in Scribus, even after Vacuuming Defs.

OK now.

I think I answered my own questions. Save InkScape SVG image(s) with filters in place, open each image with the Gimp at appropriate DPI, tweak where necesarry (trace-prep), & save as PNG, reopen/rebuild page on InkScape as PNG, retrace to bitmap as one clean trace at the end, and its complete! (?)

I will try this now.

Thank you very much! Jaso

Maybe even then, it will open in Scribus!) LOL

OK.

I'm working on the GIMP trace-prep method of increasing DPI for my final SVG in InkScape and my job prospect wants to see my work. But, I need to show him something in the 300 to 600 DPI range. I am limited to 290 DPI. Can the 100MB cap be lifted? (I am running short on time)

Thank you very much!

Jason

Jason Nail wrote: I am limited to 290 DPI. Can the 100MB cap be lifted?

Not by yourself using the pre-built package of the stable release 0.48 or 0.48.1. You either have to compile current inkscape trunk yourself (not recommended unless you have prior experience, and not a solution if running short of time anyway), or you could download a recent development snapshot build and test if the change described and committed by theAdib in r10009 does indeed address your issue (I don't know & I can't test without the SVG sources) - maybe you are trying hard to achieve same target output/result which neither current Inkscape versions nor your system can handle in size…

Inkscape does have (known) performance limits with regard to huge SVG files and outputting to even larger resolutions (as bitmap and as rasterized effects in PDFs). Trying to solve this under a deadline is a bad idea though IMHO - as would be using an unstable development snapshot build for productive work.


Maybe others with more hands-on experience can confirm a workaround to "prerender" those "SVG backgrounds" in Inkscape:
Replace the filtered paths with a bitmap copy ('Edit > Make a bitmap copy' - you can set the dpi for this in 'Inkscape preferences > Bitmap') to avoid additional rasterization when saving a copy as PDF. You can hide the original paths (SVG backdrops) on a separate layer before saving a copy as PDF to keep the drawing content fully editable as Inkscape SVG.

Thank you very much!

First I'd just like to say, you guys have had infinite patience, quick response time, and overflowing help and suggestions. Thank you. Are yall getting paid?

Well, I ended up getting a landscaping job today. So, my other (art) job prospect is still on the horizon. But, it's not like that was the only job I was counting on. (anymore) So, let's take a short smoke break.......

OK. I may not even have to have such big file sizes. I may want to even think about this strategy, "Less is more!" LOL I was trying to cram everything I had into this "Demo". Then, what? I'm not going to have anything left. I think I will use what I have in smaller doses, at least until InkScape development catches up, and go that route.

I started this morning with my backdrop image, opened it with the GIMP at tens of thousands pixels, and found all the SVG's I made had things wrong with them. The only SVG that came out perfect was a small caution sign I had downloaded off the internet! LOL So, I'm going to go back in and really tighten up my "stuff" and report any advances. I think I am already foreseeing increased DPI by using smaller file sizes.


OK. `SUV Thank you for keeping it real. Brynn, as always. & Mr Druban, thank you for the resolution answer. Laters Jaso

Jason Nail wrote:I started this morning with my backdrop image, opened it with the GIMP at tens of thousands pixels, and found all the SVG's I made had things wrong with them. The only SVG that came out perfect was a small caution sign I had downloaded off the internet!

GIMP can't access Inkscape's internal renderer for SVG files - it uses librsvg, an independent library for rendering SVG files, as far as I know more optimized for speed (e.g. to be used for icons in GUIs), which only supports a subset of SVG 1.1 features.

It didn't seem to compute that if the DPI in InkScape wasn't able to increase to 600 DPI, then using the GIMP to force feed it backwards would work. So, I started making PDF's and opening them in Scribus. Now I am even going to attempt to reconstruct the big picture again, only piecing it together with the correct DPI sized PDF's instead of SVG. I've even (I don't know exactly which combination of procedures I took) got Preview to open the PDF's in the correct color (non-drab green). However, upon reopening the PDF in InkScape, it comes in with the green. (like an ancient mac monitor) But, when opening on this Acer laptop (IBM clone) and running the Windows version of InkScape, it is just fine. So, so far, it seems as though I may save some file size this route: save SVG's as PDF's @ correct DPI, open PDF's back to their positions in Inkscape, and save image as PDF. (That way I have the original SVG version and the PDF [@ correct DPI]version) I will keep you posted.

Thank you very much! Jaso

Thank you ~SUV for enlightening me on the version of the GIMP's SVG imports. I think I can use PDF's in the GIMP instead of SVG, as a workaround. I think I opened a vector in Scribus, saved it as PDF, and that was when it opened in Preview with out the green drab. I'm not sure. But, whatever it was I was able to get a working PDF off InkScape with it's filter entact, was able to open it into Scribus, and into Preview, all without the green drab, and all on the MacPPC! Opening it back up in InkScape was green. (bc of the green bug) I wonder if there is a exact opposite anti green filter that could be created to correct that bug.

I was checking my version #'s to post the success a development version had and low and behold, 48.1! Not only did this address the DPI, but also the green bug!

Thank you very much!

Jason Nail, you are one motivated artist, lol!

I'd love to see some of your work sometime (Finished Work forum) if you'd like to share.....although maybe not one of these giant images you're trying to get working