(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb163/wompcabal/professionallayout-page1.png)
Project:
create a library of scribus magazine layout templates for Intermittens editors
What does that mean?
Scribus is the recommended program to lay out an issue of Intermittens. The goal is to create a bunch of layout templates that Intermittens editors can download. Then they import graphics and pour text into the frames, move shit around a bit, and ... voila!
How to help:
1. download scribus (http://www.scribus.net/).
2. go to intermittens.org's template/tools section (http://intermittens.theinvisiblecollege.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=59) and download some of the stuff there
3. improve them and re-upload
OR
3. create new 1-page, 2-page, 3-page, 4-page layouts and upload them
OR
1. find existing magazine layouts on the net and upload them
OR
profit???
cool. i'm now working on a layout that will fit 1 full-page title image* and 1 or more pages of text.
i just realized i didnt think and am layouting this in A4, european paper size, with an aspect ratio of 1 to sqrt(2), instead of the US "Paper" size with the aspect ratio of 1 to god-knows-what. lemme know if that's a problem.
ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING IN SCRIBUS
READ THE MOTHERFUCKING TUTORIAL
http://docs.scribus.net/index.php?lang=en&page=tutorials/freedomyug/scribustutorial
IT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING
READ IT
seriously, scribus is not that hard to use, not at all, but if you don't -quickly- read this tutorial you are going to spend AGES finding the simplest of features. like how to link two text boxes. it's an icon in the toolbar. while in InDesign you sort of get this little [+] icon in your text frame if it overflows. that kind of stuff. it's not hard, you just need to know where to find certain functions in order to get shit done.
also, I read somewhere (on the webpage that told me to read the motherfucking tutorial) that it contains a few useful basic tips on do's and don'ts in layouting and publishing. i dont think i've got to that part yet, but that's also useful right? plus it might give you some inspiration on doing stuff.
because basically this tutorial walks you through the creation of a simple 7-page magazine. which is EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT why yes, it is
okay then, stay tuned for my layout template.
*you need images. it actually hardly matters what sort of image. they just need to break the text a bit. get something from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Photographs or just pick something random from all those gigabytes of digital camera pictures of your garden and that pretty old weathered stone wall you saw on vacation. now is the time those useless pics come in handy! if they are vaguely or metaphorically related to the article, even better. otherwise, let the law of fives do its work.
aaaaaaaaaaaand done:
(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2668/interm.jpg)
download Scribus file and such inna zip from http://ifile.it/w4a3c7x/scribus-layout-examples.zip
(Rat, or anyone, if this belongs on Intermittens.org feel free to put it there)
(edit: updated link)
that's sexy, zilch!
inter:mittens:
Quote from: Triple Zero on March 31, 2009, 01:28:33 PM
cool. i'm now working on a layout that will fit 1 full-page title image* and 1 or more pages of text.
i just realized i didnt think and am layouting this in A4, european paper size, with an aspect ratio of 1 to sqrt(2), instead of the US "Paper" size with the aspect ratio of 1 to god-knows-what. lemme know if that's a problem.
only a little bit of a problem--
the templates I've been creating / working with have followed the Magcloud.com specs. They're a print-on-demand magazine publisher, and if upi plan on distributing Intermittens, they will probably be the go-to site for managing it.
Chaoflux, the guy who runs ChaosNeverDied (aka counterculturechan), is setting up his own print on demand shop, and apparently have access to a magazine printer. If they're reliable, I'd prefer to go with them for print, but they're not set up yet.. So let's keep everything magcloud compatable.
Their specs are:
QuotePDF Specs:
Page size: 8.25″ wide by 10.75″ tall
Additional bleed: 0.125″ on top and bottom edges, 0.25″ on the outside edge, no bleed on the inside edge
Resolution and format of images: 300 dpi, JPEG recommended.
Pages: Save as multi-page PDF, no spreads. Multiples of 4 (4, 8, 12, etc.) up to 60 pages.
Printers marks: None.
The bottom 4″ of the back cover are reserved for a MagCloud shipping label that has a white background (example coming). We recommend including some default content of your choice in this area, also with a white background, which can be safely covered by the MagCloud shipping label. The shipping label is not applied in the case of bulk orders, in which case your default content will appear.
Maximum size: 100 MB
Quote from: Triple Zero on March 31, 2009, 02:43:44 PM
if this belongs on Intermittens.org...
yeah, there's a templates/tools section on intermittens.org if you're logged in.
okay no problem, I can probably change the layout easily. I will do so soonish. If anyone is going to actually use this template, let me know and I'll put extra megahaste behind it.
Quote from: Triple Zero on March 31, 2009, 01:28:33 PM
ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING IN SCRIBUS
READ THE MOTHERFUCKING TUTORIAL
http://docs.scribus.net/index.php?lang=en&page=tutorials/freedomyug/scribustutorial
IT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING
READ IT
All right, as much as I hate tutorials (unless the tutor's a hottie), I'll read the damn thing. But it's your fault if my head explodes!
OH JESUS UPDATE:
I uploaded the scribd files for LESSER POOP to intermittens.org
none of the graphics are there, just the layout. So plug in new graphics, move some shit around, pour text, vomit diamonds
it's uploaded to ISSUE TEMPLATES under COLLABORATE.
feel free to steal this, chop it up, use it in any way you want
and please do the same with your final scribd files!
Quote from: Cramulus on May 13, 2009, 02:09:08 AM
OH JESUS UPDATE:
I uploaded the scribd files for LESSER POOP to intermittens.org
none of the graphics are there, just the layout. So plug in new graphics, move some shit around, pour text, vomit diamonds
it's uploaded to ISSUE TEMPLATES under COLLABORATE.
feel free to steal this, chop it up, use it in any way you want
and please do the same with your final scribd files!
Ah, it's no fun to steal stuff if you get permission.
Siriusly, thanks.
Triple Zero: I looked through the tutorial and, even though I didn't follow it exactly (I have a phobic reaction when I see too many rules in one place), it did help. Thanks.
EDIT: To anyone else who's as ignorant of this stuff as I am, reading the tutorial really didn't make my head explode. My brain leaked a little, but that's normal. Isn't it?
Siriusly, it did help, so consider checking it out.
Quote from: Cramulus on March 31, 2009, 02:45:45 PM
Their specs are:
PDF Specs:
Page size: 8.25″ wide by 10.75″ tall
Additional bleed: 0.125″ on top and bottom edges, 0.25″ on the outside edge, no bleed on the inside edge
Resolution and format of images: 300 dpi, JPEG recommended.
Pages: Save as multi-page PDF, no spreads. Multiples of 4 (4, 8, 12, etc.) up to 60 pages.
Printers marks: None.
The bottom 4″ of the back cover are reserved for a MagCloud shipping label that has a white background (example coming). We recommend including some default content of your choice in this area, also with a white background, which can be safely covered by the MagCloud shipping label. The shipping label is not applied in the case of bulk orders, in which case your default content will appear.
Maximum size: 100 MB
I'm going to sound ignorant here only because I am ignorant. The bleed means the area around the edge that the printer will cut off, right? So we have to make sure "0.125″ on top and bottom edges, 0.25″ on the outside edge" has the color the rest of the page has or we'll end up with an annoying white strip on the edge (if the page isn't white; don't have to worry about white, right?). We can't have any content in the bleed, and not even close to the bleed because it may not be cut exactly. So we want to design the pages as 8 1/2 by 11" knowing that the edges will be cut off. Am I right?
Sounds like you've got a good handle on it.
short cut: download one of the templates from intermittens.org - http://intermittens.theinvisiblecollege.com/tools/issue-templates and just delete the layout already there
thanks for slogging through new software to help collaborate. And in the long run using the standards will be very helpful.. eventually we're going to throw these into a multi-magazine collection pdf, and it'll be SO much easier to format if we use standard page sizes.
Thanks, Cramulus. I downloaded one that has eight pages. I know you said it works better if we do pages in groups of 4. I've made a number of stupid mistakes (nothing new for me), but think I'm getting the hang of it.
I have a couple questions for whoever knows:
1) Would it work better if I made the cover the first page of an eight page file? Or is it better to do the cover as a separate file?
2) If I lay it out with eight pages in one file, is it easy to reformat it for online reading, i.e. where they just see one page at a time?
Quote from: Sheered Völva on May 24, 2009, 05:32:51 AM
1) Would it work better if I made the cover the first page of an eight page file? Or is it better to do the cover as a separate file?
Yeah, make the cover page 1.
Quote2) If I lay it out with eight pages in one file, is it easy to reformat it for online reading, i.e. where they just see one page at a time?
Yes, when you export the PDF, you'll have the option of selecting whether you want the user to view individual pages or full spreads.
Quote from: Cramulus on May 26, 2009, 03:17:18 PM
Quote from: Sheered Völva on May 24, 2009, 05:32:51 AM
1) Would it work better if I made the cover the first page of an eight page file? Or is it better to do the cover as a separate file?
Yeah, make the cover page 1.
Quote2) If I lay it out with eight pages in one file, is it easy to reformat it for online reading, i.e. where they just see one page at a time?
Yes, when you export the PDF, you'll have the option of selecting whether you want the user to view individual pages or full spreads.
Thank you, Cramulus!
By the way, what's up with your current pic?
(http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/hair_gif.gif)
You are known for always wearing fake mustaches. Where's the mustache?
I'm starting to feel like I have some idea what I'm doing with Scribus. Finally! If my last posts are accurate (I don't remember), the tutorial helped. But it's for a much earlier version of Scribus and much of it doesn't apply to the latest version (and some things don't work the same way).
There are a couple things I haven't yet figured out, and am too lazy to do so/am running out of time.
Here's one: I used an eight-page template as a basis for beginning my issue. This was Intermittens/intermittens_master_draft_2.sla. I noticed, though, that the first page is laid out at as 8.5 by 11 inches, but the other seven are laid out as 8.25 by 10.75. The larger page might be fine for the cover page, but it will screw up my layout for the rest of the magazine. Is there a way I can change the page size without starting from scratch?
Never mind the above. I figured out a way to do it that doesn't take much work.
But here's an immediate problem. I doubt anyone will post in time to help me now, but I could use info in case this ever happens again.
I just got one of those little annoying popup boxes. This one says 'Warning: Name "Image63" isn't unique. Please choose another.' Frankly, I don't even know what I did to get the message.
The popup box gives me the choice to click the x (which does nothing) or click OK (which does nothing). The program won't let me do anything else, so it's essentially frozen. Fortunately I had saved my work not too long ago, but still hate shutting down a program that doesn't want to work.
Update to above. I clicked and the box went away. Now the program is truly frozen. My computer's about to do the same. Restart.
What an odd error!
you've gotta find image63 and change its name.
If you click on the image and view its properties, you should see the name tag.
yeah, man you have some baaad luck with computers it seems ...
anyway you probably have included two images that are both named Image63 (either filename on disk or in the document, is my guess) so what Cram said, find one of them, and change the name.
Thanks Cramulus and Triple Zero. :)
I didn't call the picture "Image63," that was a name assigned to it by Scribus. I restarted my computer (and thus the program), and so far it's been working fine. The most logical, rational conclusion is the second Image63 has been secretly moved by the Illuminati to Warehouse 51. Or maybe Warehouse 23.
The thing is, Scribus runs on a complex and experimental system known as "Bugger All," in which it will randomly decide that it doesn't give a shit and will create a random error that it probably thinks is funny as hell.
One time, mine came up with the HILARIOUS gag of crashing every other time I tried to change a font. Recently, it's developed a habit of seizing up whenever I try to open a certain folder, so I've had to put all pictures into a different folder on a higher level.
I swear this fucker has a mind of it's own. Very rarely does the same error happen more than a few times over a period of a few days. If I leave it alone for a while, the thing I was having problems with is miraculously working again and then I have to feverishly save every five seconds as I cautiously do what I'm trying to accomplish, waiting for this week's new error to pop up.
Quote from: Cainad on June 29, 2009, 09:05:01 PM
The thing is, Scribus runs on a complex and experimental system known as "Bugger All," in which it will randomly decide that it doesn't give a shit and will create a random error that it probably thinks is funny as hell.
One time, mine came up with the HILARIOUS gag of crashing every other time I tried to change a font. Recently, it's developed a habit of seizing up whenever I try to open a certain folder, so I've had to put all pictures into a different folder on a higher level.
I swear this fucker has a mind of it's own. Very rarely does the same error happen more than a few times over a period of a few days. If I leave it alone for a while, the thing I was having problems with is miraculously working again and then I have to feverishly save every five seconds as I cautiously do what I'm trying to accomplish, waiting for this week's new error to pop up.
It does stuff like that to me, too. For example, on one page I'll lengthen a column and it will work fine. On another page I'll try to lengthen a column and it will not only lengthen it, it will widen it and move it over. That's happened to me several times, but it may just be I somehow got some setting different on different pages.
Other times it works great. I either love it or hate it.
But the unpredictability of how the program works makes it:
1) a collosal pain in the ass
2) somehow appropriate for a Discordian publication
that's so odd. I run Vista and therefore have trouble doing simple things like playing a DVD
yet Scribus somehow runs error free
have you tried making an offering of booze to the public domain movement? They're the real creator spirit behind this thing, and they are THIRSTY FOR MALT LIQUOR.
also, :lulz: :lulz:@ cainad
Quote from: Cramulus on June 29, 2009, 10:10:28 PM
that's so odd. I run Vista and therefore have trouble doing simple things like playing a DVD
yet Scribus somehow runs error free
have you tried making an offering of booze to the public domain movement? They're the real creator spirit behind this thing, and they are THIRSTY FOR MALT LIQUOR.
also, :lulz: :lulz:@ cainad
I'll have to watch what kind of booze I offer. Russia has had an extremely high alcohol death rate since the Soviet Union broke up and Communism left. And about half those deaths are from drinking cologne and antiseptics hxxp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31544292/ns/health-addictions/
Quote from: Sheered Völva on June 30, 2009, 11:27:21 PM
Quote from: Cramulus on June 29, 2009, 10:10:28 PM
that's so odd. I run Vista and therefore have trouble doing simple things like playing a DVD
yet Scribus somehow runs error free
have you tried making an offering of booze to the public domain movement? They're the real creator spirit behind this thing, and they are THIRSTY FOR MALT LIQUOR.
also, :lulz: :lulz:@ cainad
I'll have to watch what kind of booze I offer. Russia has had an extremely high alcohol death rate since the Soviet Union broke up and Communism left. And about half those deaths are from drinking cologne and antiseptics hxxp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31544292/ns/health-addictions/
Jesus christ. :x
Quote from: Jenne on June 30, 2009, 11:40:43 PM
Quote from: Sheered Völva on June 30, 2009, 11:27:21 PM
Quote from: Cramulus on June 29, 2009, 10:10:28 PM
that's so odd. I run Vista and therefore have trouble doing simple things like playing a DVD
yet Scribus somehow runs error free
have you tried making an offering of booze to the public domain movement? They're the real creator spirit behind this thing, and they are THIRSTY FOR MALT LIQUOR.
also, :lulz: :lulz:@ cainad
I'll have to watch what kind of booze I offer. Russia has had an extremely high alcohol death rate since the Soviet Union broke up and Communism left. And about half those deaths are from drinking cologne and antiseptics hxxp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31544292/ns/health-addictions/
Jesus christ. :x
That was my reaction too. It was strange, but I read that article right before I came here and saw the note about giving out alcohol. Synchronicity.
I'm almost finished with Intermittens Operation Mindfuck (other than getting someone to go over it to help catch any stupid mistakes I may have made--mispellings and the like).
I have it saved in four eight-page Scribus files. How do I save all those in one PDF file? I'm asking both for the screen version and for the printed version, but right now am more concerned about the printed version.
Thanks!
http://www.intermittens.org
http://www.intermittens.info
okay I just consulted the scribus spirits, and this is what they said:
Try Page Menu -> Import
then pour out some cheap malt liquor on the sidewalk as an offering to the public domain
then click on the enigmatic "CHANGE" button, select the file to import, take a swig of malt liquor, and hope for the best.
Quote from: Cramulus on July 04, 2009, 02:38:41 AM
okay I just consulted the scribus spirits, and this is what they said:
Try Page Menu -> Import
then pour out some cheap malt liquor on the sidewalk as an offering to the public domain
then click on the enigmatic "CHANGE" button, select the file to import, take a swig of malt liquor, and hope for the best.
OK, I'll (takes a swig) try it. But I'm backing my files up first. :fnord:
Quote from: Cramulus on July 04, 2009, 02:38:41 AM
okay I just consulted the scribus spirits, and this is what they said:
Try Page Menu -> Import
then pour out some cheap malt liquor on the sidewalk as an offering to the public domain
then click on the enigmatic "CHANGE" button, select the file to import, take a swig of malt liquor, and hope for the best.
I should have clarified that I'm a little slow with this kind of thing. I did the steps above several times, and nothing happening. I even added some steps of my own, and nothing happened.
What I really need is step-by-step directions. Sorry, but my ADD is kicking in (that's always a good excuse for being lazy).
Quote from: Sheered Völva on July 04, 2009, 06:51:54 AM
What I really need is step-by-step directions. Sorry, but my ADD is kicking in (that's always a good excuse for being lazy).
my post was pretty close to step-by-step directions. Let's try it again... :p
okay I just consulted the scribus spirits, and this is what they said:Try Page Menu -> Import
then pour out some cheap malt liquor on the sidewalk as an offering to the public domainthen click on the "CHANGE" button,
select the file to import,
take a swig of malt liquor, and hope for the best.it will import the file you selected into your document.
Here's the one trick - make sure the pages are being imported onto the correct left-right page orientation.
for example if you're working in MasterFile.sla,
and you have section1.sla that you are importing from....
If section1.sla starts on a left page, make sure the page you insert it into begins on a left page.
If you're inserting pages at the end of MasterFile.sla, check off "Create Pages [At End]."
If that fubars, then just render each half into a pdf and I'll be able to stick them together.
Quote from: Cramulus on July 04, 2009, 01:48:47 PM
Quote from: Sheered Völva on July 04, 2009, 06:51:54 AM
What I really need is step-by-step directions. Sorry, but my ADD is kicking in (that's always a good excuse for being lazy).
my post was pretty close to step-by-step directions. Let's try it again... :p
okay I just consulted the scribus spirits, and this is what they said:
Try Page Menu -> Import
then pour out some cheap malt liquor on the sidewalk as an offering to the public domain
then click on the "CHANGE" button,
select the file to import, take a swig of malt liquor, and hope for the best.
it will import the file you selected into your document.
Here's the one trick - make sure the pages are being imported onto the correct left-right page orientation.
for example if you're working in MasterFile.sla,
and you have section1.sla that you are importing from....
If section1.sla starts on a left page, make sure the page you insert it into begins on a left page.
If you're inserting pages at the end of MasterFile.sla, check off "Create Pages [At End]."
I really appreciate your help and I'm sorry for sounding like a dumbass, but I need to know
every step. I've tried this many times, and it does nothing.
For example, what file do I need to have open before I even begin the steps above? What do I do after I select the file to import?
If I stop at that step your directions end at, nothing happens. But the program still gives me choices to make, so I assume there's still something else I have to do. At that point I have a box that lists files, the one I want highlighted. I then have several choices, including Open, Cancel and other directions I'm guessing I don't need (like move one folder up, etc.)
If I click Open with the file I want highlighted (I'm assuming that's the next step I should follow), then it gives me options of Change, Import, Cancel, Create Pages (Before Page, After Page, At End). Change let's me change the pages to add (which I don't want). If I click Import, it says there's nothing to import. If I click Cancel, it cancels.
Thanks.
EDIT: I just thought of what might be part of the problem. I may be using a different version of Scribus (I know that the program worked significantly different in the tutorial I looked at than my version did).
The version I'm using is Scribus 1.3.3.13.
EDIT: I just figured out how to make it work--I think. It must be a difference in the versions, because my version has several more steps you have to do. I ended up pasting pages on top of each other at first, but then realized I needed to tell the program to create pages at the end. Then I had to click on the new pages to get the text to appear (why I don't know).
Anyway, it appears to be working now. I hope.
Quote from: Telarus on July 04, 2009, 03:10:37 PM
If that fubars, then just render each half into a pdf and I'll be able to stick them together.
Thanks for the offer. Fortunately, this time my thick-skulled brain was able to muddle through and figure it out. :)
don't feel bad. this program was designed by something short of a million monkeys