[BUG?] Publisher - Error on viewing and exporting pdf

[VirginiaL]

Hi you all,

I linked a file into my Affinity file. It is an architectural plan, with a dashed border as frame. I linked it in my document, but - this and other - has an error of visualizations. Lines continues outside the border. But opening the linked file: it isn't so.

It is not only visible in the preview, but in the exporting pdf also.

Thanks in advance,

Best

V

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[VirginiaL]

The file is pdf, realized with a cad software (Nanocad). I attach an example. The problem is for all the linked pdf files with these characteristics.

soggiorno 0.pdf

[wonderings]

I think this is again the fault of Publisher and how it handles PDF. The sample file provided looks perfect in Indesign but as VirginiaL said in Publisher lots of extras that should not be there. Publisher wants to make PDF's editable, be it for text or vector and I am sure this is again causing another problem. I would stay clear of Publisher for placing PDF's, there are just too many potential issues at the moment. If you do need to place it in Publisher I would recommend converting to high res JPEG or some other flattened image. You lose all editing capabilities of course. 

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[VirginiaL]

Thank you both!

Since I work a lot with pdfs, if I can give a feedback, this is a serious issue that Affinity team should face. At least the possibility, with a checking box, to decide if it has only to "read" or read and modify pdfs as you say.

It is a lot of hours of work more indeed in this way.

 

Thank you

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2 hours ago, VirginiaL said:

Thank you both!

Since I work a lot with pdfs, if I can give a feedback, this is a serious issue that Affinity team should face. At least the possibility, with a checking box, to decide if it has only to "read" or read and modify pdfs as you say.

It is a lot of hours of work more indeed in this way.

 

Thank you

I agree and people have been saying this since beta and asking for the ability to place the PDF without editing.

I would disagree with Lagarto, Affinity does not do a good job interpreting PDF's, it only does a "good" job if all the pieces are there and correct. If you place Virginias PDF in Illustrator you can edit and it and it shows exactly how you see in the PDF, only does it show what Publisher shows when you start ripping it apart and clearing clipping masks. Beating a dead horse here but Publisher needs the ability to not embedded and not make the PDF edible. If they really want to get into PDF editing I would suggest they make an Acrobat DC competitor. 

 

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[wonderings]

35 minutes ago, Lagarto said:

It is all relative. Affinity Publisher can open a 100 page PDF with flowing text, complex notations with practically zero artifacts while apps like QuarkXPress show thousands of artifacts and "useless" bounding boxes. But for complex single page artworks there is nothing that can beat Illustrator. If I need to save a big project from a PDF, the source of which I no longer have (e.g. InDesign document), there is probably no better tool available than Affinity Publisher to do that and remake it a publication.

Do people still use Quark? 😉 Quark has never been good for display, when I switched our shop over to Indesign years ago it was like moving from the stone age to the Jetsons. You can actually see what you are working on, full resolution and it works at the same speed as Quark! Visually Affinity is the same way, looks great, just not trustworthy with placed PDF's in it. 

I know Quark is still out there and updating, I have a a demo installed but never get around to trying anything in it so cannot compare Publisher to Quark. Quark does have years and years and years of refinement and development behind it, it was the app of choice by all print shops till Adobe took them on. I would not discount Quark, I am sure it is still very robust and hopefully looks prettier. 

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[wonderings]

1 minute ago, Lagarto said:

My point was in comparing page layout apps that can open and edt (multipage) PDF content and make it native = recreate it as a publication, that is, apps like Affinity Publisher, Xara Designer Pro and QuarkXPress. There are probably other but which I do not know, but of these three, Affinity Publisher is most versatile and capable (in this sole task) even if it renders some jobs erroneously. .

QuarkXPress of course can handle pass through without any problems and is probably the only true alternative to InDesign in professional use (where jobs typically vary greatly and can be anything up to complex books containing thousands of pages).

Had no idea Quark had PDF editing capabilities. I am ok with the feature as long as a pass through option is given. 

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[MikeW]

2 hours ago, Lagarto said:

It is all relative. Affinity Publisher can open a 100 page PDF with flowing text, complex notations with practically zero artifacts while apps like QuarkXPress show thousands of artifacts and "useless" bounding boxes. ...

Though QXP does open the OP's pdf for editing just fine without "artifacts and useless bounding boxes."

QXP can open a multipage pdf and convert it to a native format without any add-on (via a shipped Javascript)--but I still use a 3rd-part, inexpensive XTension anyway.

You forgot CD as to applications that open pdfs, single page or otherwise. I would also add that even Adobe says the absolute wrong application to use for editing pdfs is Illustrator. It's actually not good at the task.

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[MikeW]

Hah. Before Corel did away with Ventura Publisher, they would have never dreamed about advertising CD as a page layout application. I have used it for brochures up to 16-24 pages because of the content even when VP was an active product, but it is never a choice I would typically make. But then again, I know people doing books with it--and a few people using XDP, too. Masochistic behavior!

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[MikeW]

16 minutes ago, Lagarto said:

I was referring to something like this (more specifically, as mentioned, related to notation):

a) QXP 2018 (Useful bounding boxes -- just try to color the glyphs):

b) Affinity Publisher (not a single meaningless object: select all, assign fill):

I'm not saying this at all to diss QXP,  but just as an example that each app has their strong and weak points. Affinity Publisher is very good at this. You can have hundred pages of this and it is light, fast and each glyph is correctly rendered and easy to access. It's like a day and night compared to QXP. But then again, Publisher can completely mess up notation PDF created by another software. Or do silly things like with the OP's document.

No worries. My list of issues may be longer than yours for any given application...

As far as qxp as you show, two things. the import is still grouped. The context for what gets filled is set to the text boxes, etc. Other than those two things, I would need both the pdf and font(s) to take a look.

That said, every application has strengths/weaknesses. That is one reason I have always, always, bought and maintained multiple applications.

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[MikeW]

2 minutes ago, Lagarto said:

Yes, true, is it still true in 2019 version that I need to have the Text tool to access content of the text box, and can do so only one text box at a time? ...

You can likely use f/r to target the used fonts to change their color.

But as in all things pdf, best to use the originating applications to make such changes and place in an application with pdf passthrough...

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[MikeW]

Xara applications, which any more I'm using XP&GD, has been my main pdf editing tool in your example for many years. (Well, design application too.) But depending upon the change needed, I may convert type to curves and change things in a second Q layout, export and place in the main layout. 

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