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Ability to replace linked PDFs without scaling


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Currently when you replace a PDF file in Resource Manager, a new file is always placed in a wrong size since its scaled to some arbitrary value, so after each replacement you need to manually reset the scaling back to 100% for each replaced PDF.

An option is needed to replace PDF files without any scaling being applied, so that scaling always stays at 100%.

As an example, Adobe Illustrator has such an option called "Preserve: File Dimensions", in Placement Options of a link.

With this option enabled, no matter what file you replace the link with, its always placed with correct file dimensions, without any scaling.

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5 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

Try a pictureframe to "host" the external file

I did. Pictureframe doesn't have an option to always preserve 100% scaling, hence the existence of this thread.

It has several Frame Properties, but none of them restore/maintain 100% scaling.

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12 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

1 main and 1 to be placed file.

the issue is with replacing PDFs via Resource Manager, so you would need two PDF files to check - 1 already placed, and another to replace it.

I've created the following test:

  • afpub file with a picture frame in it, where PDF will be placed. Over it is the 50x50mm square, to check whether PDF are placed correctly or not
  • two PDF files with a green 50x50mm square, but with different document and bleed sizes.
    If placed correctly with no scaling, green squares should match the square from afpub. One of the test files when placed doesn't.
  • and this is the main issue - when one of the PDFs is already placed, and you replace it with another in Resource Manager, squares should again match, and they don't.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y7Of_LeTJ0LD59LHpSCw7Bc4bQ_OjsHg/view?usp=sharing

 

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Then my feature request still stands - to have an analogue to Adobe Illustrator's option called "Preserve: File Dimensions", in Placement Options of a link.
With that option any placed PDF is always placed retaining correct size.

Using the same PDFs from above, I can create a placement test in Illustrator which both files will pass.

Quote

Because the t1 document is larger it will show the rectangle smaller

Well it shouldn't be in my case. In both documents the green rectangle is 50mm, so I need it to be 50mm when placed, not scaled to whatever else value.
This is what "Preserve: File Dimensions" option enables.

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This only works if you place PDFs directly, as a new linked file.

If you replace PDFs via Resource Manager, they are scaled.
Which is the whole point of this thread.

Place t1 file, then replace it with t2 via Resouce Manager. This fails the test.

The issue is with files getting scaled during replacement.

In Illustrator I can freely replace existing files, and option "Preserve: File Dimensions" ensures that replacement file will not be scaled.
This is very important if you have some form of a template, in which you constantly replace linked files.

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2 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

It simply gives the illusion that it does because there's no other content present but the white bg of the document.

I don't really get what you mean by that. Its very clearly scaled.

Both files have a 50mm square in them, so if when placed inside another document its no longer 50mm, then its scaled. As simple as that.

When you send files to print, you can't just have them arbitrarily change their dimensions, that completely f***s your layout.
 

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44 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

Publisher just brings in the document at 100% whether this is 50mm,60mm or 120mm

Except it doesn't when replacing a file.

When you place the first file directly, t1 for example, its placed at 100% scaling, 50mm green square is still 50mm

When you replace it with t2 via Resource Manager, the new file now has 50x50mm dimensions, while its real dimensions are 70x70mm, and the green square is 41.5mm instead of 50mm - Designer scaled it down to 71.4% of its real size. And I want to avoid this scaling.

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1 hour ago, N.P.M. said:

so either place direct

Not possible for my workflow, there are anywhere between a few to several hundred links in a template, depending on the job.

1 hour ago, N.P.M. said:

or use none in the pictureframe settings

You'd think that, but it doesn't work. I tried it before, it doesn't seem to do anything with PDFs.
If it did, this thread wouldn't exist.

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