Importing multiple PDF's to create one file for export to one PDF file - Affinity Publisher V2

CJT963 · May 2, 2023

To all,
I'm still finding Affinity Publisher not very intuitive compared to Serif Page-Plus X9 for casual use, but not giving up.

OK, I have about 7 to 10 A4 pdf sheets with various text/graphics from other sources, one document has two pages & another four pages. I want to import them into Affinity Publisher as one file then export all the pages as one pdf file, therefore what's the best way to do this ?

Initially I just opened the first pdf within AP & then saved that file as a new document, but then couldn't figure out how to insert other pdf's, so I just created some blank pages in the saved file & drag/dropped them in, but multiple page pdf's only drag & drop the first page !

I guess there's a better way, so any offers will be most appreciated.

thomaso · May 2, 2023

If you are fine with opening the various PDF rather than placing then the menu "Document" > "Add Pages From File" will collect your bunch of PDF (1 at a time) into your .afpub and create the number of pages according to the added PDF.

Notes:
• It adds them with their original page size, so you might end with varying pages sizes within the collecting .afpub.
• If your .afpub is set to facing pages than a PDF added starting on a right page does not alter this specific page size while the contents gets placed in its original size whereas the following pages get created in the size of the added PDF pages. This is because in APub spreads must not have pages of different sizes.
• Opening (adding) may modify the visual appearance of the PDF and interprets the contents as various Affinity layers according to the object types within the PDF. Thus, different to placing, opening / adding requires the fonts of the PDF to be installed and activated or uses otherwise substitution fonts to display the imported text.

dominik · May 2, 2023

2 hours ago, CJT963 said:

OK, I have about 7 to 10 A4 pdf sheets with various text/graphics from other sources, one document has two pages & another four pages. I want to import them into Affinity Publisher as one file then export all the pages as one pdf file, therefore what's the best way to do this ?

Hello @CJT963,

if the task is only to combine and/or rearrange PDF files without editing I find this free utility very helpful and intuitive: PDF Arranger

https://github.com/pdfarranger/pdfarranger

APub may be overkill for this rather simple task.

d.