PDF import: 2nd page corrupted when using "Add Pages from File"

[julester]

When I use the "Add Pages from File" option, the second page of my PDF has mixed up characters, even though the first page looks fine. 

I am using Windows 10 Pro, recently updated to 2.1.0. Can I get the old version back so I can work on my project? 

 

[GarryP]

Welcome to the forums @julester

For those of us who don’t read sheet music, or otherwise don’t know what the page should look like, can you describe where the “mixed up characters” are?

Can you also tell us (if you have the information):

• Where you got the PDF from;
• How the PDF was created, and in which application;
• Which fonts contain the characters that are “mixed up”.

Note: It’s also useful to tell us which Affinity application you are using, but in this case we can infer that you are using Publisher as that’s the only one which has the “Add Pages From File” functionality.

If you have saved the document in V2 then you cannot open it in V1.
If you have an older V1 version of the document then you can open that in V1 but, obviously, all of the changes since then will be lost.

Edited May 29, 2023 by GarryP
Added more details.

[julester]

I have attached a screenshot of what page 2 is supposed to look like. I'm thinking it's a margin problem, but I've tried different settings and can't fix it. I didn't have any trouble publishing music books using the previous version. This is a new book, so I don't have any old files to use. 

[Hangman]

Hi @julester,

Are you able to upload both your Publisher file along the with placed pdf file so we can take a closer look at what might be going on here...

[julester]

I have attached my Publisher file and the original PDF. The original PDF file was created in Sibelius, a music notation program. All of my previous books had no problem displaying the music notation before the software update. 

Affinity Forum Sample.afpub A Mighty Fortress Is Our God EH.pdf

[walt.farrell]

20 minutes ago, julester said:

All of my previous books had no problem displaying the music notation before the software update. 

And you used Add Pages from File with these PDFs before? If so, it's odd that it worked before, because in general the Affinity applications have never handled editing PDFs created by music programs. They can be Placed in Passthrough mode, but not in Interpret. Nor can they be Opened.

[Hangman]

As @walt.farrell suggests, you'd be better off placing the pdf rather than opening it. The Affinity apps make a bit of a hash when opening the pdf in terms of how it interprets the differing elements of the pdf file and groups them...

The placed pdf also exports to pdf without issue which I assume is the final intent...

Placed PDF File in Passthrough Mode

[julester]

Interesting. I have published 6 books successfully using the Add Pages feature. I guess I'll use the place feature, but that's not as convenient. I wish I could have the old version back

Thanks for helping!

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, julester said:

I wish I could have the old version back

What's stopping you?

It should be available from the Store you originally purchased from in your account there, whether you used the Affinity Store or the Microsoft Store.

[Hangman]

56 minutes ago, julester said:

Interesting. I have published 6 books successfully using the Add Pages feature. I guess I'll use the place feature, but that's not as convenient. I wish I could have the old version back

Out of interest, in what way is it less convenient, are you needing to make edits to the pdf file once added?

Just curious…

[julester]

7 minutes ago, Hangman said:

Out of interest, in what way is it less convenient, are you needing to make edits to the pdf file once added?

Just curious…

Yes, unfortunately for this book, I was going to resize all of the note heads to make them easier to read. 

[julester]

1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

What's stopping you?

It should be available from the Store you originally purchased from in your account there, whether you used the Affinity Store or the Microsoft Store.

Good point! I will try uninstalling and reinstalling the program using my old download file. 

[Hangman]

Not a perfect solution but could you drop the note heads from the Sibelius file and re-export the pdf’s or are there too many or as Walt suggests just vervet to v1 for now…

[julester]

I just uninstalled and reinstalled 2.0.0 and it's working perfectly using the "Add Pages from Files" feature. 😀🎹