Add pages from file (PDF) without changing fonts in the imported file?

[davemacdo]

I'm working on a giant Publisher v2 project file (my tenure portfolio), and one of the things I need to to is import pages from conference programs. Currently, when I use Add Pages from File, any fonts in the incoming file are replaced by fonts on my machine. That's causing all sorts of problems. I really don't want Publisher to do anything with this text. I just want it treated as a static image. Is there a way to change the import settings somewhere to make no adjustments to the incoming file and treat any type as curves/outlines?

[thomaso]

Don't use the import option "Add Pages from File…" (which rather opens the PDF) but "Place" instead, and, once placed, leave its option at the default "Passthrough".

[davemacdo]

38 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Don't use the import option "Add Pages from File…" (which rather opens the PDF) but "Place" instead, and, once placed, leave its option at the default "Passthrough".

Thanks! Doesn't "Place" require that I place each page one at a time, though? Some of the PDFs that I need to insert into this one 50+ pages.

[thomaso]

12 hours ago, davemacdo said:

Thanks! Doesn't "Place" require that I place each page one at a time, though? Some of the PDFs that I need to insert into this one 50+ pages.

EDIT: I misunderstood the Help info "For PDF, only one page can ever…" as a limitation for PDF in the "autoflow" feature of V2. – See the next post by @walt.farrell.

If I understand correct, unfortunately also in V2 there is no way to place multiple pages of a PDF with just one go:

Quote

When placing a multi-page document, from its entry on the Place Images panel, you can:

• use the pop-up menu below the thumbnail to select the single page/spread you wish to place.
• click the filename to reveal all the document's pages/spreads, then select all that you wish to place, either one at a time or using autoflow.

Once placed, you can choose which page or spread you want to display by using Spread on the context toolbar. For PDF, only one page can ever be displayed, although you can simulate a spread by duplicating the placed object and choosing a different page to view.

https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Media/placeImages.html?title=Placing content

In this case it may be more efficient to use another app to merge various PDF documents.

In an alternaive workaround, again with another app than Affinity, would export the PDF pages into one image per page + collect the resulting images to a new PDF. If you then use "Add Pages from File…" you don't need to have its fonts installed because pixel data will get opened, not editable text layers.

Edited September 2, 2023 by thomaso

[walt.farrell]

36 minutes ago, davemacdo said:

Doesn't "Place" require that I place each page one at a time, though? Some of the PDFs that I need to insert into this one 50+ pages.

No, it can be done in one shot in V2. 

https://affinity.help/publisher2/en-US.lproj/pages/Media/placeImages.html

This Serif tutorial also describes it at about 3:10 in: https://youtu.be/7sUyYDHIG1w?si=08uudDsYt8lkPTdH