changing margin creates random havoc with inserted drawings

[Dennison]

Can anyone please explain why changing the page margins (in Document Setup) causes random drawings to explode in size?

Screenshots show one page with drawings unchanged after margin change, and then next page with drawings that have exploded in size.

Two methods were used:

A)  This is what I did before finding the problem

1) change Document Units from points to millimetres

2) change margins to new settings, in millimetres

3) change Document Units back to points - the unit I work in for layout

4) random drawings have exploded in size

 

B)  Using the file version from yesterday (before any changes were made to Document Units)

1) Document Units left as points

2) document margins increased (in points)

3) random drawings have exploded in size.

 

Have I got a setting wrong or made an incorrect action, or is this a bug?

The document has about 2000 svg drawings so correcting each one manually, for example to align correctly with each drawing's captions and labels, would be a labourious time sink.

Thanks.

AfPub  2.6.0 (3027)

Mac M1

Sequoia 15.2

[Hangman]

Hi @Dennison,

I think we'll need to see a sample page with associated SVG drawings to understand what's going on as it could be several things and we're only going to be second-guessing otherwise...

1. Could you confirm which scaling option you have set in the Scale tab of the Document Setup window, Anchor to Page, Anchor to Spread or Rescale?
2. Can you also confirm, whether when this happens you can use Undo to return the drawings back to their original size?

[Dennison]

Thanks for the quick response.

Scaling is set to - Anchor to spread.

I'm attaching a few pages of the book that have both unaffected drawings and drawings that are enlarged.

Explosion file Jan 11 2025.afpub

[Hangman]

Hi @Dennison,

Sorry to be a pain but could you either upload the SVG files for those pages or embed them and reupload the Publisher file as we'll likely need the SVG files to figure out what is going on...

[Dennison]

sure.

[Dennison]

I've embedded (via Resource Manager) all but a few files (missing or embed greyed out).

Explosion file embedded Jan 11 2025.afpub

[Hangman]

Thanks for the updated file...

It may take a while but either I or anyone else looking at the file will come back to you we figure it out...

[Dennison]

Thank you - much appreciated.

The full file is some 570 pages so I'll hold off making any changes until we know what the issue is.

[Hangman]

Just now, Dennison said:

The full file is some 570 pages so I'll hold off making any changes until we know what the issue is

1. What value did you change the margins from and to originally?
2. I'm assuming you're just dragging or placing the SVG files in the Publisher document and then scaling them down manually, is that correct?
3. I'm also assuming the document dimensions themselves haven't changed during this process, i.e., the document has always been 6" x 9" at 300 dpi?

[Dennison]

hi,

1)  the original margins were - in points:

inner – 54.4

top 28.3

outer 31.7

bottom 28.3

Originally - when I set up the file, the margins would have been made in mm and then I changed the Document Units to points, as that's what I use to align and separate frames etc.

 

2) Yes.  All created in AfDesign, then imported and scaled to fit manually

3) Correct, document dimensions have not been changed

 

thanks

[Hangman]

Hi @Dennison,

So far I've not been able to replicate the issue, nothing I've tried has had any effect when following your recipe even when deleting and re-adding the SVG files so I'm still trying to understand what is going on...

If you are able to replicate the issue on a copy of your file and can make a screen recording that would be really helpful and may point to something we're overlooking...

[Dennison]

Thanks.  I'll do my best.

[Dennison]

Weirder and weirder.

Here is a screencast:

1) opening an old version - that clearly has no problems

2) after a few seconds the drawings explode.

 

I'm going to reinstall a fresh download.

 

I downloaded a new version of beta 3027 and installed on my desktop - to be sure not to confuse with previous version

Opened a version of the same file from January 7th - long before this issue.  Same problem. After a few seconds, drawings explode.

I opened a completely different file of a different book layout - no issues. Drawings remain stable even after several minutes.

 

Screen Recording 2025-01-13 at 05.22.58.mov

[Dennison]

Maybe I should send you the full version of the file - do you have a separate upload link?

January 10th version is 62.9 MB

January 11th version is 90.9 MB (weird because only a couple of small uploads were made.

[Hangman]

Hi @Dennison,

That really is quite bizarre...

You can DM me the file as it's not too big... If you could upload a version shown in your screen recording, before the files explode in size that would be very helpful and just zip up the linked graphics and the Publisher file and then DM the zip file that would be perfect...

[Dennison]

Good morning. 

Thanks for the message.  Do you have a direct link as i'm not comfortable making public not only the master file of a 500 page book but all the 2000 drawings that do with it. 

Two files sent.

Are we each using a different version of the AfPub Beta?

I'm using the latest 2.6.0 (3027)  while your signature says 21.6.0 (2861)

[carl123]

15 minutes ago, Dennison said:

Good morning. 

In document setup (dimensions) I can see you have a custom size set

Have you ever resized this document from when you first started it?

 

And I can only open your uploaded file in the beta but your screen recording seems to suggest you are using the retail version

I get an error message that it was created in a later version, if I try to open it with 2.5.7

Which version did you upload (to the forum) your document in?

(Windows)

[Hangman]

2 minutes ago, carl123 said:

And I can only open your uploaded file in the beta but your screen recording seems to suggest you are using the retail version

The screen recording shows it is the Beta if you look at the title bar...

[Dennison]

Hi,

I've been working on this book for several years (Covid etc.) but the trim size has never varied from 6" x 9" - so though I can't be certain I never changed the document size, it seems highly unlikely.  I have changed the margins and the Document Units several times.

 

No, I'm using the Beta. 

[carl123]

6 minutes ago, Hangman said:

The screen recording shows it is the Beta if you look at the title bar...

Thanks, it's a Mac so I was expecting a beta icon somewhere

[carl123]

On 1/11/2025 at 7:18 AM, Dennison said:

causes random drawings to explode in size?

OK, on the document you uploaded I can get random text frames to "explode in size"

Just by changing the document dimensions from 432x648 to 600x900 and having Scaling set to Rescale

Some text boxes on the first and last page "explode"

Related to your issue?

I have no idea!

 

[Hangman]

32 minutes ago, carl123 said:

OK, on the document you uploaded I can get random text frames to "explode in size"

That sounds like a different, known bug logged under AF-5397...

[Hangman]

Hi @Dennison,

Okay, I finally figured it out...

For some reason, likely a bug, the dpi of the EPS and SVG files are being read incorrectly. In 2.5.7 and 2.6.0.2984 they're ready correctly at 72 dpi. In 2.6.0.3027 they're incorrectly read at 300dpi...

This is what is causing the placed graphics to explode when opening your Publisher file in 2.6.0.3027 which I confirmed by creating a Publisher document in 2.5.7, placing a couple of your graphics as both EPS and SVG files and then opening the file in 2.6.0.3207...

Hopefully, someone at Serif can provide a link to 2.6.0.2984 so you can re-download and revert to the previous version and continue working with your file...

[Dennison]

Amazing detective work.  Thank you for figuring this out. 

Serif - a link to be able to revert to 2984 please.

[Jon P]

Hey @Dennison.

I'll pm you a link with the 2984 builds