[scribus] Using Scribus for a newsletter

[Frank Swygert]

I think you're still having an issue with "master pages" and "templates". As Jan stated -- don't save each page, but one document with all the pages you need. My little magazine (more of a "fanzine" or fancy newsletter) is 24-26 pages. 

Don't create a template. Create your newsletter instead, then use the last issue as a template for the next. Or delete the text (except the ads and other elements that will remain the same) then save that as a template. This is what works best/easiest for me, but by all means find what works for you and do that! Forget about the terminology though and how you think things "should" be done. Once you start using Scribus you'll learn your way around and may change the way you do things as you learn -- nothing's set in type.  ;>

Ads don't change much, but they do on occasion. I always use the last issue as the next issue's template. Just remember to save the "last" as the "next" before making changes or you could overwrite the "last" one. When you do this it's easy to select and cut and ad, then paste it on another page, or move it about a page -- whatever is necessary. 

Don't get caught up in the terminology! I've never found a real use for "templates" as the above works much better. I have on rare occasion used a "ready made" template for some project, but for the most part I ignore that "feature". The only good thing about a template is that it can be locked so that items can't be changed. Once you open a template as a document, things can be changed, and then you save as a document, leaving the original template unchanged. This keeps you from overwriting your template, but that's all. 

Remember, a "master page" only has items that will be on every single page of the document. A "template" is a skeleton of the entire document, so you need to make it all first. Then open a new document using the template. The master page you created for the template is saved with the template.




Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:59:25 +0200
From: Jan Schrewe <jschrewe at googlemail.com>
Subject: Re: [scribus] Using Scribus for a newsletter

Joe Ward schrieb am Freitag, 19. September 2008:

> >     Thanks, Frank. This is the way I was thinking of proceeding. But I
> > don't understand how I link the pages together to make one publication. I
> > do have the four possible page types saved as templates and as regular
> > pages. The front page, the back page (which has mailing formation on it),
> > and an inside left, and an inside right. each has appropriate guides for
> > the content it will have, and the newsletter name and a place for the issue
> > information across the top. At the moment, I'm just  putting content on the
> > pages, and saving each page as a file. This will work. It will be easy to
> > number the pages. A lot of the content is ads that won't change from issue
> > to issue, so my plan is to save each issue as a template, and they open it
> > for the new newsletter and change those few ads that need changing, or move
> > them around to create better text space.
>   

Don't save each page as a seperate file. You will get serious problems if you 
try to make the final publication.

If your document is not too long (10 Pages should be okay) just create one 
document and insert all the pages you need. For ads that are always there you 
can use a masterpage. In scribus you can choose for each page which 
masterpage gets applied to it. Layout the rest as needed by inserting frames 
for text and images.

Jan

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)