[scribus] multiple duplicate by page

[Gregory Pittman]

On 09/10/2018 01:01 PM, ale rimoldi wrote:
> buondì!
> 
> i've finally managed to solve an issue that has been buggin for a
> very long time.
> 
> TLDR:
> 
> - i've added a new tab to "item > duplicate > multiple duplicate" to
>   duplicate an item on the following pages (all, even, odd, ranges;
>   with text links).
> 
> - this tab should replace the "insert > frames" dialog.
> 
> - this tab should replace the "automatic text frames" in the "file >
>   new" dialog.
> 
> You can try the feature by checking out (or applying the resulting
> patch) my "insert-frames" branch:
> 
> https://github.com/aoloe/scribus/tree/insert-frames
> 
> https://github.com/scribusproject/scribus/compare/master...aoloe:insert-frames.diff
> 
> 
> 
> now, some details.
> 
> the genesis of this feature is related to the master page
> items not being editable in the "real" pages.
> one can use the guides and the scrapbook, and it's mostly fine. but it
> would be nice to have some more automatism.
> and -- as many of you already know -- i really don't like the automatic
> text frames (at least not in the way they are provided by scribus).
> 
> i think that none of you has ever used the "insert > frames" dialog...
> personally, i haven't, but i at sometimes i started planning to add a
> button that takes the current selection as a template for the frame(s)
> to be created.
> i did create a local branch and started modifying the dialog.
> but, wait... "item > duplicate > multiple duplicate" does almost the
> same thing and it might be way easier!
> 
> i haven't renamed the branch, but i've restarted my work from scratch
> and added a "By Page" tab to the "Multiple Duplicate" dialog.
> 
> https://imagebin.ca/v/4FENK8tSMgUM
> 
> looks simple?
> the hardest part was: reducing it to the minimal interface that
> makes it easy to use!
> 
> the features:
> 
> - you can duplicate the selected items on the following (odd / even)
>   pages
> - you can duplicate them on a set of pages (as an example 1-4)
> - if you check the "Link text frames" check box, the first text frame
>   found in the selection will be linked to the first text frame found
>   in the duplicated items (creating a chain through all the pages
>   concerned)
> - if the text frame is already in a chain, the last frame in the
>   chain is used for linking to the first in the chain among the
>   duplicated items (harder to explain than to do...).
> 
> i won't spent many words, to explain why this should replace the
> "insert > frames" dialog. but if somebody needs an explanation i can
> take the time.
> really, if this patch gets accepted, the "insert > frames" should be
> removed.
> 
> and should it also replace the automatic text frames? in my eyes: yes!
>  
> here is a screencast showing how easily the auto text frame  workflow
> can be replaced by the multiple duplication:
> 
> https://my.mixtape.moe/kzzslw.webm
> 
> but why would like to remove the automatic frames from scribus, we can
> keep both...?
> 
> - because automatic frames are not flexible. once you have set them in
>   the new > file dialog, you cannot change the option without
>   recreating the whole file.
>   it would require some serious work to make the automatic frames to be
>   flexible enough to be really useful (and avoid that people keep on
>   asking how they can do this and that with the automatic frames).
> 
> - because there is some cryptic code scattered over multiple places in
>   the code to allow the automatic frames: the new code for the multiple
>   duplicate by page is a friendly function with 70 lines of code.
> 
> - because learning about the multiple duplication gives you skills in a
>   tool you can use for several tasks.
>   the automatic text frames, are a feature that is hard to find (and
>   setup; well, it's not THAT hard... but it's not trivial either to
>   get right) and that you can use only for one single goal.
> 
> - because adding the needed flexibility to the auto text frames, will
>   probably require a UI (and a code) that is way more complex than
>   what we can achieve with the multiple duplication.
> 
>  
> the scribus UI is already way too complex. the same is valid for the
> code.
> if there is a chance to simplify one or both of them, i really think we
> should take it!
> 
> 
> and now?
> 
> i'd love it, if other people could try out the feature and give
> feedback.
> in the near future, i'd like to upload the patch to the bug tracker (and
> create a second patch to remove the two deprecated commands).

This is something like what I ended up with by making the copyObject()
and pasteObject() commands:

https://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/CopyObject()_and_pasteObject()

Greg