I'm designing some large museum exhibit panels in Inkscape 1.2.2 on Windows (size 31" x 49"). I am trying to output these as PDF to send to our printing service, but the PDF is misaligned from the selection I have chosen in the Inkscape document. The PDF is the proper size, however a portion of the document above the area I selected is rendered to the PDF, and an equivalent portion of the selected area is missing from the bottom of the PDF.
Strangely, if I try to export the same
I should note some details of this document which are unusual: I have defined the Inkscape document page to represent the entire wall of the exhibit space (so 126" high by 90" wide). This is for a size reference when we are designing the exhibit. So we can determine good viewing heights, etc. Upon that I have drawn the multiple text panels. I want to export just one of these text panels as a PDF by:
selecting it
choosing the EXPORT function
exporting as PDF
In the resultant PDF, part of the "wall" that is above the panel I selected is rendered, and a matching portion of the panel is missing or cut-off at the bottom of the PDF.
Strangely, if I export the exact same selection as a bitmap (i.e. JPEG), it renders properly.
Inkscape exports the page area to PDF, so it is essential that the page area be defined to the artwork region or vice-versa. Ctrl+Shift+R will resize the page to the artwork, or any selected objects.
I select the left panel for export (the one with the torso of the man) and the PDF I get looks like this, with a portion of the unselected "wall" rendered at the top and an equivalent portion of the panel missing at the bottom:
When preparing for print, it is common to eave the pdf with the "convert text to paths" checkbox ticked. This can resolve issues with how fonts are rendered in PDF readers, and differences in fonts installed in other machines.
The strange thing is that the text flow problem only occurs when I check "convert text to paths". The PDF renders properly when I check "embed fonts". I would have thought it would be the other way around.
Perhaps the fact that I am rendering only one of the two panels, and there is flowed text between them, is the problem.
What happens is that a few words of text from the right panel (visible in first picture) are appearing at the bottom of the left panel when rendering it to PDF and while "convert text to paths" is checked.
Another option I would try is converting the flowed text to regular text. (Menu: Text>Convert to Text) I'd work with a copy of the document, since the process cannot be reversed.
I also make exhibits (for science museums). If you would like to send me a link to the document privately, you can click on my picture and then click the envelope button.
One quick way is to convert the text to paths in the Inkscape document (Menu: Path>Object to path). Then saving a copy as PDF (or export) seems to keep the text formatting.
Edit: I'm not seeing the reformatting when simply saving a copy as pdf.
Inkscape 1.2.2 (1:1.2.2+202212051552+b0a8486541) OS version: Linux Mint 21
Beginners' Questions Inkscape PDF export misaligned
Inkscape.org
Hi,
I'm designing some large museum exhibit panels in Inkscape 1.2.2 on Windows (size 31" x 49"). I am trying to output these as PDF to send to our printing service, but the PDF is misaligned from the selection I have chosen in the Inkscape document. The PDF is the proper size, however a portion of the document above the area I selected is rendered to the PDF, and an equivalent portion of the selected area is missing from the bottom of the PDF.
Strangely, if I try to export the same
I should note some details of this document which are unusual: I have defined the Inkscape document page to represent the entire wall of the exhibit space (so 126" high by 90" wide). This is for a size reference when we are designing the exhibit. So we can determine good viewing heights, etc. Upon that I have drawn the multiple text panels. I want to export just one of these text panels as a PDF by:
In the resultant PDF, part of the "wall" that is above the panel I selected is rendered, and a matching portion of the panel is missing or cut-off at the bottom of the PDF.
Strangely, if I export the exact same selection as a bitmap (i.e. JPEG), it renders properly.
I will attach images in the next post.
Inkscape exports the page area to PDF, so it is essential that the page area be defined to the artwork region or vice-versa. Ctrl+Shift+R will resize the page to the artwork, or any selected objects.
Screenshots (as promised in original post):
I select the left panel for export (the one with the torso of the man) and the PDF I get looks like this, with a portion of the unselected "wall" rendered at the top and an equivalent portion of the panel missing at the bottom:
BUT if I render it to a JPEG it looks fine:
Tyler,
Your suggestion seems to help. The redefining the page size seemed stopped the panel from being cut off. Thanks.
However there are now differences in the text flow for some reason - but that's a problem for another topic.
When preparing for print, it is common to eave the pdf with the "convert text to paths" checkbox ticked. This can resolve issues with how fonts are rendered in PDF readers, and differences in fonts installed in other machines.
Hi Tyler,
The strange thing is that the text flow problem only occurs when I check "convert text to paths". The PDF renders properly when I check "embed fonts". I would have thought it would be the other way around.
Perhaps the fact that I am rendering only one of the two panels, and there is flowed text between them, is the problem.
What happens is that a few words of text from the right panel (visible in first picture) are appearing at the bottom of the left panel when rendering it to PDF and while "convert text to paths" is checked.
Strange.
Hmmm....
Another option I would try is converting the flowed text to regular text. (Menu: Text>Convert to Text) I'd work with a copy of the document, since the process cannot be reversed.
I also make exhibits (for science museums). If you would like to send me a link to the document privately, you can click on my picture and then click the envelope button.
ok, I'm taking a look at the files.
One quick way is to convert the text to paths in the Inkscape document (Menu: Path>Object to path). Then saving a copy as PDF (or export) seems to keep the text formatting.
Edit: I'm not seeing the reformatting when simply saving a copy as pdf.
Inkscape 1.2.2 (1:1.2.2+202212051552+b0a8486541) OS version: Linux Mint 21
Tyler, that's a creative solution (convert objects to paths menu option). It does work so I could use that to send to the printing service.
So you're not seeing the reformatting (text flow problem) when exporting to PDF with CONVERT TEXT TO PATHS checkbox enabled?
I see you're using Linux. I use Linux at home. I will have to try rending the file there and see if it makes a difference.
That's correct.
But I also use File>Save a copy as PDF... that seems to behave differently than when I use the export dialog.
Wow! You're right. Using File>Save a copy>PDF works just fine, even when "convert text to paths" option is checked!
Interesting that File>Export exports a "corrupted" version!