Archives For November 30, 1999

Scribus, the popular free open-source desktop publishing software, announced the new stable 1.6.x release series on the first day of 2024!

It’s been more than 4 years since the last stable 1.4.8, while 1.5.x release series is available as development branch.

The new Scribus 1.6 includes many new features! If you have the default 1.5.8 dev package from Ubuntu system repository, then most of them are already in use.

Features include:

  • Resource Manager for online resources such as dictionaries
  • canvas rendering improvements on Hi-DPI screens.
  • New commands added to scripting engine
  • New PDF-based output preview
  • Adobe® Illustrator® look like “Symbol” or clone feature.
  • most often requested text features

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For those prefer installing applications via apt method, the desktop publishing software Scribus 1.5.6 is finally made into PPA available for Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, and Linux Mint 20.

Scribus 1.5.6 was released a few months ago as the latest development release for the next major version 1.6.0. It features:

  • Introduce a context-sensitive Content Palette
  • A new PDF-based output preview
  • Improved dark UI themes support.
  • Support for PDF 1.6 export, including embedded OpenType fonts.
  • And much more.

How to Install Scribus 1.5.6.1 via PPA:

Besides non-install Appimage and community maintained flatpak package, the official PPA now contains the packages for Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10.

1.) Open terminal from system application launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:scribus/ppa

2.) Then run command to install the software package:

sudo apt install scribus-ng

Uninstall Scribus:

To remove the scribus package, simply run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove scribus-ng

To remove the Ubuntu PPA, either run command in step 1.) with --remove flag, or open Software & Updates and remove relevant line under Other Software tab.

For those who are still sticking to the Scribus 1.4 stable series, here’s how to install the latest stable Scribus 1.4.7 in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 17.10, Ubuntu 16.04, and/or Ubuntu 14.04.

Scribus 1.4.7 was announced a few weeks ago along with the 1.5.4 preview release:

“Scribus 1.4.7 is almost exclusively a bugfixing and update release and will be the last iteration of the Scribus 1.4.x line. All future development efforts will go into the upcoming new stable version 1.6.x.”

How to install Scribus 1.4.7 in Ubuntu

The official PPA repository has built the packages for all current Ubuntu releases.

1. Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:scribus/ppa

Input your password (no visual feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter

2. Then upgrade Scribus using Software Updater:

or run commands in terminal to install or upgrade the desktop publishing software:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install scribus

Uninstall:

You can remove the PPA repository via Software & Updates utility -> Other Software tab.

To remove Scribus, run command in terminal:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove scribus

Open source desktop publishing software, Scribus, has reached a new stable release with some new features and various bug-fixes.

Scribus 1.4.6 is a bugfixing and update release, including many corrections backported from the development candidate 1.5.x. It features:

  • supports SVG blend modes
  • improvements to Scribus’s PDF export.
  • improvements to hyphenation
  • four new color palettes, namely CIE LAB and CIE HLC, both available in a CMYK and an sRGB version.
  • bugfixes.

How to Install Scribus 1.4.6:

The new release has been made into official Ubuntu 16.04 repository, so it can be easily installed via Software Center.

For Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, and their derivatives, you may install the software via third-party PPA:

1. Open terminal from Unity Dash, Application Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and hit run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

type in your password (no visual feedback just type in mind) when it asks, and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, launch Software Updater and upgrade Scribus if you have a previous release installed.

Or, run below commands in terminal to update and install the software:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install scribus

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO ADD PPA, grab .deb packages for scribus and scribus-data from THIS PAGE.

3. Optional To downgrabe Scribus, install ppa-purge and purge the PPA:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge

sudo ppa-purge ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

The latest desktop publishing software Scribus 1.4.5, Pragha music player 1.3.2, Liferea RSS reader 1.10.15, and Hotshots screenshot tool 2.2.0 are ready in PPAs for Ubuntu 15.04 Vivid.

Scribus is a desktop publishing (DTP) application based on the free Qt toolkit. It is designed for layout, typesetting and to prepare files for professional quality image setting equipment. It can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms.

While Ubuntu repositories provide an old version, you can install the latest Scribus 1.4.5 via below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install scribus

Or you can grab the .deb installer for Vivid from this page.

Pragha is a Lightweight Music Player for GNU/Linux, based on Gtk, sqlite, and completely written in C, constructed to be fast, light, and simultaneously tries to be complete without obstructing the daily work.

To install it, run below commands one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/pragha

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install pragha

Or download the .deb installer at launchpad page.

Liferea is an open source feed reader and news aggregator with an embedded graphical browser (supports playing video, audio).

While Ubuntu repositories provide an old version, you can install the latest for Ubuntu 15.04 via:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install liferea

Open source desktop publishing (DTP) software, Scribus 1.4.5, has been released recently with a total of 75 bug-fixes, including many corrections backported from 1.5.0 svn.

Scribus 1.5.0, the preview of the next stable Scribus release (1.6.0), is supposed to be released for testing purposes early in 2015.

According to the official release note, the new release brings below important changes:

  • Scribus is now being shipped with the most recent version of Barcode Writer in Pure PostScript.
  • Updates to the Scripter that enable more control on PDF export. There is also a new command in Scripter, applyMasterPage(), which allows you to apply an existing Master Page.
  • Updates to the Resene color palettes, including, for the first time, The Resene Total Colour System (TCS) Master Palette.
  • Many translation updates and improvements.
  • Usability improvements.
  • Better application icons.
  • New templates.
  • The OS X application bundle is now code signed (version 1 code signing, due to the OS X 10.5 Leopard build), and now contains the path tools for mesh distortion again.

Complete change log, installer for Windows, Mac, and Linux (RPMs) are available at wiki.scribus.net

How to Install Scribus 1.4.5 in Ubuntu:

Since there’s no official Ubuntu packages for the new Scribus release, I’ve made it into my personal PPA, available for Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04(64-bit failed), and Linux Mint 17/17.1.

NOTE: Please back up all project files before you doing below steps.

To add the PPA, open terminal from the Dash or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

Then you can upgrade Scribus via ‘Software Updater’, or by running below two commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install scribus

If you don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb installer directly from the launchpad page.

(Optional) To downgrade scribus, run:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge

sudo ppa-purge ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

That’s it. Hope this will help!

The desktop publishing (DTP) application Scribus 1.4.4 was released a few days ago on May 29. The new release features exporting to PDF/X-1a, a standard popular with print-on-demand services.

The feature was backported from the development version 1.5 which is still in the making. After activated “color management tool” in Preferences, you’ll see the option in the drop-down box of Compatibility at next launch.

According to the announcement, Scribus 1.4.4 will likely be the last release in the 1.4.x branch, and the Scribus Team will from now on solely focus on the development of the next major version 1.6.

Most Important Changes:

  • PDF/X-1a export.
  • The Barcode plug-in has been updated to reflect the latest changes in the underlying Barcode Writer in Pure PostScript (BWIPP).
  • The Autoquote script has been rewritten and enhanced. It now provides more options and adds thin spaces to French texts where appropriate.
  • A script to align images in frames has been added.
  • Full support of the OpenICC Directory Proposal (http://www.oyranos.org/wiki/index.php?title=OpenIccDirectoryProposal).
  • The handling of transparencies in Photoshop-generated TIFF files has been improved.
  • Page borders can now act as guides (and thus be used for snapping of items).
  • The CMYK color palette created by the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) for newspaper advertisements has been integrated into Scribus.
  • A new color palette for professional geographers has been added.
  • Export to various bitmap formats has been re-enabled on Mac OS X.
  • Several issues related to the user interface and canvas display have been resolved.
  • Adjustments for Windows 8.x.
  • An issue with the spellchecker, resulting in a crash, has been resolved.
  • Documentation and translation updates and improvements.
  • More details, see the official release note.

Install Scribus 1.4.4:

Before writing this tutorial, there is no repository for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS users yet, so I made Scribus 1.4.4 into PPA (using Ubuntu’s default building rules).

To install it, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run the commands below one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install scribus

Available for Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 13.10 and Ubuntu 12.04.

(Optional) To remove it and revert back to original version available in Ubuntu repository, run:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge

sudo ppa-purge ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

That’s it. Enjoy!

The desktop publishing app Scribus has reached version 1.4.3, this tutorial will show you how to install it in Ubuntu 13.04, 12.04, 12.10, 10.04, Linux Mint via its official repository.

UPDATE: Latest Stable Scribus 1.4.4 Now is available in PPA for Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 13.10, and Ubuntu 12.04.

Like the previous version, this is mostly a bugfixing release, but there are also some important enhancements:

  • Scribus has been ported to the Haiku operating system. For more information see: Installing_Scribus_on_Haiku
  • The Barcode Writer has been updated and supports many more barcodes, including QR.
  • The Galaxy Gauge™ color matching system and color tools have been included.
  • New color palettes from government agencies (Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, United Kingdom) have been included.
  • More Open Source color palettes have been included.
  • Improvements to the build system.
  • Improvements to the Preflight Verifier.
  • The A4 page size limit of TeX-rendered graphics in Render Frames has been removed.
  • The Short Words plug-in now supports Danish.
  • Many updates to the Online Manual.

Most important bugfixes:

  • Disabled hyphenation on some Linux distributions is working again.
  • Some unit conversion issues have been fixed.
  • Display issues related to Ubuntu’s Unity interface have been fixed.
  • Some fixes to wrong or irritating UI behavior.
  • Memory management in connection with the new Hyphenator has been optimized.
  • Issues with the Clang compiler have been fixed.
  • Scribus now supports Pillow as an alternative to the Python Imaging Library.
  • Many translation updates.

Install Scribus from Official Repository:

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open terminal for running commands. When it opens, follow below steps:

1.) Run command to add the Scribus repository:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ $(lsb_release -cs) main non-free"

2.) Get the key:

gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.pgp.net --recv-keys EEF818CF

Export the key and add it to the apt keyring:

gpg --armor --export EEF818CF | sudo apt-key add -

3.) update and install the packages:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install scribus

That’s it! After this tutorial, you can redo step 3.) to receive updates when a new release comes out.