Getting Scribus on Ubuntu/Kubuntu up and running

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Revision as of 08:30, 9 December 2006 by Mhanski (talk | contribs)
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This article is part of the HOWTOs series.
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BIG FAT WARNING: Scribus users on Kubuntu Dapper Drake will experience difficulties while changing values in real number spinboxes. This is a long standing bug which has been reported to both Ubuntu and Scribus bug tracker. As long as there is no real solution, you can use the following easy workaround: launch Scribus in this way: LC_ALL=C scribus

Please refer also to this metabug for other Ubuntu issues that may diminish its suitability as a good platform for Scribus and DTP


Requirements:   
Operating System:   Ubuntu/Kubuntu Linux  
Scribus Version:   1.2.* and 1.3.*
DTP skills:   novice
OS skills:   novice


Adding repositories with Scribus related packages

Note that there are packages for Ubuntu/Kubuntu Breezy, Dapper and Edgy, Breezy or Edgy users should simply replace "dapper" by "breezy" or "edgy" in there belowmentioned repositories:

  • Kubuntu: go to KDE menu/System/Adept (Package Manager)
    Ubuntu: System/Administration/Synaptic (Package Manager)
  • Kubuntu: in Adept go to Adept/Manage Repositories
    Ubuntu: in Synaptic go to Settings/Repositories/New
  • Kubuntu: Add the following repositories one by one using the Add field and click on Apply:
    Ubuntu: Fill the fields and use the OK button to add the following repositories:


# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian dapper main restricted
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian dapper main restricted
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian dapper main restricted
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian dapper main restricted

Adding scribus repositories.png

Using cryptographic repository signatures

Our repositories are cryptographically signed for added security. Add the gpg-keys for our repositories to avoid having to confirm your installation choice to the package manager each time you update a scribus or scribus-ng package.

root$ gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys DA286F326C5F196B
root$ gpg --armor --export DA286F326C5F196B | apt-key add - 

or as a normal user (with an appropriate entry for apt-key in the sudoers file):

user$ gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys DA286F326C5F196B
user$ gpg --armor --export DA286F326C5F196B | sudo apt-key add -

Installing Scribus and related packages

Launch Adept (on Kubuntu) or Synaptic (on Ubuntu) and install the following packages:

  • scribus – Scribus 1.2.x or
  • scribus-ng – Scribus 1.3.x. scribus-ng package can be installed paralelly to the scribus package
  • scribus-template – developer and user-contributed additional templates
  • scribus-doc – Scribus 1.2.x documentation, which has to be provided as a separate package due to its non-free nature by the Debian Free Software Guidelines
  • scribus-ng-doc – Scribus 1.3.x documentation, which has to be provided as a separate package due to its non-free nature by the Debian Free Software Guidelines
  • icc-profiles – a collection of common ICC profiles to use with Scribus and other color profile-aware software
  • lprof – hardware color profiler that can be used to create color profiles for your hardware to be used with Scribus
  • qt3-qtconfig – Ubuntu users are strongly adviced to install this package for finetuning the Scribus GUI with their Gnome desktop
  • gs-afpl – The AFPL Ghostscript PostScript interpreter, the Ghostscript version recommended by the Scribus team


Optionally, install the following high quality font packages:

  • t1-xfree86-nonfree
  • ttf-bitstream-vera
  • ttf-gentium
  • ttf-xfree86-nonfree

Finetuning Scribus

Default GUI font (Ubuntu users only)

  • Launch gtconfig: ALT + F2 / enter "qtconfig" / hit Enter
  • Go to Fonts tab and choose the font family and size to match your Gnome settings

Qtconfig.png


External tools and additional fonts

  • Launch Scribus and go to File/Preferences/External Tools
  • PostScript Interperter: enter gs-apfl
  • Image Processing Tool: gimp-remote
  • Go to Fonts subsection and add/disable/enable additional fonts

External tools.png

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