Multi-page Pdf From Multiple Svg Pages A direct converter, or round about approach from DocBook XML to PDF

[Vyoma 0]

OK. Here is something that I am trying to achieve.

I want to make a PDF document. The document would contain several pages. That is, it would be a multi-page PDF.

I would design each of these pages with Inkscape, which has a capability of saving each page as a SVG (W3C standard). Incidentally, it also has the capability of saving a page as a PDF - but it would be just that - a single page PDF. I would not be able to make it a multi-page document, and hence I would not be able to save it as a multi-page PDF. This also rules out the possibility of using PDF printers, where you may print from any application and the output would be made into a PDF.

Hence, I was scanning the net for 'multi-page PDF from multiple SVG documents'. I would design each page of the intended multi-page PDF document in Inkscape, and save it as a SVG document. And I was looking for a technique or software (a opensource one) that would allow me to string these SVG documents and create a multi-page PDF.

I did not get much, but I ran into a mailing-list archive page. An Antonio Broughton seemed to have had a similar requirement, and 'Don Adams' seemed to have a solution that goes somewhat half way through.

Don says,

I have each SVG file referenced in amediaobject element like this:

<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="left" fileref="whatever.svg" format="SVG"/>
</imageobject>
</mediaobject>

DocBook XML can be transformed into FO using the
docbook-xsl open-source stylesheets.

I assume the DocBook XML is a standard, and can be converted to a PDF document. I searched the net again, but I could not find anything. I did find something on DocBook XML at the RedHat site (link). I could not find a utility that would convert a DocBook XML to PDF for Windows (and preferably an opensource).

To effect, I would like to know if there is any software (free/open source) for windows that converts multiple SVG documents to multi-page PDF?

Else, from the method above, if there is a software (again free/opne source) for windows that converts a DocBook XML article to PDF, that would be helpful too.

[Vyoma 0]

OK. I seemed to have found a neat solution to the problem. For record, I thought I would share it with the members here.

 

It is nothing along the lines I describe above. The solution lies in a Open Source Free Desktop Publishing (DTP) Software, Scribus. (https://www.scribus.net/scribus-1-4-6-released/)

 

It can import SVG, and it can export to PDF. It can do more, but I will leave that to you - you can check it out at their website.

 

Here is a test PDF I generated. The artwork had been done earlier by me for a blog post, and the text is just the generic 'lorem ipsum' text to give it a genuine feel.

 

It can be found at: dead

It is a small file 111kB that has two pages. Check it out - it comes out pretty professional, if you have the knack for it.

Edited December 26, 2016 by OpaQue (see edit history)