[scribus] "Cannot write to file" when exporting as PDF

[Bob Furber]

Forgive me for asking a question that must have been asked many times
before:

I have been happily using Scribus 1.3.3.14 (on Vista) for a couple of
weeks and sent our first newletter to the printer earlier this week, as
a PDF file generated by Scribus.

However, today, when I went to generate (Export > PDF) a medium
resolution PDF for our website, Scribus told me "Cannot write file:
path/filename.pdf. I repeated the exercise at the resolution I had used
previously and I got the same error. I can Export as PNG or EPS, but not
as PDF, even after deleting previous PDF with same name.

Both our print shop and our website require PDF files. Is there a solution?

Thanks,

Bob Furber

[Owen]

Post by Bob Furber
Forgive me for asking a question that must have been asked many times
I have been happily using Scribus 1.3.3.14 (on Vista) for a couple of
weeks and sent our first newletter to the printer earlier this week, as
a PDF file generated by Scribus.
However, today, when I went to generate (Export > PDF) a medium
path/filename.pdf. I repeated the exercise at the resolution I had used
previously and I got the same error. I can Export as PNG or EPS, but not
as PDF, even after deleting previous PDF with same name.
Both our print shop and our website require PDF files. Is there a solution?

I don't know windows, but that error generally means what it says.

Do you have a directory called "path" into which you hope to write
filename.pdf?

Another cause of that error is the permissions needed to write the
file. But I don't think that applies to windows

[a.l.e]

hi bob,

Post by Owen

Post by Bob Furber
However, today, when I went to generate (Export > PDF) a medium
path/filename.pdf. I repeated the exercise at the resolution I had used
previously and I got the same error. I can Export as PNG or EPS, but not
as PDF, even after deleting previous PDF with same name.
Both our print shop and our website require PDF files. Is there a solution?

I don't know windows, but that error generally means what it says.
Do you have a directory called "path" into which you hope to write
filename.pdf?
Another cause of that error is the permissions needed to write the
file. But I don't think that applies to windows

1. this has very likely nothing to do with the fact that you're trying to export to a low res file

2. windows does have permissions for files and directory but it's unlikely that this is the reason for your problem (you may still check if the target is writable)

3. as owen suggested, you will probably have to check if the place you want to export the PDF to, does indeed exist. you may have renamed the a folder since the last time you created the PDF or are trying to export it to a USB drive which is not currently in your computer.

good luck!
a.l.e

[Bob Furber]

Post by a.l.e
hi bob,

Post by Owen

However, today, when I went to generate (Export> PDF) a medium
path/filename.pdf. I repeated the exercise at the resolution I had used
previously and I got the same error. I can Export as PNG or EPS, but not
as PDF, even after deleting previous PDF with same name.
Both our print shop and our website require PDF files. Is there a solution?

I don't know windows, but that error generally means what it says.
Do you have a directory called "path" into which you hope to write
filename.pdf?
Another cause of that error is the permissions needed to write the
file. But I don't think that applies to windows

1. this has very likely nothing to do with the fact that you're trying to export to a low res file
2. windows does have permissions for files and directory but it's unlikely that this is the reason for your problem (you may still check if the target is writable)

Yes, the target folder is writable. This was confirmed when I was able
to Scribus Export EPS and PNG files to this same folder. And, 3 days
ago, I Scribus exported PDF files and overwrote existing PDF files in
this same directory. But, something has since changed.

Perhaps Scribus was terminated incorrectly by Windows during its
midnight Windows update Wednesday night.

Suspecting a damaged Sribus, I removed it, reinstalled it and it still
fails to Export PDF.

Post by a.l.e
3. as owen suggested, you will probably have to check if the place you want to export the PDF to, does indeed exist. you may have renamed the a folder since the last time you created the PDF or are trying to export it to a USB drive which is not currently in your computer.

Scribus Export PDF only allows one to export back to the source folder
containing the *.sla file. Hence, the folder must exist.

Thanks,

Bob Furber

Post by a.l.e
good luck!
a.l.e
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scribus mailing list
scribus at lists.scribus.info
http://lists.scribus.info/mailman/listinfo/scribus

[Bob Furber]

On 12/11/2010 10:35 PM, Bob Furber wrote:

I would like to add that I disproved the damaged .sla file theory by
saving a brand new simple Scribus file tp C:\path\exportTest.sla file
and then attempting to export it to C:\path\exportTest.pdf.

Again, I got "Cannot write this file".

Baffled.

BF

Post by Bob Furber

Post by a.l.e
hi bob,

Post by Owen

However, today, when I went to generate (Export> PDF) a medium
path/filename.pdf. I repeated the exercise at the resolution I had used
previously and I got the same error. I can Export as PNG or EPS, but not
as PDF, even after deleting previous PDF with same name.
Both our print shop and our website require PDF files. Is there a solution?

I don't know windows, but that error generally means what it says.
Do you have a directory called "path" into which you hope to write
filename.pdf?
Another cause of that error is the permissions needed to write the
file. But I don't think that applies to windows

1. this has very likely nothing to do with the fact that you're
trying to export to a low res file
2. windows does have permissions for files and directory but it's
unlikely that this is the reason for your problem (you may still
check if the target is writable)

Yes, the target folder is writable. This was confirmed when I was able
to Scribus Export EPS and PNG files to this same folder. And, 3 days
ago, I Scribus exported PDF files and overwrote existing PDF files in
this same directory. But, something has since changed.
Perhaps Scribus was terminated incorrectly by Windows during its
midnight Windows update Wednesday night.
Suspecting a damaged Sribus, I removed it, reinstalled it and it still
fails to Export PDF.

Post by a.l.e
3. as owen suggested, you will probably have to check if the place
you want to export the PDF to, does indeed exist. you may have
renamed the a folder since the last time you created the PDF or are
trying to export it to a USB drive which is not currently in your
computer.

Scribus Export PDF only allows one to export back to the source folder
containing the *.sla file. Hence, the folder must exist.
Thanks,
Bob Furber

Post by a.l.e
good luck!
a.l.e
_______________________________________________
scribus mailing list
scribus at lists.scribus.info
http://lists.scribus.info/mailman/listinfo/scribus

_______________________________________________
scribus mailing list
scribus at lists.scribus.info
http://lists.scribus.info/mailman/listinfo/scribus

[a.l.e]

hi bob,

Post by Bob Furber
I would like to add that I disproved the damaged .sla file theory by

Post by Bob Furber
Scribus Export PDF only allows one to export back to the source
folder containing the *.sla file. Hence, the folder must exist.

not really: you can export the pdf to any directory.

depending on the version and the OS your using it may be that you can't export to directories with spaces in the path (or with non ASCII chars).

afaik, this should not happen with no current version of scribus on any OS.


but i have to few information to be really helpful, here...

ciao
a.l.e

[Gregory Pittman]

Post by a.l.e
hi bob,

Post by Bob Furber
I would like to add that I disproved the damaged .sla file theory by

Post by Bob Furber
Scribus Export PDF only allows one to export back to the source
folder containing the *.sla file. Hence, the folder must exist.

This is not true. You can choose where you want your PDF to go to. Maybe
try changing the directory that you want to export to will help.

Post by a.l.e
not really: you can export the pdf to any directory.
depending on the version and the OS your using it may be that you can't export to directories with spaces in the path (or with non ASCII chars).
afaik, this should not happen with no current version of scribus on any OS.
but i have to few information to be really helpful, here...

Do you have Ghostscript? Does Scribus know where Ghostscript is? There
are some kinds of content which will require Ghostscript to process to
make the PDF.

Hint: if you can generate a barcode, you have Ghostscript and it's working.

Greg

[Bob Furber]

Got it!

If anyone runs into this problem, manually pick out the path in the
"Save as PDF" -> Change button.

I tried to "Save as PDF" in:
C:/Users/Public/Documents/CBRA/Newsletter2010-2/Newsletter2010pg1b.pdf


..and got a "Cannot write file:
C:/Users/Public/Documents/CBRA/Newsletter2010-2/Newsletter2010pg1b.pdf"

I tried again and clicked the "Change" button to "Save As" and I got an
error along the lines "path does not exist on B:\".

I acknowledged the error and then navigated to folder
C:/Users/Public/Documents/CBRA/Newsletter2010-2/, set the "Compression
Quality" to Low, hit save and Scribus happily saved the file as a PDF.

I tried to replicate the error by editing the path/filename field to B:/
instead of C:/, hit the Save button and Scribus merrily ignored my edit
and saved the file to
"C:/Users/Public/Documents/CBRA/Newsletter2010-2/Newsletter2010pg1b.pdf".

Thanks for your help,

Bob Furber

Post by Gregory Pittman

Post by a.l.e
hi bob,

Post by Bob Furber
I would like to add that I disproved the damaged .sla file theory by

Post by Bob Furber
Scribus Export PDF only allows one to export back to the source
folder containing the *.sla file. Hence, the folder must exist.

This is not true. You can choose where you want your PDF to go to.
Maybe try changing the directory that you want to export to will help.

Post by a.l.e
not really: you can export the pdf to any directory.
depending on the version and the OS your using it may be that you
can't export to directories with spaces in the path (or with non
ASCII chars).
afaik, this should not happen with no current version of scribus on any OS.
but i have to few information to be really helpful, here...

Do you have Ghostscript? Does Scribus know where Ghostscript is? There
are some kinds of content which will require Ghostscript to process to
make the PDF.
Hint: if you can generate a barcode, you have Ghostscript and it's working.
Greg
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scribus mailing list
scribus at lists.scribus.info
http://lists.scribus.info/mailman/listinfo/scribus

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[michael crane]

I would like to add that I disproved the damaged .sla file theory by saving
a brand new simple Scribus file tp C:\path\exportTest.sla file and then
attempting to export it to C:\path\exportTest.pdf.
Again, I got "Cannot write this file".
Baffled.

Have you actually made a directory called "path" in the root of the c drive ?
you should really be writing in your user directory.

mick

[Keith Abraham]

I seem to remember a bug I discovered in 1.3.3.13 relating to Scribus's
file manager losing it's way. My cure was to go back up the path until I
reached system level and then click down through the directories to the
appropriate directories. eg. in linux go up until /home /opt /use etc
are accessible then back down to directory eg.
/home/scribus/layouts/file.pdf.

I don't know if this bug persists in 1.3.3.14. I always meant to report
it as a bug but I started to use 1.3.8 and it slipped my mind.

Keith