After 12 years of development, a new stable branch of a free packet for layout documents, Scribus 1.6.0, has been formed. This version incorporates changes developed as part of the experimental branch 1.5.x. Scribus provides means for professional layout of printed materials, includes flexible tools for generating PDF, and supports work with separate color profiles, CMYK, plastic flowers, and ICC. The system is written using Tulkit QT and supplied under the GPLV2+ license. Ready-made binary assemblies for linux (Appymage), MacOS, and Windows are prepared.
Among the key improvements in the new branch, some notable features include a new user interface based on QT5, a modified file format, full support for tables, expanded text processing, and an expansion of supported import and export formats. After the release of Scribus 1.6.0, the developers have begun the development of the experimental branch 1.7, which will involve the transition to QT 6, the transition to the SVG format for icons, a new implementation of the palette, and a new system of fixed panels.
The main changes in Scribus 1.6.0 are:
- The user interface has been revamped, with the transition from QT4 to QT5. The canvas has been improved for high-resolution screens (Hi-DPI). A new set of pictograms, designed mainly in gray tones, has been proposed. The possibility of using a dark color scheme has been implemented.
- The file format has undergone significant changes.
- The function “Symbol” is now implemented, similar to Adobe Illustrator, where changes made to the primary object automatically apply to all its clones.
- The function “Weld” has been implemented, allowing users to combine and move objects together without creating a group. Each object remains available for separate editing.
- Text processing capabilities have been enhanced, including vertical scaling, cross links, text variables, footnotes, and editing objects within text blocks.
- Full-fledged tables are now supported.
- A Picture Browser plugin has been added to control the collection of graphic files, including supporting tags.