Better PDF Export - wonderunit/storyboarder GitHub Wiki

We're working on a new PDF exporter for Storyboarder with an expanded feature set.

  • Export an entire project, with multiple scenes, to a single PDF
  • More control over layout
  • More control over included text and data

Exclusions:

  • Existing Worksheet Import/Export remains as-is
  • Save/Load Presets/Templates of PDF export configuration will be part of a later phase

User Controls

Page

  • Size A4 or Letter
  • Orientation Landscape or Portrait

Layout

  • Grid 1 × 1 – 8 × 8
    OPEN QUESTION: What's a good max for rows/cols? 8x8? 10x10? No limit?

  • Layout Horizontal or Vertical.
    In Horizontal, boards are placed one after another horizontally in the grid, and board text/data is placed above and below the image. In Vertical, boards are placed one after another vertically, and board text/data is placed to the left and right of the image.
    Vertical is also known as a Japanese-style layout.

Board Options

  • Text Dialogue, Action, and Notes (one, multiple or none)

  • Info Shot Number

  • Time Duration, Scene Time, Script Time (one, multiple, or none)

Shot Generator Options

  • Text Shot Type, Focal Length, f-Stop (one, multiple, or none)

  • Camera Plot Yes / No
    If a camera plot exists for the board, it will be placed near the board image.

Header Options

  • Pages None, All, First of Scene
    On which page(s) should the header appear?

  • Titles Project, Scene (none, one, or multiple)

  • Stats Boards, Shots, Scene Duration, Aspect Ratio, Date Exported
    For the current scene on the current page, stats for # of boards, # of shots, the duration of the scene, its aspect ratio, and the date the PDF was exported.

Footer Options

  • Pages None, All, First of Scene
    On which page(s) should the footer appear?

  • Attribution/Logo
    A text field to enter credits for the storyboard and to select a file for a logo.

Pagination

  • Placement Header, Footer or Both

  • Style Page # or Page # of Total

Include

  • Scenes All, Current

  • Boards All, Selected

  • Pages All, Only A – Z

  • User can choose a range of pages for export.

OPEN QUESTION: How to handle watermarks?

OPEN QUESTION: Will Vertical layouts always have column guides drawn, or is that optional?

Property: Text Size

Individual controls for Text Size TBD

At least at the component (Header, Footer, Boards) level. Possibly at the individual item of text level (e.g. dialogue, actions, notes).

Ability: Export PDF

  • Export to a PDF file. Will appear in exports/ and folder will open.

Ability: Print

  • Attempt to send to the printer (how this works exactly will depend on operating system support)

Automagic Features

  • Scenes are split up into pages of boards based on the dimensions of the selected grid.

  • New Shot markers: A "New Shot" is represented with a marker on the board where the new shot starts.

  • Cells spacing: Cells are placed in the grid with spacing between them automatically to make the best use of the available space.

Persistent Settings

  • The PDF exporter should probably remember what settings you used last.

OPEN QUESTION: Should this be global? Per project? Per scene?

Situations

  • I want to print just the images, with no text or guides, to keep on my wall.