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Looking for further tips on providing optimal journal PDFs with art packs

1676259927
Xenobunny
Marketplace Creator
So the art is done and I am thinking about going a step further with an upcoming art pack I am planning to release. The art pack itself is an icon pack in the series of Treasure Packs I've been making. I've done a few already. What I am considering to include this time around is a sort of PDF manual for game masters that will have brief write ups concerning the conditions or effects of each of the 101 icons. It's basically a list consisting of: image, header, description. I've tested the journal pdf import feature but I do not know how or if I can make the pdf text editable once it has been uploaded to a game journal. It would be ideal if GMs could add further information after my descriptions for their own game flavor. I ran through the Roll20 support guide on journal PDF imports but it did not mention that the pages could not be modified. Because I was trying to be fancy, I made my pdfs in photoshop. While text can be highlighted after I've imported it to the journal it seems I cannot modify anything, and I should have privileges to do so via doc properties. If the added data from a photoshop pdf is a possible problem I'm curious if a similar software has produced low file size pdfs that will allow this editing function I desire. Photoshop is just my comfort software and uh, indesign is on the macbook (glances with dread to the cobweb infested corner where the macbook resides). Does anyone with more experience importing pdfs to the journal have tips or experience? I can settle for simpler documents if only to allow editing. Independently, the icons are ideal for GMs to create their own journals or cards in the interface with links and I wonder if providing extra documents will be a hiccup in product expectation as the previous items won't have this feature nor be updated unless creators get a version management tool. Thanks ahead to anyone who thinks they can help. :P
1676266889
keithcurtis
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
API Scripter
AFAIK, uploaded PDFs are read-only. You cannot even do fillable forms.
1676440914
Xenobunny
Marketplace Creator
Well, thank you for the confirmation. I've been testing it for a while now and something is wonky... I don't know why 9 out of 10 upload tests break the virus scan or anger the processing gods. I got one test to work but had to reformat the pdf size since. I do feel good about learning the app at least. I will break it until it works :P
1676488303
Xenobunny
Marketplace Creator
Ok... As a final note to this thread I hope we can have a laugh. I got around to guessing at the problem only when I independently re uploaded an icon that somehow had failed to mass upload in a separate file. On independent upload , it was flagged as having an obscene title. To Roll20s guidelines we cannot use a particular word, or include it in our pdfs or any content. The word is very close another word which is a jolly little vine berry used in the fermentation of wines that begins with G. Because of this word with a G in my pdf doc, the file would not process. I concede. It is now the wine berry... For Roll20's notice regarding the pdf originally failing to upload the app did not inform me the doc was flagged, it just kept getting stuck scanning and processing. If it could deliver a popup notifying the user when the doc is flagged that would be handy. I'm sure there are a lot of adventures that include vineyards and particular beverages in their text.
1676597612

Edited 1676597636
Tiffany M.
Plus
Marketplace Creator
You can put in the word as say, Graepe and then in your submission notes request they fix it to be the G berry and they will override the filter.
1676605371
keithcurtis
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
API Scripter
I'm not sure why you had problems with the upload, but the word was unlikely to be the issue. I have tested this myself by retitling a pdf with the offending word. It uploaded just fine, word and all. (no "g") Xenobunny, did you actually receive a message from Roll20 (automated or from a human) that the title of your upload was offensive? This should not have been the case.
1676613545
Xenobunny
Marketplace Creator
Yes I received an automated message, but with a different file type in the art packs upload process (in the marketplace creator's draft tools). I received an automated message stating that I was attempting to use an offending word in the title card of a png icon within my art pack labeled as a "G**** seed", later to be renamed the wine berry and upload successfully. The message was displayed as a red text tag over the offending PNG. Noting this was the case for a smaller png file in a different upload process, I predicted this would be the impeding factor in a much larger document, the pdf. I believe it was, as changing the 2 uses of text in the pdf cleared the upload process in my following upload trial within seconds versus my prior attempts which would get stuck processing. I've done bug testing before so these connections are the sort of guesswork I jump to when I get a clue. I could be wrong still as the pdf did not have the notification. As a side note I still wish I could include the pdf in the release but "art packs" do not support the pdf file format, they are limited to png, jpeg, and gif. It's sorry to find out at the end of the line, but I test ideas in the game creator before I start uploading them to the marketplace creator hub and missed the file type limitation. I don't think I will try the other sales categories yet as I've been developing a "series" as art packs. Still, it was worth trying, and I believe that as a bundle item I can revisit the pdf book idea later when I reach my bundle goal for the series. I thank you again for your attention to the matter. I personally find bugs interesting (while frustrating) if they are worth sorting out to gain a function.