I recently got the trial version of Scroll PDF exporter, but struggling to make my content organized

[Anand Rajaraman]

In the Scroll PDF exporter, I have applied my own template. But, is there a way to solve the white space issue. I find more space occupying between the headers (H1, H2, H3). After each header there is a page break applied. Can I control them with some script or plugin?

Basically, I want to control the formatting.

Please suggest.

Thanks,

Anand

[Bill Bailey]

If you want full control, you will need to use v3.5.1 which uses a different engine and process. This older version uses a CSS stylesheet, so a bit easier to control these types of things (although only some CSS3 constructs are supported).

[Anand Rajaraman]

Thanks @Bill Bailey I am using the Confluence Cloud latest version. So will the cloud be built with v3.5.1 CSS updates? Also, any guidance on what specific CSS3 constructs are supported that will be useful from formatting stand point? Kindly assist.

[Bill Bailey]

Hmm, I think with Cloud you do not have the control to select the version of the plugin. IMHO, if you want full control, you need to run Confluence server so that you can control which version of exporter you want, and have access to user macros.

There are more advanced CSS3 constructs that are not supported. I don't remember which. But I can tell you that you can style all of the content with CSS (for example the spacing between H1 followed by H2), plus you have access to user macros to set up special classes, to have additional formatting options, so I get to about 80% of what you can get with FrameMaker.

[Anand Rajaraman]

Okay!!  @Bill Bailey I am indeed surprised now that everything is taken and hosted in Cloud but still why a user is not getting the benefit of making such basic but trivial things to control formatting the way user expects. I hope going forward @Atlassian will consider and provide such basic things in Cloud or allow advanced CSS3 constructs that can be programmed in Cloud.

[Bill Bailey]

Well to be clear, this more a K15t issue, in that it was due to limitations in the earlier PDF engine that they moved to a new engine with their version 4. Just, that when they made that move, they change the way templates were authored and dropped the ability to have custom CSS (among other features).

But that aspect is combined with the Cloud ecosystem that moves everyone to the latest version of all pieces -- just part of the concept to guarantee up time and enhance their ability to support customers.

But this is why I advocate going with the server version, so that a) you can control more features and aspects of an instance, b) you decide when you want to upgrade and to what version and have the ability to test before moving, and c) you can also control which version of a plugin you use, also being able to test any upgrade before deployment.

My Confluence server runs on a BRIX, small-form factor PC. Plenty of power, but small in size, giving me complete control over what I do for not much money.

[Tom Rough]

Hi Anand,

Thanks for the post. Are you able to send us the PDF export example which highlights the whitespace issue that you are facing with your newly customized export template? Within the template itself, it is possible to control the page break behavior for certain defined styles and the issue may relate to this. It would be great if you could send us a copy of your template, alongside an example of the content you've exported, to support@k15t.com. We can then look into this for you.

Cheers, Thomas (K15t)