iCalamus 2 > Quick start > First steps Index

Import content

In iCalamus, you can combine and layout various content in a document: text, images, vector graphics, shapes, lines, and even complete PDF contents or internet pages (URLs).

Drag & Drop

One of the simplest methods of importing content into an iCalamus document is Drag & Drop. Just drag a file from a Finder window or from the Desktop with the mouse into an iCalamus document and drop it there. At the same time, the document page on which you drop the content, shows a blue outline. A new frame will be created at the mouse position immediately and the content of the dragged file will be shown in this frame – provided the format of the dragged file is supported.

If the format is not supported, you will get an empty frame instead.

If you drag the content onto an already existing frame, the relevant frame will show the blue outline, indicating that you are going to replace its previous content with the content of the dragged file.

Some formats are converted before their content is shown, e.g. PS and EPS files are converted into PDF format directly.

You will certainly have to resize the frame afterwards and edit its content. This will be discussed in the next chapter.

Place

But of course you can import content in another way.

In the File menu, you find the menu item Place. # iCalamus offers two different ways in its File menu: Place and Import. Place signifies that you choose an existing file in the file selector and load its content into an existing frame. If no frame exists, iCalamus asks you to create a new frame. (You already know how to do this.) Thus we call this method of importing data Place.

Paste URI/URL in Place

There is one more special feature: You can Paste URI/URL in Place (URL = Uniform Resource Locator). Use this menu item to place the content of a web page directly into your document. The content of the web page will be automatically converted into PDF, offering highest possible output quality in your document. Isn't it great? ...

You can even place other sources (URI = Uniform Resource Identifier) easily in your document this way.

Name it – Import, Paste or Drag & Drop – it's your choice. Let's keep in mind that you now know three methods for importing content into iCalamus documents. In the next chapter, you will learn how to get to grips with this content.