ZEITGEIST Copying from Zeitgeist PDFs

jeffh · Jun 24, 2021

As I mentioned before, I'm currently running Zeitgeist on Roll20. Sometimes it would be really useful to be able to copy and paste a picture from the pdfs, most commonly an NPC portrait. However this does not seem to be anywhere near as straightforward as it might sound.

When I try to do this, most of the time I only get the background, not the main picture that I'm actually trying to copy. This is true whether I select the image and copy it, use the snapshot function, or click and copy whatever is automatically highlighted, even when the latter appears to correspond to the picture I want. It also happens whether I use the adventures themselves or the NPC cards - the latter is especially aggravating because the whole point of those cards is to have usable images of the characters. No matter what I do, all I can paste into paint or whatever program I happen to be using is the parchment background, not the actual foreground image.

Does anyone know what is going on here and have a workaround? It's quite frustrating.

Nnesk · Jun 24, 2021

So I discovered this happens only with some PDF readers. I think Foxit allows for a true copying. However, I barely do that anyway because I find that clipping is simpler and provides the same results. On Windows, I'm already used to it with other apps as well - WinKey + Shift + S, and you can clip anything on the screen into the clipboard or a file. I upload those into my Roll20.

Tormyr · Jun 24, 2021

In most cases, you are probably not copying the image data. I have found in Adobe Acrobat that selecting the image and selecting copy from the pop-up menu works. I think in most other cases the complex layout of the elements is interfering with copying the image out.

I don't remember how far you are in the AP or which edition you are using, but you might find the campaign guide on Roll20 to be useful. Aside from the 5e player's and campaign guides, it has the complete dramatis personae from the AP as (empty) Roll20 characters. You can show an NPC portrait, drag their token onto the VTT, or add permissions for the players to keep notes against the NPC.

https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/gameaddon/8557/z-campaign-and-players-guides

Andrew Moreton · Jun 24, 2021

I have not used the Roll20 support for ZG because I finished before it caught up with me. However having used the preprepared stuff for another campaign I can strong;y recomend the idea. It took me hours to get the maps and images sorted and they never lined up with the grid properly so I find being able to buy the images and maps worth it. I don't use any of the rule/character sheet support provided in the packages as I prefer my own solutions and it is still worth it and if I had been able to get the ZG stuff when I needed it I would have.

I did manage to pull almost all images and maps into JPG or PNG files and can share them if it is allowed and useful, But only for the later books as much of the early stuff was done face to face

arkwright · Jun 24, 2021

I use a program called NitroPDF to directly extract images from PDFs. It works pretty well.

Also you should go into Adobe Reader settings and change the resolution of pictures your snapshot tool takes to something constant and quite high, like 300 pixels/inch.

Lastly, I believe you can still buy a collection of NPC portraits as part of the NPC Gallery/Act 1/2 & 3 supplemental material.