In GIMP exporting multiple layers to one pdf file is surprisingly difficult. I found two solution, both require additional software besides GIMP, but are fairly easy to implement.One solution is given here. It requires a plug-in or script to export individual layers to separate tiff files (something which perhaps surprisingly is not possible out-of-the-box in GIMP). The before-mentioned site suggest the script “Save Layers as Individual Files”, which can be downloaded from Panotools. Next step is to useImageMagick to convert the tiff files into a single pdf file.
Unfortunately the script throws up an error when I try to open it. Luckily I found an even easier solution here. No need for a separate plugin, but you still need GraphicsMagick orImageMagick.
- Open the GIMP file with multiple layers
- Make sure to order the layers in reverse order, page 1 must by the bottom layer, the last page the top layer
- Save the file as a MNG animation. In the dialogue that comes up, select “save as animation”.
- Now, open the terminal and use the command ‘convert document.mng document.pdf’ to export the mng file to a pdf file.https://pvanb.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/exporting-layers-in-gimp-file-to-single-pdf-file/
all credits go to above for the simplified version, but he got his info from:
Eitherway very helpful.