Publisher FAQ

Scribd Platform

What is the Scribd Platform?

The Scribd Platform is a broad set of tools and services designed to help you
customize, integrate, deploy, and monetize fully-formatted documents on your
website without extra software. The platform's components - the Scribd API, the
iPaper JavaScript API, and QuickSwitch - vary greatly in their complexity and
specific features, so be sure to review the online documentation so that you can
determine which one is best for you. Our platform's most visible element is iPaper
- a fast, light, embeddable document viewer.

Why did we build the Scribd Platform?

We built the Scribd Platform because so many of you asked for it! Scribd's
document conversion, display, and embedding features are incredibly popular, and
people from all over the world have asked for a way to provide the same services
on their own websites. The Scribd Platform is consistent with Scribd's mission of
making it easier to share documents online. We hope that the Scribd Platform will
help bring the rich, formatted documents to every website on the Internet.

Can I host iPaper on my own servers?

Not at this time. iPaper runs on a professionally managed, highly secure server
cluster, guaranteeing that your documents will be accessible and safe at all
times. Our server cluster allows us to offer high performance for processing and
searching, no matter how many documents you have, for free.

What kind of infrastructure is behind iPaper and Scribd?

iPaper's processing back-end runs on a highly scalable grid of several hundred

servers. Our infrastructure has been battle-tested by scaling Scribd.com to
support tens of millions of users and one of the largest collections of textual
information ever assembled.

Where are my documents stored?

iPaper documents are stored using the Simple Storage Service (S3) from Amazon.com,
a secure and reliable system that's backed up and protected at multiple data
centers around the world. S3's relatively low cost helps us to keep Scribd free.

I have confidential documents that I need to keep secure. Can I use the Scribd
Platform?

Absolutely. The Scribd Platform is built to support Enterprise-class secure

document viewing and storage. If you make your documents "private" using the API,
they will not be shown on Scribd.com and will not be accessible except through
your application. Many large enterprises are using iPaper to display highly
confidential material.

I have a lot of documents. Can Scribd handle it?

No problem. Our server grid processes millions of documents per day. The new
Scribd Platform with iPaper is designed for web scale.

Does Scribd offer uptime guarantees or service level agreements (SLA) for users of
the Scribd Platform?
Not at this time. For an eloquent explanation of the reasons behind this, see this
post. We take the reliability of our service extremely seriously. We have
redundancy at every level of our infrastructure and a detailed disaster recovery
plan.

How do I apply for an API account?

If you're not yet a Scribd member, you'll need to register for a free user account
on Scribd.com. Then use your Scribd username to sign up for a developer account
from the Scribd Platform home page.
QuickSwitch

What is QuickSwitch?

Of all the methods for upgrading your website to iPaper, QwickSwitch is, by far,
the easiest. QuickSwitch works in the background to convert your documents iPaper
with no user interaction or site downtime. You simply copy-and-paste a small block
of code into your webpage, and QuickSwitch does the rest. QuickSwitch can even
embed your new iPaper content in your website.

What are my options for displaying documents when I use QuickSwitch?

QuickSwitch can display your documents in one of four ways:

* As links to fullscreen iPaper documents hosted on Scribd

* As links to standard document pages on Scribd
* Replace document links with embedded iPaper
* Convert documents and embed documents in custom pages on your website

What are the prerequisites to using QuickSwitch?

You must have the following:

* A free Scribd.com account

* A free Scribd API account
* Access to modify documents on your website
* A website that allows embeddable Flash and JavaScript

Does QuickSwitch require that I have a Scribd API account?

Yes. A publisher key is required to use QuickSwitch.

Will QuickSwitch put my documents on Scribd.com?

It's up to you. You can decide whether or not a document is displayed on Scribd
with the privacy setting.

Do I need programming experience to use QuickSwitch?

No, but you will need to be familiar with how to copy and paste snippets of code
into your HTML files.

What's the difference between "Global Link Mode" and "Single Link Mode?"

When using QuickSwitch in Global Link Mode, our script automatically crawls the
entire webpage and processes every document link for conversion to iPaper. Single
Link Mode gives you more control by allowing you to specify individual document
links. Single Link Mode is recommended for advanced users.

My website doesn't let me embed JavaScript. Will QuickSwitch work?

No, JavaScript is required in order to convert documents to iPaper with

QuickSwitch.

Can I use QuickSwitch to automatically embed iPaper onto a different page on my

website?

Yes! QuickSwitch can scan document links, and then embed those documents into
different pages on your website. To do this, configure QuickSwitch with the
"Custom page with embedded iPaper hosted on your site" option.

Can I use QuickSwitch to automatically embed iPaper onto another website?

Yes, but only on websites for which you have permission to modify the content.
QuickSwitch can scan document links, and then embed those documents into a page on
another website. To do this, configure QuickSwitch with the "Custom page with
embedded iPaper hosted on your site" option.

How long does it take to convert my documents with QuickSwitch?

Depending on the number of documents, it may take some time to convert your
documents into iPapers, and until the conversion is complete, we'll continue to
show the original document instead. To help speed things up, click around on the
pages with QuickSwitch installed. We'll only convert documents linked on pages
users have actually clicked on.

Does QuickSwitch convert my documents every time I access my web page?

No. QuickSwitch only converts your document once. After that, it is stored on
Scribd's servers and displayed instantly from there.

I've installed the QuickSwitch code on my website template page, but it isn't
working. What's wrong?

If you're using a service such as Blogger or WordPress, the service may be

corrupting the JavaScript code. Check the embed code in the source of your page,
and make sure that the code matches the code block shown in the QuickSwitch page,
once you've replicated your configuration. If it doesn't match, try again. If
problems still occur, contact your blog or website's support contact and let them
know that you are having problems copying and pasting JavaScript widgets into your
page.
Advertising and Payments

How can I make money with Scribd?

If you have your own website, you can make money by integrating Google AdSense
into your documents via the Scribd Platform API. You cannot run ads on documents
hosted on Scribd.com. If you choose to enable ads on the documents that you host,
you'll start earning money based on the ad impressions they receive.

Do I have to show ads on my documents?

Not at all. You can easily disable ads for all your documents at the API account
panel.
Can I get paid for putting ads in my documents displayed on Scribd.com?

Possibly. If you are a Qualified Publisher, like a book or magazine publisher, and
you own the rights to your content, you may submit an application for our
Qualified Publisher's Program, which will allow you advertise in documents on
Scribd.

How do I get paid?

At this time, we pay exclusively via PayPal. All you need to receive payments from
us is a basic, personal PayPal account. Sign-up is free at www.paypal.com.

When do I get paid?

Payments are issued at the beginning of each month.

Is there a limit to the amount of money I can make?

No.

What is the minimum amount needed for my first pay-out?

You'll need to earn a total of $20.00 before we send out a payment. If you don't
earn $20.00 in a month, we'll continue to hold your balance until it reaches the
minimum.

My payment was sent to the wrong email address. Can the payment be resent?

Unfortunately, no. PayPal's policies prohibit us from resending payments.

I am not a US Citizen, can I still be paid?

Yes. However, you will need to pay any taxes required by your country. We cannot
help you determine what these taxes are.

What percentage revenue share will I receive with Scribd ads?

We do not disclose the revenue share percentage on our ads. However, we do give a
very generous percentage to encourage users to adopt iPaper.

What kind of ads will I see in my documents?

Advertising in documents is a new field, and we are constantly experimenting with

new layouts and ad networks to maximize the earnings which publishers can achieve
while not interfering with the user experience of iPaper. Over time, you will
likely see ads in many configurations delivered by several ad networks and other
sources.

Do I need to pay taxes on income earned by my documents?

It is your responsibility to understand and adhere to the appropriate tax rules.

We cannot give advice on your individual tax situation.

Will I receive tax information from Scribd?

Scribd will issue you a 1099 earnings reporting form if you earn over $600 in a
tax year. You must then complete and return an IRS W-9 and mail it to our office.
We will suspend your payments until we receive your W-9 once you reach a pay-out
amount of $500. To prevent any payment suspension, file your W-9 now! Download the
form from the IRS and mail it to:

Scribd, Inc.
Attn: Payment Information
211 Sutter St.
Floor 2
San Francisco, CA, 94108

How do I track my payments?

Log in to your to your API account page and click View your advertiser earnings

I've uploaded a document to Scribd but don't see any ads. What's going on?

Ads are not available in documents hosted on Scribd.com. You can only run Google
AdSense on documents that are hosted on your website via the Scribd Platform API.
iPaper

What is iPaper?

iPaper is a document format built for the Web. Virtually any document format is
convertable to iPaper, which is embeddable into any website or blog.

I use WordPress. Why can't I see my iPaper embed?

We've discovered that WordPress aggressively strips JavaScript embed codes,

rendering iPaper unusable in WordPress blogs. We are working overtime to quickly
find a solution to this problem.

What's different about iPaper?

Unlike traditional document formats, iPaper is viewed inside a Web browser and
doesn't require additional software to view it. At 100 KB the iPaper application
is about 1/1000th the size of Adobe’s Acrobat Reader software, making it an
incredibly fast way to view documents. Despite the tiny size, iPaper integrates
Scribd’s social features, like emailing and embedding. iPaper's security system
protects content without clumsy DRM solutions. iPaper also builds on the rich
features of PDF, including full text search, copy/paste functionality, view modes,
and zoom.

Why doesn't Scribd continue to use FlashPaper?

FlashPaper was originally developed by Macromedia as a web-enabled competitor to

Adobe's PDF format. Adobe discontinued development of FlashPaper upon it's
acquisition of Macromedia in 2006. As useful as it is, FlashPaper is an orphaned
technology. Adobe no longer provides support or upgrades to the technology.
Services dependent on FlashPaper can't evolve or respond to the needs of its
customers. Our experience with FlashPaper made clear that there was still a lot of
cooking to do. So, armed with months of feedback from our community, we took the
things we loved about FlashPaper, ditched what didn't work, and developed iPaper
from the ground up - with better document fidelity, better features, a better
interface, and a better all-around experience. iPaper's potential is unlimited.

Can I choose to display my documents in FlashPaper instead?

No. FlashPaper has been discontinued.

What do I need to view iPaper?

iPaper is built with Adobe Flash, so if you can watch videos on YouTube, you won't
have any problems with iPaper. You must also have JavaScript enabled on your
browser.

What kind of documents can I convert to iPaper?

iPaper currently supports the following formats:

* Adobe PDF (.pdf)

* Adobe PostScript (.ps)
* Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
* Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pps, .pptx)
* Microsoft Excel (.xls, xlsx)
* OpenOffice Text Document (.odt, .sxw)
* OpenOffice Presentation Document (.odp, .sxi)
* OpenOffice Spreadsheet (.ods, .sxc)
* All OpenDocument formats
* Plain text (.txt)
* Rich text format (.rtf)

How do I convert a document to iPaper?

There are several different methods. Your documents and your individual
requirements will determine which choice is best for you. If you're simply trying
to share one or more documents, your best bet is to upload your document to
Scribd. If you have your own website, you may find that QuickSwitch or the Scribd
API offer options that are more suitable for you. If you have previously uploaded
your document to Scribd, your document has already been converted to iPaper.

What's the best way to convert a bunch of documents at once?

The Scribd bulk uploader, the Scribd API and QuickSwitch are purpose-built to
handle large quantities of documents from one or more sources. Our very large
server cluster allows us to offer high performance for processing and searching,
no matter how many documents you have.

Can I convert images to iPaper?

Not directly. Images convert to iPaper only when they're part of a document
format, such as a PDF or a Word document.

Can I run iPaper conversion software on my own servers?

Not at this time. iPaper runs on a professionally managed, highly secure server
cluster, guaranteeing that your documents will be accessible and safe at all
times. Our server cluster allows us to offer high performance for processing and
searching, no matter how many documents you have - at an unbelievably low cost.

My embedded document suddenly gives me an error message about a previous version

of iPaper! What do I do?

We went to great length to make sure that documents already embedded with
FlashPaper would seamlessly convert to iPaper. There is, however, a small set of
documents that, for various reasons, can't connect with the iPaper servers. To fix
this, you need to refresh the embed code. Visit the document's page on Scribd,
copy the embed code, and use it to replace the code currently in your webpage.
Once you publish the changes, the document will display in iPaper.

I can no longer see my document on Scribd! What do I do?

We've done our best to convert Scribd documents from FlashPaper to iPaper with as
few problems as possible. If you are unable to see your Scribd document in iPaper,
email us at contact [at] scribd.com. Be sure to include a link to the document in
question, along with your username.

My document failed to convert to iPaper. What gives?

There are many reasons a document conversion can fail. The primary cause is when
you inadvertantly upload an encrypted or password protected PDF file. Try saving
the PDF again without any security protections. Word docs and PowerPoint
presentations occasionally fail when there are a large number of images or
corrections. Try saving the Word doc again as a .rtf file or .pdf file.

I use Microsoft Office 2007. Can I convert .docx and other Office 2007 formats to
iPaper?

Yes!

Can I embed iPaper into a web page?

Absolutely. You can embed iPaper in any website or blog that permits embeddable
Flash.

How do I change the size of the embedded iPaper?

Look for the height and width values in the embed code. Set those values
accordingly, in pixels.

Can I resize the iPaper window?

The size of the iPaper window is determined by the webmaster. The window may
increase in size if you resize the browser's window. You cannot dynamically resize
an iPaper window, except to view in fullscreen.

What are the different ways I can display documents in iPaper?

There are three View Modes that are accessible through the iPaper menu on the left
side of the toolbar. First is "List Mode," the default mode for most documents.
List mode displays pages in a continuous scroll. You can move through the pages
with the left-right arrows, by moving along the scrollbar, or by click-dragging
the pages themselves. Next is "Book Mode," a 2-page display ideal for book-style
layouts or documents with images that span multiple pages.The last mode is "Slide
Mode," which is ideal for presentations and any document in a "landscape"
orientation. The scroll bar is disabled in both Book Mode and Slide Mode.

Can I view the document in full-screen?

Yes. Click the fullscreen button at top right of the iPaper window.

How can I adjust my view of the document in iPaper?

By default, iPaper fits the full width of the document to the iPaper window, in
List Mode. You can change the document's view mode through the iPaper menu on the
left side of the toolbar. You can adjust your view of the page with iPaper's zoom
control, represented by the "plus" and "minus" buttons on the toolbar, and the
zoom slider bar that appears when you mouse over the zoom area. Use either the
buttons or the slider to adjust your document's magnification. The two notches on
the slider bar represent iPaper's ideal magnification settings for displaying the
document's full width and height. They're slightly sticky, so it's always easy to
jog back to a full-page view if you do a lot of zooming.

Can I search for text in my documents?

Yes. iPaper's search bar lets you search through any document comprised of text
characters. This applies to most documents on Scribd. However, some "text"
documents, particularly those made from scanned images, may not be searchable.
iPaper highlights any results that it finds.

Can I copy text from a document in iPaper?

Yes. Click the Select Text button and highlight the text you want. Use Control-C
or Command-C to copy the text. Note this may not work in some documents converted
from scanned images.

How can I navigate around my document?

Just to the right of the zoom control are iPaper's document navigation buttons.
Click the right arrow to advance to the next page and click the left to return to
the previous one. A page number indicator also appears alongside iPaper's
scrollbar when scrolling a standard document, and on the lower left corner when
viewing a presentation in Slide Mode. You can also click the Tile Mode button to
display the pages as a contact sheet. Click any one of the pages, and iPaper takes
you there instantly!

Can I print a document from iPaper?

Yes! Click the iPaper menu on the left side the toolbar, then click Print.

How can I tell others about my document?

You can email your friends directly from iPaper! Click the iPaper menu on the left
side of the toolbar, and select Email to Friend.

Can I edit a document in iPaper?

No. iPaper is a publishing format, not an editor. You may, however, edit a
document locally and upload the changes as a new revision.

Can I download the iPaper document to my own computer?

No. iPaper is a format designed for the Web. The iPaper viewer streams document
content dynamically from our server 'cloud.' Many publishers, however, choose to
make the original format available for download at the document's page at
scribd.com.

Can I "skin" iPaper, change the look of the buttons, or view the document without
the iPaper frame?

Not at this time.

Why does the scrollbar change colors?

iPaper's scrollbar doubles as a document loading indicator. As the content streams
into the viewer, the progress is shown as the scrollbar filling with color.

Sometimes the scrollbar doesn't work. Why?

The scrollbar is disabled in Book Mode and Slide Mode.

Does iPaper support fonts?

Yes. iPaper displays documents in the same font as the original document. Your
readers will not have to install any files to view special or unusual fonts.
iPaper automatically detects files that use fixed-width (monospace) fonts.

How can I find out more information about the document?

Click the iPaper menu on the left of the toolbar and click Document Info.

Does iPaper support interactive PDF features like forms and callouts?

Not yet. We'll constantly improve iPaper with new features, but we wanted to make
sure the first version of iPaper was compatible with as many formats as possible.

Can I find out more information about the author of an iPaper document?

Click the iPaper menu on the left of the toolbar and click Document Info. Click
the author link to visit the author's profile on Scribd.

I've converted a document to iPaper, but I don't see iPaper - only blank space!

Most users experiencing this problem find that it's fixed once they upgrade to the
latest version of Flash. You can download it for free from
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

I've converted a document to iPaper, but the text is all garbled or appears as
little boxes!

See more details about this problem in this blog entry.

Does iPaper make use of keyboard shortcuts for easier navigation?

Yes! You can use your keyboard to more easily navigate around iPaper documents.

* Page Down: Next page

* Page Up: Previous page
* Up or Down Arrow: Scroll up or down
* Left or Right Arrow (In List/Book mode): Scroll left or right (wide pages
only)
* Left or Right Arrow (In Slide mode): Previous page, next page
* Right Bracket, or plus: Zoom in
* Left Bracket, or minus: Zoom out
* Esc: Leave find mode, or close currently open dialog box if open
* Ctrl+F: Place cursor in search box (not supported in Firefox under Mac OS X)
* Ctrl+C: Copy currently selected text (not supported in Firefox under Mac OS
X)

iPaper JavaScript API

Can I tell my embedded iPaper to automatically open to a specific page?

Yes. You can use the iPaper JavaScript API to set default parameters, including
opening page number, height, width, and document privacy. The exact syntax is
described in the iPaper JavaScript API documentation.
Slurp

What is Slurp?

"Slurping" is one of the ways QuickSwitch pulls a document from a web link and
converts it to iPaper.

How does Slurp relate to QuickSwitch?

Slurp is a part of QuickSwitch. You can use QuickSwitch to easily configure your
slurp URL's without needing to read through documentation. Alternatively, you can
read the explanation page and configure it yourself.

Do I need a Scribd publisher ID to use slurp?

Yes.

What are the arguments I can pass to a slurp call?

For a full explanation of Slurp, see the documentation page