Mixed raster and text printing in QGIS print composer

Question

Making PDF maps in QGIS with print composer I often include a link that leads to a live Google map of the meeting location for the group using the map. The maps can include a marked up raster map sitting on top of a Google street map or satellite view with further label and logos added in print composer.

If I check the print composer box to "Print as raster" the PDF file is compact and fast but link text is an image and not recognised as a link. If I leave the box uncheck, the PDFs then have multiple layers, balloon in size and become much slower to render. There is an awkward workaround so the link is recognised, print the map as a tif, load that back onto QGIS, uncheck almost everything then print again. This method however degrades the map quality.

What I am looking for is a way to print the map and all composer items except the box with the link as raster. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Someone may come along with a better QGIS solution but I will suggest a better workaround if you're ok for the minor use of some separate software.

Instead of saving your workspaces as a tiff, export them as PDFs and import them into Inkscape.

Add text that you want to be text/links etc in inkscape (I actually usually do all my logoing etc in Inkscape) -> you can add link information to text or images by right clicking and creating a link.

Do Save As as a PDF to export out to PDF. I've just tested it on a simple PDF of mine. The text as link function works and it's actually dropped the file size that I exported straight out of Q.