Using the Command Line
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Background
Inkscape's code is undergoing a major rewrite with the dual goals of making it more powerful and flexible for the user while making it easier for the developer. This is a long term process and it will be awhile before we see the full benefits. As a first step, we've started to use the latest Gtk 3 application code which has resulted in some changes in how the command line works.
What can you do with the command line?
This is (not yet) a complete list.
Print out information
- Help (list of command line options): inkscape --help or inkscape -?
- Inkscape version: inkscape --version
- Extension directory: inkscape --extensions-directory
- List of available verbs (very long): inkscape --verb-list
- List of available actions: inkscape --action-list
Query geometry information
- Find the x position of a set of objects: inkscape --query-id="MyTriangle,MySquare" --query-x my_file.svg
- This will return, for example:
- 200,300
- Query the geometry of all objects: inkscape --query-all
- This will return, for example (id,x,y,width,height):
- MySvg,0,0,600,600
- MyGroup,100,100,300,300
- MyTriangle,120,120,100,80
- MySquare,150,150,50,50
Export files
- Simple export of a PNG: inkscape --export-type="png" my_file.svg
- This will produce a PNG with a name my_file.png
- Export one object from the file to a PNG: inkscape --export-type="png" --export-id="MyTriangle" my_file.svg
- This will produce a PNG with a file name my_file_MyTriangle.png which tightly wraps the object. Objects that extend into the exported area will be shown.
- Export one object from the file to a PNG, hiding all other objects: inkscape --export-type="png" --export-id="MyTriangle" --export-id-only my_file.svg
- This will produce a PNG with a file name my_file_MyTriangle.png which tightly wraps the object. Only the triangle is shown.
- Export more than one object at a time to PNG files: inkscape --export-type="png" --export-id="MyTriangle,MyRectangle" my_file.svg
- This will produce two PNG files, one tightly wrapping the triangle, the other the rectangle.
- Export more than one object to SVG files: inkscape --export-type="svg" --export-id="MyTriangle,MyRectangle" --export-id-only my_file.svg CRASH: FIXME
- This will produce two SVG files, one with just the triangle, the other with just the rectangle.