Inkscape Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Terrelshumway

2010-08-30T20:51:40Z

Terrelshumway:

I am a pretty decent python programmer who loves to use inkscape for drawing and drafting.

Things I want to see in Inkscape:

* excellent template support.
* a better File|New
* better support for UML and similar drawing styles.
* better keyboard support
* I want to draw a house plan in feet and inches. v. 0.48 refuses to let me view the entire drawing (4) if it is larger than about 100 feet.
* I want to be able to write plugins in Python (maybe that is already possible)

User:Terrelshumway

2010-08-30T20:45:12Z

Terrelshumway: Created page with 'I am a pretty decent python programmer who loves to use inkscape for drawing and drafting. Current Itches: * File|New leaves much room for improvement. I would like to see exce...'

I am a pretty decent python programmer who loves to use inkscape for drawing and drafting.

Current Itches:
* File|New leaves much room for improvement. I would like to see excellent template support.
* I want to draw a house plan in feet and inches. v. 0.48 refuses to let me view the entire drawing (4) if it is larger than about 100 feet.
* I want to be able to write plugins in Python (maybe that is already possible)
* I am interested in UML.

BlueprintRealUnit

2010-08-30T20:05:12Z

Terrelshumway: /* Use cases */

== Summary ==

This blueprint tries to collect all information about how to implement real world units (in, mm) in a standard compliant way.

This blueprint is part of the [[CAD]] collections, please see it if you are interesting to an other CAD feature.

== The problem ==

=== Inaccuracy ===

==== Inkscape side ====

Even if the user switch everywhere the unit to mm, inkscape
converts it to px unit and writes it in the .svg file resulting inaccuracies.

==== SVG side ====

All the units in svg drawing needs to be in px unit.
The grammar in the SVG specification does not allow other units then pixel:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/paths.html#PathDataBNF

More information about coordinate system:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html

Examples:

This is '''invalid''' in SVG:
<path d="M 0,0 L 30mm,0 L 30mm,30mm L 45mm,30mm" id="path7887" />

The correct solution would be to specify it in pixel and after tranform it.

=== Flipping the coordinate system ===

Inkscape use the SVG standard coordinate system, where the origin is at the
top-left corner. For humans the svg file is more readable if the coordinate system were at the bottom-left corner.

Would be nice, if it were an ability to specify the origin of the coordinate system (top-left vs. bottom-left).

So all the svg object would be defined for human reading and the whole page is flipped using the transform attribute of the svg specification.

== Document width and document height ==

In inkscape it is possible to specify the document width and height as described in the [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/struct.html#SVGElement section 5.1.2].
Although it can be written that the document width is 210mm and height is 297mm, it has '''no effect''' to the units in the svg document.
It simply specify the page size around the drawing. (it is useful when exporting a page to pdf)

A simple svg definition:
<svg width="210mm" height="297mm" id="svg3248">

== Typical workflow ==

TODO

== Use cases ==

1. Bob wants everything in mm

2. Bob wants everything in mm except fonts which he wants in points.

3. Bob wants mix units in mm and inch. But always want to see the original unit.

4. Bob does not care about units he wants just draw something to the web

5. Bob wants to draw a house plan in feet and inches, but still print it on a letter-sized paper. (one idea: different layers can have different scales: e.g. border layer is actual size, house layer is 1 in. = 8 ft.)

== More resource on the web ==

* [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html#TransformAttribute Transform in the SVG specification]
* [http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/50556.htm Possible solution to coordinate system by adobe]

== Related bug reports ==

[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168753 #168753]: SVG defaults to pixels (90dpi) despite default units
Duplicates:
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168516 #168516]: Inkscape doesn't save page size units in plain svg
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/170738 #170738]: preserve units

Viewbox related bug reports:
[https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171203 #171203]: Use viewBox to explicitly define a coordinate system

== Related discussions in the past ==
On the inkscape-dev mailing list:

[http://www.nabble.com/Problem-with-real-units-%28mm%29-tt14966336.html#a14971033 Problem with real units (mm)]

Although attaching parasite information to an svg element is not necessary, but maybe useful if additional information must be keeped about conversion inaccuracy.
Please see this thread for more information: [http://www.nabble.com/Attaching-parasite-information-to-an-object-%28or-group%29-tt14892304.html#a14892304 Attaching parasite information to an object (or group)]

BlueprintRealUnit

2010-08-30T20:04:17Z

Terrelshumway: /* Use cases */

== Summary ==

This blueprint tries to collect all information about how to implement real world units (in, mm) in a standard compliant way.

This blueprint is part of the [[CAD]] collections, please see it if you are interesting to an other CAD feature.

== The problem ==

=== Inaccuracy ===

==== Inkscape side ====

Even if the user switch everywhere the unit to mm, inkscape
converts it to px unit and writes it in the .svg file resulting inaccuracies.

==== SVG side ====

All the units in svg drawing needs to be in px unit.
The grammar in the SVG specification does not allow other units then pixel:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/paths.html#PathDataBNF

More information about coordinate system:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html

Examples:

This is '''invalid''' in SVG:
<path d="M 0,0 L 30mm,0 L 30mm,30mm L 45mm,30mm" id="path7887" />

The correct solution would be to specify it in pixel and after tranform it.

=== Flipping the coordinate system ===

Inkscape use the SVG standard coordinate system, where the origin is at the
top-left corner. For humans the svg file is more readable if the coordinate system were at the bottom-left corner.

Would be nice, if it were an ability to specify the origin of the coordinate system (top-left vs. bottom-left).

So all the svg object would be defined for human reading and the whole page is flipped using the transform attribute of the svg specification.

== Document width and document height ==

In inkscape it is possible to specify the document width and height as described in the [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/struct.html#SVGElement section 5.1.2].
Although it can be written that the document width is 210mm and height is 297mm, it has '''no effect''' to the units in the svg document.
It simply specify the page size around the drawing. (it is useful when exporting a page to pdf)

A simple svg definition:
<svg width="210mm" height="297mm" id="svg3248">

== Typical workflow ==

TODO

== Use cases ==

1. Bob wants everything in mm

2. Bob wants everything in mm except fonts which he wants in points.

3. Bob wants mix units in mm and inch. But always want to see the original unit.

4. Bob does not care about units he wants just draw something to the web

4. Bob wants to draw a house plan in feet and inches, but still print it on a letter-sized paper. (one idea: different layers can have different scales: e.g. border layer is actual size, house layer is 1 in. = 8 ft.)

== More resource on the web ==

* [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html#TransformAttribute Transform in the SVG specification]
* [http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/50556.htm Possible solution to coordinate system by adobe]

== Related bug reports ==

[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168753 #168753]: SVG defaults to pixels (90dpi) despite default units
Duplicates:
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168516 #168516]: Inkscape doesn't save page size units in plain svg
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/170738 #170738]: preserve units

Viewbox related bug reports:
[https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171203 #171203]: Use viewBox to explicitly define a coordinate system

== Related discussions in the past ==
On the inkscape-dev mailing list:

[http://www.nabble.com/Problem-with-real-units-%28mm%29-tt14966336.html#a14971033 Problem with real units (mm)]

Although attaching parasite information to an svg element is not necessary, but maybe useful if additional information must be keeped about conversion inaccuracy.
Please see this thread for more information: [http://www.nabble.com/Attaching-parasite-information-to-an-object-%28or-group%29-tt14892304.html#a14892304 Attaching parasite information to an object (or group)]

BlueprintRealUnit

2010-08-30T19:58:08Z

Terrelshumway: /* Inkscape side */

== Summary ==

This blueprint tries to collect all information about how to implement real world units (in, mm) in a standard compliant way.

This blueprint is part of the [[CAD]] collections, please see it if you are interesting to an other CAD feature.

== The problem ==

=== Inaccuracy ===

==== Inkscape side ====

Even if the user switch everywhere the unit to mm, inkscape
converts it to px unit and writes it in the .svg file resulting inaccuracies.

==== SVG side ====

All the units in svg drawing needs to be in px unit.
The grammar in the SVG specification does not allow other units then pixel:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/paths.html#PathDataBNF

More information about coordinate system:
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html

Examples:

This is '''invalid''' in SVG:
<path d="M 0,0 L 30mm,0 L 30mm,30mm L 45mm,30mm" id="path7887" />

The correct solution would be to specify it in pixel and after tranform it.

=== Flipping the coordinate system ===

Inkscape use the SVG standard coordinate system, where the origin is at the
top-left corner. For humans the svg file is more readable if the coordinate system were at the bottom-left corner.

Would be nice, if it were an ability to specify the origin of the coordinate system (top-left vs. bottom-left).

So all the svg object would be defined for human reading and the whole page is flipped using the transform attribute of the svg specification.

== Document width and document height ==

In inkscape it is possible to specify the document width and height as described in the [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/struct.html#SVGElement section 5.1.2].
Although it can be written that the document width is 210mm and height is 297mm, it has '''no effect''' to the units in the svg document.
It simply specify the page size around the drawing. (it is useful when exporting a page to pdf)

A simple svg definition:
<svg width="210mm" height="297mm" id="svg3248">

== Typical workflow ==

TODO

== Use cases ==

1. Bob wants everything in mm

2. Bob wants everything in mm except fonts which he wants in points.

3. Bob wants mix units in mm and inch. But always want to see the original unit.

4. Bob does not care about units he wants just draw something to the web

== More resource on the web ==

* [http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/coords.html#TransformAttribute Transform in the SVG specification]
* [http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/50556.htm Possible solution to coordinate system by adobe]

== Related bug reports ==

[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168753 #168753]: SVG defaults to pixels (90dpi) despite default units
Duplicates:
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168516 #168516]: Inkscape doesn't save page size units in plain svg
[http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/170738 #170738]: preserve units

Viewbox related bug reports:
[https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171203 #171203]: Use viewBox to explicitly define a coordinate system

== Related discussions in the past ==
On the inkscape-dev mailing list:

[http://www.nabble.com/Problem-with-real-units-%28mm%29-tt14966336.html#a14971033 Problem with real units (mm)]

Although attaching parasite information to an svg element is not necessary, but maybe useful if additional information must be keeped about conversion inaccuracy.
Please see this thread for more information: [http://www.nabble.com/Attaching-parasite-information-to-an-object-%28or-group%29-tt14892304.html#a14892304 Attaching parasite information to an object (or group)]

Talk:Frequently asked questions

2010-08-25T14:42:07Z

Terrelshumway: /* Savarese SVG Plugin for Internet Explorer */

== Windows installer for 0.45? ==

FAQ claims a self-contained installer for Windows XP. Release 0.45 seems to be missing this.

Yes, it is possible to download an archive of 0.45 executables and libraries, but there seems to be no installer that would register file types to the executables and create menu entries, etc.

Is there a maintenance release coming with a Windows installer?

[[User:metaed|MetaEd]]

== Download Inkscape ==

Since I really enjoy working with graphics [i basically use mspaint] and subscribe to 'computer tips' thru worldstart, they have led me to your program called 'Inkscape'.

I was wondering where I can acquire it at?

==.ai?==
This FAQ says that inkscape can save in .ai format, but I don't see that option in version 0.44 under the save dialog. --[[User:Axiom|Axiom]] 14:55, 22 August 2006 (UTC

===Mac 10.4 ?===
How do I make Inkscape work on a Mac with 10.4? The X.11 was installed--how do I make it active?

== how about a 'select adjacent nodes' shortcut key ==

If you've ever used Wings 3D, you're probably familiar with hitting the + key or - key to expand or decrease the number of vectors in the current selection. I keep wishing I could do the same with nodes in Inkscape (how about with '''Alt''' + '''+''' and '''Alt''' + '''-''').

:In 0.45, it's pgup/pgdn or mouse wheel while the mouse is over a node.

===Scale by percent?===
I am a teacher of mathematics to future teachers, and would like to use Inkscape with my students for learning certain mathematical topics (mostly transformations.) However, in Inkscape, the scaling is % more than, not % of. While this may be the way that some graphics people like to think, it's not ideal for learning math.

1) It doesn't agree with the conventions in other software: AI, AppleWorks, MS Paint, Freehand,... OpenOffice is even worse: you have to say the actual amount more, not the percent more.

2) It makes certain key mathematical concepts less accessible: Twice as big is multiplying by 2 or 200%, a 15% tax on an amount is 115% of the amount, etc.

Is there some way you could include this alternate way of scaling? (Yes, I realize you can put in the coordinates for the affine transformation as a matrix, but I'm working with elementary teachers.)

:this is done in 0.46, thanks for feedback -- bb

== changing locale under windows ==

(Concerning '''I am working on a machine with operating system xxx which has default language yyy set, but I want to work with Inkscape menus in language zzz (most likely English), how can I set this?''')

Under linux being no problem but under windows there seems to be no solution to change the locale on a system with turkish XP to be german. That's a bit - ah - strange...! At least one should be able to set something like <tt>set LANG=de_DE</tt> as environment variable. --[[User:Katpatuka|Katpatuka]] 19:24, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

What about changing locale for the win32 installer? Is that possible? [[User:Helix84|Helix84]] 13:58, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

== How to make Alt+click and Alt+drag work on KDE4? ==

How to make Alt+click and Alt+drag work on KDE4? There is no Control Center (KControl) in KDE4.--[[User:Hhielscher|Hhielscher]] 12:01, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

== sodipodi ==

The domain sodipodi.com seems to be available for purchase, guess things didn't work out well over there. Suggest to remove the link - page is protected and I can't do it myself. [[User:Odedee|Odedee]] 19:12, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

== Adobe SVG Viewer ==

According to [http://www.adobe.com/svg/eol.html], 
"Adobe customer support for Adobe SVG Viewer will be discontinued on January 1, 2009." 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 02:11, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Savarese SVG Plugin for Internet Explorer ==

Savarese Software Research provides an alternative to the unsupported Adobe Viewer. It is an unmodified distribution of the ActiveX control from the Mozilla code base.
The installer is just under 10 MB (v1.9.2.8), and does NOT require Firefox to be installed.

Annoyances:
* Depending on your security settings, IE will probably give you warnings about running ActiveX controls.
* You will have to modify your HTML to use an object tag instead of an img tag.

http://www.savarese.com/software/svgplugin/

== Linking the W3C Acronym ==

There are three ways the W3C acronym is linked in this Wiki page: 
1) Plain text only with no link. 
2) Text linked to http://www.w3.org/ 
3) Text linked to the W3C page in this Wiki.

I understand the first variety. One should not overlink any reference.

I don't understand why both the second and third exist simultaneously on this page; especially, since the W3C Wiki page currently contains only the http://www.w3.org/ link.

Could someone please help me improve my understanding of the proper way to link references such as W3C?
 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 21:37, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Gnome and Bonobo ==

According to the [http://library.gnome.org/devel/api GNOME Documentation Library API Reference], 
under Bonobo Activation API Reference Manual, 
"This module is heading towards planned deprecation. It will continue to be supported and API/ABI stable throughout the GNOME 2.x series, but we do not recommend using it in new applications unless you require functionality that has not already been moved elsewhere."
 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 22:45, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Bazaar replaced Subversion ==

According to the News section of the [http://inkscape.org/ Inkscape home page], 
"Source code repository has moved to Launchpad" which means Bazaar has replaced Subversion as the code repository. 
I don't know how to edit the "What is the Linux command to download the code through Subversion?" question since I am not conversant with either source code version control system. Perhaps someone else can take on the task. 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 23:25, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== 2.10 Can I use different settings for the new documents created by Inkscape? ==

On Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) the path for storing settings is not <code>~/.inkscape/....</code> but rather <code>~/.config/inkscape/....</code>

I have not changed the FAQ in question as I don't know if the path is incorrect for other distributions. Can others confirm on different distros?

:The path to the Inkscape Preferences directory has [http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/0.47#Preferences changed in Inkscape 0.47] on Linux and Mac OS X; it stayed unchanged for the Windows port (%APPDATA%\Inkscape).--[[User:~suv|~suv]] 20:42, 1 July 2010 (UTC)

Talk:Frequently asked questions

2010-08-25T13:38:15Z

Terrelshumway: /* alternative to Adobe SVG Viewer */

== Windows installer for 0.45? ==

FAQ claims a self-contained installer for Windows XP. Release 0.45 seems to be missing this.

Yes, it is possible to download an archive of 0.45 executables and libraries, but there seems to be no installer that would register file types to the executables and create menu entries, etc.

Is there a maintenance release coming with a Windows installer?

[[User:metaed|MetaEd]]

== Download Inkscape ==

Since I really enjoy working with graphics [i basically use mspaint] and subscribe to 'computer tips' thru worldstart, they have led me to your program called 'Inkscape'.

I was wondering where I can acquire it at?

==.ai?==
This FAQ says that inkscape can save in .ai format, but I don't see that option in version 0.44 under the save dialog. --[[User:Axiom|Axiom]] 14:55, 22 August 2006 (UTC

===Mac 10.4 ?===
How do I make Inkscape work on a Mac with 10.4? The X.11 was installed--how do I make it active?

== how about a 'select adjacent nodes' shortcut key ==

If you've ever used Wings 3D, you're probably familiar with hitting the + key or - key to expand or decrease the number of vectors in the current selection. I keep wishing I could do the same with nodes in Inkscape (how about with '''Alt''' + '''+''' and '''Alt''' + '''-''').

:In 0.45, it's pgup/pgdn or mouse wheel while the mouse is over a node.

===Scale by percent?===
I am a teacher of mathematics to future teachers, and would like to use Inkscape with my students for learning certain mathematical topics (mostly transformations.) However, in Inkscape, the scaling is % more than, not % of. While this may be the way that some graphics people like to think, it's not ideal for learning math.

1) It doesn't agree with the conventions in other software: AI, AppleWorks, MS Paint, Freehand,... OpenOffice is even worse: you have to say the actual amount more, not the percent more.

2) It makes certain key mathematical concepts less accessible: Twice as big is multiplying by 2 or 200%, a 15% tax on an amount is 115% of the amount, etc.

Is there some way you could include this alternate way of scaling? (Yes, I realize you can put in the coordinates for the affine transformation as a matrix, but I'm working with elementary teachers.)

:this is done in 0.46, thanks for feedback -- bb

== changing locale under windows ==

(Concerning '''I am working on a machine with operating system xxx which has default language yyy set, but I want to work with Inkscape menus in language zzz (most likely English), how can I set this?''')

Under linux being no problem but under windows there seems to be no solution to change the locale on a system with turkish XP to be german. That's a bit - ah - strange...! At least one should be able to set something like <tt>set LANG=de_DE</tt> as environment variable. --[[User:Katpatuka|Katpatuka]] 19:24, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

What about changing locale for the win32 installer? Is that possible? [[User:Helix84|Helix84]] 13:58, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

== How to make Alt+click and Alt+drag work on KDE4? ==

How to make Alt+click and Alt+drag work on KDE4? There is no Control Center (KControl) in KDE4.--[[User:Hhielscher|Hhielscher]] 12:01, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

== sodipodi ==

The domain sodipodi.com seems to be available for purchase, guess things didn't work out well over there. Suggest to remove the link - page is protected and I can't do it myself. [[User:Odedee|Odedee]] 19:12, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

== Adobe SVG Viewer ==

According to [http://www.adobe.com/svg/eol.html], 
"Adobe customer support for Adobe SVG Viewer will be discontinued on January 1, 2009." 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 02:11, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Savarese SVG Plugin for Internet Explorer ==

Savarese Software Research provides an alternative to the unsupported Adobe Viewer. It is an unmodified distribution of the ActiveX control from the Mozilla code base.

http://www.savarese.com/software/svgplugin/

== Linking the W3C Acronym ==

There are three ways the W3C acronym is linked in this Wiki page: 
1) Plain text only with no link. 
2) Text linked to http://www.w3.org/ 
3) Text linked to the W3C page in this Wiki.

I understand the first variety. One should not overlink any reference.

I don't understand why both the second and third exist simultaneously on this page; especially, since the W3C Wiki page currently contains only the http://www.w3.org/ link.

Could someone please help me improve my understanding of the proper way to link references such as W3C?
 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 21:37, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Gnome and Bonobo ==

According to the [http://library.gnome.org/devel/api GNOME Documentation Library API Reference], 
under Bonobo Activation API Reference Manual, 
"This module is heading towards planned deprecation. It will continue to be supported and API/ABI stable throughout the GNOME 2.x series, but we do not recommend using it in new applications unless you require functionality that has not already been moved elsewhere."
 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 22:45, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== Bazaar replaced Subversion ==

According to the News section of the [http://inkscape.org/ Inkscape home page], 
"Source code repository has moved to Launchpad" which means Bazaar has replaced Subversion as the code repository. 
I don't know how to edit the "What is the Linux command to download the code through Subversion?" question since I am not conversant with either source code version control system. Perhaps someone else can take on the task. 
--[[User:NeoPhyte Rep|NeoPhyte Rep]] 23:25, 17 December 2009 (UTC)

== 2.10 Can I use different settings for the new documents created by Inkscape? ==

On Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) the path for storing settings is not <code>~/.inkscape/....</code> but rather <code>~/.config/inkscape/....</code>

I have not changed the FAQ in question as I don't know if the path is incorrect for other distributions. Can others confirm on different distros?

:The path to the Inkscape Preferences directory has [http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/0.47#Preferences changed in Inkscape 0.47] on Linux and Mac OS X; it stayed unchanged for the Windows port (%APPDATA%\Inkscape).--[[User:~suv|~suv]] 20:42, 1 July 2010 (UTC)