PDF Support

This page identifies exactly what sort of PDF support Inkscape needs. This information is essential to complete the plan for the PrintingConsensusPoll.

• Arbitrary .pdf and .ps files can be opened or imported directly into an inkscape document in exactly the way that .svg files are imported.
  • All shapes are editable
  • All text is rendered in the same font as the original .pdf
  • All text is appropriately sequential (multi-column pdfs are handled correctly)
  • Arbitrary "page to import" is selectable for multi-page documents.
• Arbitrary .svg files can be "saved as" .pdf files
  • What does the .pdf rendering model have that .svg does not?
  • What does the .svg rendering model have that .pdf does not?
  • Perhaps you would like to help EricWilhelm fill-out this table: xar/svg/ps/pdf/crs features (contact me to get the YAML source)
• Hyperlinks in the PDF file are preserved in the SVG.
• Exporting the SVG to .png produces a pixel accurate ...
• ... please refactor and refine ...

What Users Need from Inkscape PDF/PS Support

• SVG canvas size needs to be compatible with PDF canvas
• Color SVG's get turned black and white on export; needs to preserve colors
• Better gradient supports. Xara Xtreme does a nice trick with gradients by creating colored steps aligned to the shape/direction of the gradient.
• Better AI support. The Adobe Illustrator file format is a PDF-based format (after version 7), or postscript (before version 7). If Inkscape gains good PDF/PS support, it should also be able to load/save AI files.
• Support for alpha transparency everywhere (objects, gradient stops, etc.)
• Ability to tile one large image across multiple pages (cf. KDEPrint's poster utility http://printing.kde.org/downloads/)
• /What else?/