DBus
Inkscape has supported a DBus interface for some time.... but information on how to use it is limited. It is also not clear how to use Gio::Actions which are suppose to work with DBus. This page is an investigation into using DBus with Inkscape.
It would be very useful if anyone who has experience with using the DBus interface add information here!
DBus Support in Inkscape
Inkscape must be compiled with DBus support. Most available pre-built versions of Inkscape do NOT include DBus support. To enable DBus support, use: cmake -DWITH_DBUS=ON path_to_source
Inkscape is using a deprecated library for DBus support. See: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=955903
Use with Python
There is some Python documentation in the src/extension/dbus/doc directory. It's in DocBook format and incomplete. Here is a simple python program for interfacing with a running Inkscape program that has been compiled with DBUS support:
#!/usr/bin/env python # Adapted from documentation in the src/extension/dbus/doc directory. print("Inkscape DBus Interface Test") import dbus # Get the session bus. try: bus = dbus.SessionBus() except BaseException: print("No bus") exit() print("Got DBus bus") # Get the object for the application. try: inkapp = bus.get_object('org.inkscape', '/org/inkscape/application') except BaseException: print("No Inkscape application found") exit(); print("Got connection to Inkscape application") # Request a new desktop. desk = inkapp.desktop_new(dbus_interface='org.inkscape.application') # Get the object for that desktop. inkdoc = bus.get_object('org.inkscape', desk) # Tell it what interface it is using so we don't have to type it for every method. doc = dbus.Interface(inkdoc, dbus_interface="org.inkscape.document") # Use! doc.document_set_css ("fill:#ff0000;stroke:#000000") rect = doc.rectangle (25, 25, 50, 50) # x y w h doc.document_set_css ("fill:#0000ff;stroke:#000000;stroke-width:3px") circle = doc.ellipse (125, 25, 50, 50) # x y w h doc.document_set_css ("fill:#ffff00;stroke:#000000;stroke-width:5px") star = doc.star (50, 150, 40, 16, 0, -0.314, 5, 0.314) # cx cy r1 r2 rand arg1 sides arg2
Use with Emacs
Verification that DBus actually still works (on Fedora):
- Start Inkscape.
- Open an Emacs window.
- Type:
Put the cursor at the very end of the function (just after ')))') and type Ctrl-X Ctrl-E.(message "%s on board." (cond ((dbus-ping :session "org.inkscape" 100) "Inkscape") (t "No")))
- The Emacs 'Message" buffer should show "Inkscape on board" if you have successfully connected to the running Inkscape app.
Open a New Inkscape Window:
- Type:
Put the cursor at the very end of the function and type Ctrl-X Ctrl-E.(dbus-call-method :session "org.inkscape" "/org/inkscape/application" "org.inkscape.application" "desktop_new")
- The Emacs "Message" buffer should show "/org/inkscape/desktop_1" and a new window should have opened.
Add a rectangle:
- Type:
Put the cursor at the very end of the function and type Ctrl-X Ctrl-E.(dbus-call-method :session "org.inkscape" "/org/inkscape/desktop_1" "org.inkscape.document" "rectangle" :int32 100 :int32 100 :int32 100 :int32 100)
- A rectangle should appear in the new Inkscape drawing.
Notes
Command line arguments:
- --dbus-listen
- --dbus-name=BUS-NAME
- --display=DISPLAY
How to use these? At least the --dbus-name does not seem to work (bus name is always "org.inkscape").