March 2008 - Inkscape Devel - Inkscape Mailman

Anouncing New Extension: Alphabet Soup
by Joel Holdsworth 20 Mar '08

20 Mar '08

Hi All, Thought you might all be interested to know that I've just submitted a new python extension: Alphabet Soup. Alphabet Soup is a vector/SVG derivative of Matt Chrisholm's orignal GPLed raster script (from here http://www.theory.org/artprojects/alphabetsoup/main.html ). In simple terms Alphabet Soup makes a soup out of your alphabet. Type a string into it, and it will render the characters of that string, but with the strokes and serifs etc all mixed up. This is all achieved by a set of rules which control how the algorithm combines together the pieces of the Computer Postmodern Font (<-- that's one of Matt jokes, get it??). Try it out - or see the attached SVG. Obviously this script's usefulness is quite limited, but it is sorta fun and creative - might help new users fall in love with inkscape. In a while I might roll out an extra function carried over from the Matt's original script, which allows unreadable characters to be generated completely randomly - rather than as variations of normal latin characters. This extra function when it comes will allow the script to make totally alien writing. All the best Joel

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Ohloh Widgets
by Joel Holdsworth 20 Mar '08

20 Mar '08

Hi All, I don't know if any of you have played around with ohloh.net at all - I have; it's kinda cool. Anyway, for those that don't know, it indexes source control repositories of open source projects, so as to produce interesting metrics of the total work done on whole projects, and the contributions made by individual developers. So inkscape has 45 developers, 793034 lines of code, which would have cost an estimated 220 person years to produce at cost $12,112,544. Cool huh? Ohloh has a cool feature where you can put a little badge on the project home page that tells people this info: http://www.ohloh.net/projects/69/widgets Some projects have used this just for the hell of it, others have used it as a way of encouraging people to donate e.g. wine-door.org! What do you think? All the best Joel

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GSoC requirements / expectations
by Daniel Kraft 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

Hi, I'm interested in applying to GSoC for Inkscape this year. While I don't have much experience with graphics on the implementor's side so far, I'm interested in learning about this; thus Inkscape is an interesting project. Mostly the lib2geom-task sounds nice; do you have some more specific information, what would you expect from a student to take it on? Does programming experience suffice (well, I probably also have some basic understanding of linear algebra and/or other mathematical concepts which might be used there) to get one started, or should I already know something about Inkscape (more than as user) or computer graphics / 2d vector graphics? Thanks for your help and greetings from Austria, Daniel -- Done: Bar-Sam-Val-Wiz, Dwa-Elf-Hum-Orc, Cha-Law, Fem-Mal Underway: Ran-Gno-Neu-Fem To go: Arc-Cav-Hea-Kni-Mon-Pri-Rog-Tou

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Fwd: sorting out PS/EPS/PDF export mess
by jiho 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

I guess Joshua's message was meant to be sent to the list. Begin forwarded message: > From: Joshua Facemyer / Impressus Art <faceman@...1574...> > jiho wrote: >> On 2008-March-17 , at 18:12 , J.B.C.Engelen@...1578... wrote: >>>> Subject: Re: [Inkscape-devel] sorting out PS/EPS/PDF export mess >>>> >>>> I agree completely with this. It makes sense to "save"/"save >>>> as" in svg format, and export anything else, since that's the >>>> only format Inkscape actually edits. >>>> >>>> BTW, is there a difference between "export" and "save a copy"? >>>> >>> I don't understand the difficulties with the current system. >>> Save = understood >>> Save as = save as different filename. Whatever filetype you want. >>> >> >> To me that's the issue: being able to save current drawing as >> whatever file type => be annoyed by the nag screen telling you to >> save it back as svg, and risk data loss if the nag screen is >> discarded. Why allow the user to shoot him/herself in the foot >> when there's an easy alternative? >> > I agree completely. It makes much more sense to have an export > function for all filetypes except those one would normally be able > to edit directly in Inkscape. This is how most apps implement the > save function, from my experience. Any other file format is usually > covered under the export function. > > I am always saving as pdf, trying to resave my document as an svg, > then wondering why in the world pdf isn't an export option - it's a > pain in the rear every time I save as pdf. >>> Save a copy = save as different filename but afterwards stay >>> working on current filename. Again, whatever the type. >>> >> >> This is OK. Just redundant with export. Since there's an export >> panel, that can stay open all the time, with lots of options >> already there, I was thinking that integrating all export under it >> would be the best UI. >> > I don't think it's redundant after Terry's explanation: >> Noooo. :-) "save a copy" is a common option in a lot of apps. for >> saving backups without changing file names. I.e. your file might be >> massive_project.svg, and you can use "save a copy" to save >> massive_project_a.svg, massive_project_b.svg, massive_project_c.svg >> etc. while you're working in case something goes wrong or you come to >> regret a design decision. So it's not necessarily related to >> export at >> all. I'd say leave it in. > That makes sense, and it's not confusing if it just does a one-time > save of the current file in it's current format (which, ideally, > would be Inkscape SVG by default, with plain SVG and compressed SVG > as alternates). Well, assuming SVG is also available as export (which it probably should if it can give you the possibility, as with other formats, to export only a part of current drawing) you could just export your work regularly and the result would be the same. One could even imagine having things such as special expressions in the export dialog name which would transform into unique characters e.g. massive_project_%n.svg which would give massive_project_1.svg then massive_project_2.svg and so on. (or you could take advantage of the text-based nature of svg and use a version control system but that's a whole other story ;) ) Bulia, are you already working on this or should we open a blueprint to summarize the ideas and opinions? JiHO --- http://jo.irisson.free.fr/

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Re: [Inkscape-devel] Fwd: sorting out PS/EPS/PDF export mess
by Joshua Facemyer / Impressus Art 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

jiho wrote: > part of the point in having it into the export dialog is that: > 1/ it can be invoked with a keyboard shortcut already (and if the > export button can be focused by default it would make it possible to > create a backup by Shift-Control-E + Return) > 2/ the dialog can stay open at all time, so you can be just one click > away from a backup. Now it just needs to be gtkmmified and thinned a > little to fit with the docked ones. I'm going to argue for the shortcut, in part because the one for "Save a copy" is already there, and in part because the incremental copy one will save a lot of trouble (clicking or entering, switching focus - adds up if you do it a lot). And besides, the point of these was also to have preset options inputted to the export dialog so that they work painlessly, instead of changing all kinds of stuff for each type of copy-save or export you want to do. JF

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LGM 3 inkscapers coordination
by Cédric GEMY 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

After Louis's Mail on Create List, i've been assigned to make a list of the people coming to LGM3, in Poland. People interested may send me a mail. If some people need help for paying travels, say also - where you come from - the average price of the travel please, do quick so that we can enter the last step ;) cheers pygmee

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Inkscape stopped working one day
by Alexander Kane 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

I only got inkscape a month or so ago, I followed the simple instructions for compiling inkscape 0.45 for OSX. It worked fine (or as well as any program using X11, all flickery etc.) I didn't use it that much though. then a few weeks later I decided to boot up inkscape only to find that the icon appears on my dock, but it doesn't do anything. X11 doesn't launch, nothing happens. It doesn't seem to be working either, as it doesn't slow down the computer at all. Even if I open up x11 first inkscape still doesn't run. I've tried the irc channel but nobody there seems interested at all. If someone here could make a suggestion I'd be greatful. Alexander P.S. I did try reinstalling it, using Macports this time, with the same result. P.P.S It might have being during that period that I upgraded from 10.5.1 to 10.5.2 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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Re: [Inkscape-devel] Anouncing New Extension: Alphabet Soup
by Joel Holdsworth 19 Mar '08

19 Mar '08

Hey... you responded - that's a very pleasant surprise. I thought that website was long dead! - still very impressive work! > Wow! This is super awesome! I've been meaning to implement something > like this for years! Thanks so much! It's especially awesome that > you've implemented it as an Inkscape plugin since that's my vector > editor of choice. That's always good to hear! > How do I get and use the extension? Did you mean to attach it to the > email? Yeah sorry, that e-mail was really directed at the rest of the inkscape devel people, so you'll find the extension in our SVN trunk. You can check out just the share/extensions/ subdir with a command like this: svn checkout https://inkscape.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/inkscape/inkscape/trunk/share/… extensions You just need to grab these files: share/extensions/render_alphabetsoup.inx share/extensions/render_alphabetsoup.py share/extensions/render_alphabetsoup_config.py and share/extensions/alphabet_soup/*.svg The extension will probably be released officially in v0.47 - the next release after the upcoming 0.46 and 0.46.1 builds. So it could be a little while before it becomes public. > The original alphabetsoup script *does* allow for totally random > generation, just use -g instead of -r: > > ./alphabetsoup.py -g "Hello World" Yes I saw that in the original code. I just havn't exposed that functionality to the user in this first attempt. Anyway, do feel free to give any comments, suggestions, code-mods etc. after all this is still your baby! Thanks again, Joel On Tue, 2008-03-18 at 16:49 -0700, Matt Chisholm wrote: > Wow! This is super awesome! I've been meaning to implement something > like this for years! Thanks so much! It's especially awesome that > you've implemented it as an Inkscape plugin since that's my vector > editor of choice. > > How do I get and use the extension? Did you mean to attach it to the > email? > > The original alphabetsoup script *does* allow for totally random > generation, just use -g instead of -r: > > ./alphabetsoup.py -g "Hello World" > > So you should be able to hook the plugin into that part of the > original code. > > -matt > > > On Mar 18 2008, 22:37, Joel Holdsworth wrote: > >Hi All, > > > >Thought you might all be interested to know that I've just submitted a > >new python extension: Alphabet Soup. Alphabet Soup is a vector/SVG > >derivative of Matt Chrisholm's orignal GPLed raster script (from here > >http://www.theory.org/artprojects/alphabetsoup/main.html ). > > > >In simple terms Alphabet Soup makes a soup out of your alphabet. Type a > >string into it, and it will render the characters of that string, but > >with the strokes and serifs etc all mixed up. This is all achieved by a > >set of rules which control how the algorithm combines together the > >pieces of the Computer Postmodern Font (<-- that's one of Matt jokes, > >get it??). Try it out - or see the attached SVG. Obviously this script's > >usefulness is quite limited, but it is sorta fun and creative - might > >help new users fall in love with inkscape. > > > >In a while I might roll out an extra function carried over from the > >Matt's original script, which allows unreadable characters to be > >generated completely randomly - rather than as variations of normal > >latin characters. This extra function when it comes will allow the > >script to make totally alien writing. > > > >All the best > >Joel > >

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Pattern licenses
by Tavmjong Bah 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Hi, I am very surprised to discover that three of the patterns Inkscape has included in the Fill and Stroke dialog are not public domain. The only way a user can see this is to look directly at the SVG content, either through a text editor or the XML Editor dialog. I think that this is going to create large scale violations of the licenses as the average user will have no idea that they are using licensed images. Here are the effected patterns: sand_bitmap: creative commons attribution old paint: creative commons attribution cloth bitmap: GFDL or CC Attribution ShareAlike Tav

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Recent /src/bind check-ins
by Bob Jamison 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

Hi all, again. Sorry about the large check-ins in the bind/java directory recently. But a large portion of them are the "official" svg-dom Java interfaces from w3c.org. These are necessary for us to provide a compliant DOM interface for scripting and other things. But as soon as we discover what all interface files we need, they will be compiled and placed into a jar file and removed from the source tree. I'll probably be done stubbing out the org.inkscape.dom.svg.*Impl.java files by the end of the week. There are -hundreds- of files, but most are quite small. Those who know Java know that each public class needs its own file, regardless of how small it is. But some of the recent posters might be happy to know that the interfaces also include SMIL and DOM Events, which should simplify animations quite a bit. And collaboration, too. Anyone doing automake stuff for javac might want to comment it out for a few days, until bind/java/org/inkscape/dom/svg can compile cleanly. And note that although the binding will be done with Java, we don't expect anyone to actually write any Java code. Rather, this is just the glue so that we can run VM-hosted interpreters such as Jython, JRuby, and Rhino(JS). So... "Pardon our dust", but I promise that it will be cleaned up in a few days. Scripting will be fun, I promise. :-) bob

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