Alt key doesn't work on Linux

Alt+click and Alt+drag are very useful Inkscape shortcuts ("select under" and "move selected" with Selection tool, and "node sculpting" with Node tool). However, on Linux, Alt+click and Alt+drag are often reserved by the window manager for manipulating windows.

From version 0.46 onwards there is an option in the ~/.config/inkscape/preferences.xml file to allow another modifier key to be used as an alias for Alt within Inkscape. The option is "mapalt" under group "options", and has a numerical value. This value equates to the modifier key that is mapped to Alt, 1 indicates Alt, ie, no mapping). The value you need to use depends on the setup of your particular keyboard and may be 2, 3, 4, or 5. The program xkeycaps, available from www.jwz.org, is useful in finding which mod values are assigned to which keys on your keyboard, as well as setting them. The value associated with a particular key is shown in that program at the top of the screen beside the word "Modifiers" when the mouse is held over a key on the main display.

Note that this setting makes the new key an alias for Alt in every keyboard shortcut, not just those concerned with the mouse.

Alternatively, you can disable Alt-click and Alt-drag in your window manager as shown below:

KDE - For example, in KDE this is done in Control Center > Desktop > Window Behavior > Window Actions.
XFCE4 - Please read Xfce 4 Window Manager documentation (The documentation is currently out of date for the 4.4 series.)
- To enable in XFCE 4.4 or greater, in the Settings Manager > Window Manager Tweaks > Accessibility Tab, change "Key used to grab and move windows" to "none" or something else. Several other selections (such as "Meta") may still use the "Alt" key, however, so test it first.
- Before 4.4, edit ~/.config/xfce4/xfwm4/xfwm4rc to contain "easy click=false".
GNOME
- Under GNOME 2, go to System > Preferences > Windows > "Super"
- Under GNOME 3, open a Terminal window and type:
  gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/metacity/general/mouse_button_modifier '<Super>'
fluxbox - Beginning from version 1.0rc2, fluxbox allows changing the key used for manipulating windows. To use windows logo key for this, open file ~/.fluxbox/init in a text editor and change line "session.modKey: Mod1" to "session.modKey: Mod4"
IceWM - If you have not already done so, create a local copy of the IceWM system preferences file. (Typically the system file is /usr/share/icewm/preferences and your local copy is ~/.icewm/preferences . Your mileage may vary.) Edit your local copy as follows:
- Change# MouseWinMove="Alt+Pointer_Button1" to MouseWinMove="Alt+Pointer_Button2"
- and
- Change # MouseWinRaise="Ctrl+Alt+Pointer_Button1" to MouseWinRaise="Ctrl+Alt+Pointer_Button2"
- Save the preferences file and restart IceWM.

Mac OS X specific issues

Alt key doesn't work
If you find yourself unable to use Inkscape functions that require the alt key (i.e. option key) such as Alt+D to create a clone or Alt+Click to select under, you will need to turn off the "Emulate three button mouse" under the Input Preferences for X11.

Recent X11/Xquartz versions (≥ 2.5.1) have a new GUI option in the preferences dialog to make the code>option/alt key work like a real Alt modifier instead of Mode_switch (X11 Preferences > Input > Option keys send Alt_L and Alt_R). Changing this setting will have the downside of no longer being able to input diacritic and other special characters via keyboard in X11-based applications because both option keys will be changed - see below for a more fine-grained solution.

If you still cannot get it to work you can try using a keyboard mapping file for X11 (the environment Inkscape is running in) called an xmodmap (keyboard modifier map and keymap table). Open a terminal and type
```
cd ~
touch .Xmodmap
```
This will create a new text file called ".Xmodmap" in your home directory. The period before the actual file name "Xmodmap" causes the file to stay hidden within the Finder.

Now open the file by typing
```
open .Xmodmap
```
and paste the following into the newly created file:
```
keycode 66 = Alt_L
```
This defines the left option key as alt within all X11 applications, enabling Alt based shortcuts. You need to re-start X11 to see the change.

The right option key stays the same though, so you cannot use it as Alt but you can still use it to type special characters such as é, ß or \ on non-US keyboards (which is Shift+Option+7 on a German keyboard for example). It makes typing those letters more cumbersome but the user (unfortunately) has to determine him/herself which of the two functionalities is needed most for his/her daily business.
Ctrl key doesn't work
Inkscape runs under X11 and is originally a Linux app, so all keyboard shortcuts are based on Control and not Command as in OS X. For example, Copy is ��C and not ��C. You can us an ".Xmodmap" file to switch the behaviours of Control and Command in X11 applications. See above how to create and open the .Xmodmap file. Then paste this inside:
```
! Switch meta and control
keycode 67 = Meta_L
keycode 63 = Control_L
keycode 71 = Control_R
clear mod2
clear control
add mod2 = Meta_L
add control = Control_L Control_R
```
Finally, in X11, make sure that the option "Enable key equivalents in X11" is unchecked and restart X11. Now ��C shou d copy, ��V paste etc.
Inkscape does not see some fonts (on Mac)
This issue is fixed in version 0.46+. For older versions, the issue comes from Pango (the library Inkscape uses to manage fonts). Pango does not handle fonts in the .dfont format and Microsoft Font Suitcases. One solution is to convert everything to individual ttf files (Times.dfont becomes TimesRegular.ttf, TimesItalic.ttf, and so on) with fondu or/and fontforge (both are available via Fink, DarwinPorts or with standalone installers). Beware though:
- you'll end up with duplicated fonts, you need to suppress or disable one version
- do not disable system fonts (if you need system fonts in TTF for X11 apps only, put them in an X11 specific directory, such as ~/.fonts)
- this can cause problems with Firefox which mozilla guys do not seem ready to solve soon because the problem is inconsistent in its appearance
Inkscape installed in some subfolder of "Applications", does not run
Inkscape cannot be run from a folder containing strange characters in its name (such as /, ƒ, &, etc.) so if the subfolder you installed Inkscape in contains one of those, either change its name to something more conventional (spaces and accented characters are ok) or move Inkscape to "Applications".
Inkscape can't be installed on OS X 10.3 (Panther)
Panther is no longer supported by Inkscape. Please download Inkscape 0.45.1, the last compatible version, from Inkscape's Sourceforge download page.
Inkscape does not start, or crashes on startup
Please see { http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/InstallHelp#Installing on a Mac } {waiting for new documentation to link to} for extended help on Mac install issues with X11
Copy/Paste rasterizes objects
Starting with XQuartz 2.3.2, X11 has some functionality to exchange the content of the clipboard with OS X. But it currently does not know how to deal with vector images so it just captures the screen, i.e. creates a bitmap copy, and then pastes that. You need to deactivate this functionality in X11 preferences > Pasteboard: uncheck "Update Pasteboard when CLIPBOARD changes". However, this will also prevent copying text from any X11 application to Mac OS X ones. It will not prevent copying text from OS X to X11.

Users with non-english locale settings in System Preferences > International > Language have to install the X11 Localization updates for XQuartz 2.3.3.2 and 2.1.6 to access the new Pasteboard preferences.

When you just want to make a copy of an object within Inkscape, you should use Edit menu > Duplicate (Ctrl-D) rather than Edit menu > Copy/Paste (Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V). Duplicate does not interact with the X11/OSX clipboards.
Inkscape fails to launch on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
- Apple's new GateKeeper security feature may prevent Inkscape from opening
  When trying to run the newly installed application for the first time on Mountain Lion, you may be prompted with a warning message saying that ""Inkscape" can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" (or possibly ""Inkscape" is damaged and can't be opened").
  
  If this happens, you can either (temporarily) lower the default security settings system-wide:
  1. Launch System Preferences from the Apple �� menuChoose "Security & Privacy" and then click the "General" tab, followed by clicking the lock icon in the corner to unlock the settings
  2. Look for "Allow applications downloaded from:" and choose "Anywhere"
  3. Accept the security warning and allow
  4. You can now launch any app from any location or developer
  or bypass the stricter GateKeeper rules on a per-application basis:
  1. In the Finder, right-click (or control-click) the application in question and choose "Open"
  2. Click the "Open" button at the next dialog warning to launch the app anyway
  Related links: Mountain Lion: About Gatekeeper (Apple Support), Tip on osxdaily.com
- Apple no longer includes X11/Xquartz with Mountain Lion
  The first time you try to launch an X11-based application on Mountain Lion, the system will notify you that you need to install XQuartz first, and provide a link to the official download site.
  
  Note: To finish the installation of XQuartz, you need to logout and login again (or reboot the system).
  
  Related links: About X11 and OS X Mountain Lion (Apple Support), XQuartz Homepage