On 4/15/06, Charles Moir <CharlesM@...1042...> wrote:
No, Xara does bitmap processing the Right Way, which means all bitmap effects can be applied to vector graphics in a completely transparent way. And that includes Photoshop plug-ins and built-in bitmap effects, and Xara bitmap plug-ins.
You're right - in the latest version, indeed, Xara does bitmap processing the right way, so it is applicable to vector objects too and updated on the fly in resolution-independent way. It's indeed a huge improvement. What I remembered was the older Xara X version with which I worked, where all you had were Photoshop plugins applicable only to bitmap objects.
However, this does not completely invalidate what I have said. Yes, Xara does _bitmap_ processing correctly. But I'm much less interested in bitmap processing than in some object processing in general done in _vectors_. It's a huge difference. I want to be able to do at least the simple things such as brightness/contrast/HSL adjustments or blurring (not feathering!) on any object or a selection natively, in vector, without any external bitmap processing at all. And this is what Xara still cannot do (again, I apologize if I missed something in the latest version). Inkscape does not yet have it too, but I want us to work very actively toward implementing it. First things first: we need to do as much as possible in pure vector.
For example, one thing we're working on right now are Path Effects - purely vector, arbitrary path-to-path transformations done in SVG-compatilble way. They won't give us such eyecandy as some of your Live Effects, but IMHO they may be more useful in practical vector editing, doing things like on-the-fly nondestructive corner rounding, simplification, distortions, randomizing, etc. on paths. Of course the two approaches do not contradict; it is possible that one day we may get something like your via-bitmap Live Effects, whereas Xara will do Path Effects similar to Inkscape. I'm just mentioning this as an example of our slightly different focus.
Now if you wanted a suggestion for some Google sponsored code that would benefit everyone, it would be a cross-platform open API to allow vector graphics products, such as our two products, to apply bitmap effects transparently to vector graphics. The Photoshop plug-in API is not just closed, it's over-complex, outdated and been superseded by an entirely closed new API from Adobe.
This would then allow us to call GIMP effects or ImageMagick effects or any third party effect plug-ins (the Photoshop plug-in system, although now outdated, was hugely successful. There are said to be more than 3000 different Photoshop plug-ins out there.)
Adobe has gone the closed, proprietary API for their plug-ins now. There is a gaping hole for a simple bitmap effects plug-in system that would work for both bitmap graphics programs and vector graphics ones.
Just my two penny's worth.
I think it's a great idea, overall. Have you discussed it with Gimp or Krita developers?
However we (Inkscape) must stay within SVG, and at least SVG 1.1 does not seem to allow us to define external filters. There's only a set of predefined SVG filters that everyone must support. Perhaps it will be possible to implement external Live Effects in SVG-compatible way, same as we're now doing Path Effects in SVG-compatible way, but I don't think this will become our focus short-term, with so much basic and standard-prescribed stuff still missing. Of course I may be wrong, and a lot depends on how much interested developers we get.
-- bulia byak Inkscape. Draw Freely. http://www.inkscape.org