Re: [Inkscape-devel] Multipage support as a GSoC project?
On 2011-03-31 22:27, gespertino@...400... wrote:
> So, yes, we could implement a "simple" fix that lets
users specify a
> font size in points. We could even just use the SVG unit pt, as that is
> also defined as an "appropriate" multiple of px. And perhaps we should
> do this if people find it useful. But I think it would give the wrong
> impression (that you were actually using an absolute unit) and it could
> lead to weird issues once Inkscape will let the user specify the
> coordinate system (do we then stick to the somewhat arbitrary scaling
> factor or do we want true points?). I admit that it's a slightly
> academic debate, but still, what's the point if you're not really using
> points?
As I see it, we already have real world units in inkscape UI
everywhere, all of them assuming a resolution of 90dpi. People is
using those "real world units" based on that: the default document is
A4, if inches or centimeters are selected as default units for the
document, that's what the user gets in inkscape.
Document sizes are likely to
be just fine, as that's one of the few
places where you can reliably work with absolute units. As for the
"units" in the interface, these basically suffer from the same problems
as I pointed out earlier. I agree that it would definitely be possible
to simply ignore the underlying issues and do what we do elsewhere as
well, and that might just be the pragmatic thing to do, but I think it's
good to keep in mind that you're actually working with something that is
NOT an absolute unit, even if it looks like one.
Of course it's a problem when you want to take the artwork
created in
Inkscape to other applications (for instance Scribus, which apparently
uses 72 dpi for imported SVGs)
I'm aware that adding that option (real world units in the type dialog
assuming 90dpi) won't be a good long-term solution, but I'm sure it
will be well received by a lot of people as an acceptable interim
solution.
Good point.
Type size in pixels was reported as a bug several times. Probably
people working for web don't care, but designers creating brochures,
posters and things that have to end up printed, are more used to DTP
points than to any other unit for type.
With that change things will be better for that part of the userbase,
and won't be worse for anybody, since the real units confusion is
already installed with the current implementation in most of the
tools.
I guess that's true.