Hello guys,
I was wondering how much work it would be to get Inkscape to use external file objects in the xlink:href context. I would be way cool if that would be possible and it would make my life so much easier. Now I have to hand code it and rendering is only possible in browsers. But if it would be possible to <use> it in Inkscape and have the result be translated to all those other formats such as PDF it would create its own use case.
Just sticking some objects from a library of objects together and separating the logic and the content of a project in Inkscape would be really useful. Granted, the problem arising is the amount of nesting to be available to a file, but if the nesting of linked objects goes too deep (more than 2 steps), it may be an option to copy them to the defs. It would also be useful to then be able to move them from the defs into an external file as to create libraries of objects.
Obviously the Symbols tool basically uses this principle for the external libraries of objects, which get rendered in it, so my guess is that Inkscape basically is already capable of it. Giving the option to collate such projects together into a single file or vice versa, ripping them apart would be an added benefit.
Cheers,
Jelle