jiho wrote:
I guess Joshua's message was meant to be sent to the list.
Sorry.
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.
But you have the added overhead to your workflow of defining variables in the export dialog. I frequently want to export certain sections/items of the svg repeatedly while also saving copies. I really see the value of having both, in particular if the "save copy" function has an autonumbering option.
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 ;) )
I think it's a great idea, but in context of "save copy". I think the problem with the current ui is that it's ambiguous and confusing. The functionality is not what is expected. The "save copy" menu item is, IMHO, both useful and not clutter.
JF