Alan Horkan wrote:
From other apps I used, the Export command always worked as a multi format exporter. Not just to one specific format. Current export dialog is great for its detailed settings (but lacks PNG format settings) but it differs from common Save/Open dialogs in gnome. I think that if Inkscape want to follow HID like other gnome apps the export commnad should first show a standard save dialog specifying the file name, extension/format and path. After hitting OK it should display a dialog where user could specify details which are tightly binded to the selected exporting format (eg. export text as curves for PDF, resolution for png and bitmaps generaly, etc) along with specifying document area of export like in current PNG export dialog. Like GIMP does that.
That is an immensely annoying way of doing this.
You are prompted to set the options EVERY TIME. There is no way you will want to change the options absolutely every time, you shouldn't even need to change the options half of the time.
I have seen applicatoins which have an Options button in the Save dialog which allows you to quickly get to the import/export section of preferences and change the settings, without needing to bother you with this information absolutely every time.
Yes I know but I'm not sure this is possible in the GTK Save dialog (I'm not a programmer) because every app based on GTK using the standard dialog is done this way. Look at GIMP. But if it could be done I propose to have a check box instead of a button. Like Corel Draw has it. This way is better also for people who need to always tweak export settings.
About the question of different functionality of Save as and Export.
The big distinction between Save and Export/Save a Copy is the former creates a document under the given name and continues to work on it, whereas the latter saves a copy under a new name (possiby a new format) but goes back to working on the existing document.
That's exactly what I wrote but in a broader manner ;) This is the way people distinguish these commands.