Hi,
After my last talk with Joshua about updating the manual for the .47 release, I came across the pending release notes for .47. Using these I made a list of updates or modifications that should be made to existing or new chapters so the manual will line up with version .47. So I would like a review and some recommendations made and then may be we could get the list made into a to-do list on the FM inkscape page. The list that I made was created from the material in the release notes for .47 not from comparing .46 to .47 and I have noticed that some of the features mentioned in the release notes are not present in my devel version. whether these are still to be added or dropped I don't know.
I have pasted the list below.
Cheers, John
Some Ideas For a to-do list
Sections
Introduction Working With Files Add: Auto-save Modify: Clipboard is system wide, PS/PDF EPS Import/export Interface Update info on toolbars. (new toolbar, toolbars are resizeable...etc) Hovering over swatch shows name of swatch.
Toolbox NodeTool Add improvements – Especially Auto Node Node tool able to edit clipping Paths/Masks without releasing(maybe add to multiple object ops section) Tweak Tool Add New Modes to Tweak tool Chapter Add Mode Modifications to Tweak tool Chapter Calligraphy Tool Add: Modifications Eraser Tool Complete Chapter and Add to Section – Done Review Chapter Pen Tool Add: 3 new modes, note on vector brushes Pencil Tool Add: note on vector brushes, Pencil sketch mode. Modify: Smoothing parameters. Text Tool modify: PageUp/PageDown Dropper Tool modify: ToolControlBar for Dropper tool. Toolbar operations need to be updated for several tools.
Paths Boolean Path Operations This chapter needs to be translated to English and finished Add: Combine now works on groups.
Text Add to Section: Spell Checker, Converting text to paths (in Text and Paths Chapter?), SVG Fonts? (don't know if this would have high enough use to add)
Multiple Object Operations Clip and Mask Add: can edit nodes without releasing paths Copy, Clone, and Duplicate Add: command for re-linking clones, auto re-linking with duplicate, clone/original visualisation.
Positioning Objects Grids Guides and Snapping Needs to be translated and added to Positioning Objects section Add: Snapping (including toolbar) modify: grid information, Guides (rotating) Align & Distribute Modify: ability to treat objects as a group without having to 'Group' them Add: something about the space out option used in the transform diagram.
Organising Objects Layers Chapter needs updating.
Styling Objects Stroke Style Add: Gesture based stroke width adjustment Fill and Stroke Add: Patter Editing mods (don't know if this would have high enough use to add)
Live Path Effects With all the improvements made to this aspect of Inkscape it might be a good idea to review the whole section Introduction Add: Paste Path Effect/Remove Path Effect, Effects can be added to the sides of a 3D box, Pen/Pencil tools work correctly with paths that have had and LPE added, Path type parameters can link to existing shapes and Text, LPE can be assigned to Groups, LPE stacking Pattern along path Add improvements including Text as input. Add Chapters For some of the new effects. e.g. Sketch, Hatches, von Koch, Knot, Perspective Paths, Spiro Splines, Envelope and lattice deformations...etc
SVG Filters Maybe talk about new and improved extension in this section. e.g. Arrange>Restack, Modify Path>Add nodes, Printing>Add Printing Marks, Render>3D Polyhedron, Render>Alphabet soup...etc (Because there are so many, I would recommend adding them all under one chapter rather than as individual chapters.) Introduction Note Changes around filters (e.g. filter editor was filter effects) Location and development of “Filters” top level menu. The “no filter” display mode
Advanced Input Devices/Device Configuration?? Updates to the inkscape preferences dialogue?? Colour Management add: doc props dialogue
General notes and Topics I'm not sure where to add. Review all chapters for references to the effects/Extensions menu Linked bitmaps update – where to add – should there be a working with bitmaps section, which could include the tracing bitmaps chapter. Object Properties now include Title/Description/Interactivity attributes. - where to add? Note around exporting of blured objects – which should now include all of the blur and not accidentally cut it off. (under working with files or filters??)