July 2009 - Inkscape Users - Inkscape Mailman

Inkscape and 2D Vector animation via Python.
by Donn 10 Jul '09

10 Jul '09

Hi, Apropos to nothing much, here is some info about a Python 2D animation API I recently released: It's called "Things" and uses Inkscape as an "extended IDE" for drawing the frames and graphics that you then animate with the API. It uses python-cairo and rsvg and a bit of xml (urgh) under the hood, but you only have to deal with simple things like tweens and frames and properties to do the animations. The animations can be played in a window or exported frame by frame out to png or svg files. This lets you create Ajax throbbers and animated images by taking those files into some other process like imagemagick. You could also import the files into other software; like Blender or video apps. With Things you can: 1. Contain Things in other Things. Example: a bird flying -- the wings moving on a tween would be inside the Bird Thing which would in-turn be tweening along a path across the screen. 2. Follow paths. 3. Clip Things to any path. 4. Animate size, position, alpha, rotation and tint. 5. Detect the mouse -- buttons, drag/drop etc. 6. Display frames from 'loops' which you draw (each frame of) in Inkscape. 7. Draw any graphics that python-cairo is capable of. Including pango text, gradients, paths, images, etc. So, the idea is to use Inkscape for the visual design and Things for the animation thereof. Once this is done, you could distribute your "thingum" script, or use the export feature to take the animation to other places. If you visit the links in my sig, you will find the code, help for the API and a PDF tutorial. It's been written on *buntu GNU/Linux and it's probably best to try it on same. There are a few dependencies, but nothing you can't apt-get. The script will (I hope) help you locate what you need -- just run one of the demo "thingums". It's early days, and there will be bugs, but it's quite nice to see it actually working. Enjoy! And forgive all bugs, I am not much of a coder ;) \d -- 2D vector animation : http://otherwise.relics.co.za/wiki/Software/Things/ https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/things/ Font manager : https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/fontypython/

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Re: [Inkscape-user] Python API
by Aaron Spike 09 Jul '09

09 Jul '09

I think the following email came directly to me but was intended for the list. I invite everyone who is interested in this to also look at the recent thread by Soren on the dev list. Aaron Spike Maarten van der Velde wrote: > Inkscape users, > > In response to Aarons' request, I´ve set up a page in the Inkscape WIKI that > outlines my request. > > http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/QuickDrawingAPI > > This page is meant as a proposal and a discussion platform for outlining a > "quick drawing API" in Python. The purpose of this page is to summarize the > needs of end-users ("designers") for a collection of Python-functions to > assist in the quick drawing and manipulation of graphical objects on the > canvas. > > This API should help everyday-users to quickly write a script to assist in > the drawing of your works of art. :) > > I´d like to encourage everybody to join the discussion and make changes if > needed in this page. > > Thanks! > > Maarten > > > > On 7/3/09 1:21 PM, "Aaron Spike" <aaron@...476...> wrote: > >> Maarten van der Velde wrote: >>> I hope you don't mind me sending you a personal message. I thought it might >>> get too irrelevant for the email. If it isn't, we can post this message as >>> well. >>> >>> Why would designing the API hold people back? As I understand, it kind of >>> involves listing the functions and the classes that would be usefull, >>> together with the arguments they need, am I right. Can I do this without any >>> real training as a programmer? >> Well, I guess we're equals then, if you have no real training as a >> programmer. :-) >> >> Designing a good API is indeed hard. But if you post it on the wiki and >> ask for feedback, others can comment on good or bad points. >> >> I think desire and need are getting in the way. People who are good >> programmers, probably understand the XML handling or easily learn it. So >> those people most qualified to design an API don't want to because they >> don't need to. Even if the API would make things more convenient it >> isn't a life or death grade need. >> >> You can ask for an API. People do ask. I'm sure I can dig up feature >> requests. But if no one goes through the trouble to specify exactly what >> they want in more detail then the developers can't know what is desired >> or needed. Who would want to take time to code something they don't >> personally need or want if there is a pretty large chance it isn't what >> other people want either. :-) >> >> Without specifying the API its hard to know where your wants sit on the >> continuum between simple and reimplementing all of Inkscape in python in >> order to support all of the SVG spec. If you want simple that's great! >> Its probably doable. But as you get nearer to implementing all of SVG, >> as I said in my last email, I will want to hold out for live access to >> the Inkscape internals. Inkscape has already implemented Inkscape! It >> was an immense task that I wouldn't want to attempt again on my own. >> >> Hope that better explains my thoughts. >> >> Aaron Spike > > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Maarten van der Velde > graphic designer > > Powel ASA Klæbuveien 194, NO-7037 Trondheim, NORWAY > Phone: +47 73 80 45 00 - Fax: +47 73 80 45 01 > Direct line: +47 73 80 46 21 - Mobile: +47 48 16 46 21 / +31 (0) 6 30 80 > 95 91 > Email: Maarten.van-der-Velde@...2171... > http://www.powel.com/ > > > > ********************************************************************** > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they > are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify > the system manager. > > This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by > MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. > > www.powel.no > ********************************************************************** > >

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Guides - locking and setting color
by JimmyVolatile 08 Jul '09

08 Jul '09

Hi, all. I have trouble finding info on the following: 1. How can I temporarily lock all guides? Is it possible at all? (I keep unintentionally selecting and dragging the guides when I really want to move some of the design elements around.) 2. Is it possible to change the guidelines color? Again, I keep mistaking some of the guides for my design element outlines, which incidentally are both black. Any help will be greatly appreciated. For now, I'll simply stick with showing/hiding the guides whenever needed. Luckily there's a shortcut so it's quite fast. Kind regs, Jimmy Volatile

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0.47 - Testing, Promoting, Sharing, Contributing!
by Donna Benjamin 03 Jul '09

03 Jul '09

Hey Everyone! http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/UserStories047 Another Pre-release candidate will be available for testing pretty soon... and efforts are being made to make binaries available for a few different systems. So, as we get closer to release for 0.47 it's even more important to get more stories out there about how people are using Inkscape! Please take a moment to go to the wiki page http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/UserStories047 And give us your story about how and why you use Inkscape - so we can spice up the Media Announcement about the upcoming release! And finally - If you like to help out by making tutorials, and improving documentation, see if you can get new stuff together that focusses on new features and improvements. Take a look over the release notes if you need a refresher! http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/0.47 cheers Donna -- Donna Benjamin - kattekrab.net Inkscape: Open Source Scalable Vector Graphics 0.47 is coming... http://www.inkscape.org

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Inkscape 0.47pre1
by Ted Gould 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Sorry to be terse, but I'm running late... here is the 0.47pre1 distribution. Lots of great fixes, please test and ensure we have a truly great release! == Download == https://sourceforge.net/projects/inkscape/files/ (Not there yet, I'm guessing a caching issue on SF's side... I'll be on a plane, but someone e-mail the list if they don't show up in a little while.) == MD5 Sums == f79696d4e8350f8de0d2558865f3009a inkscape-0.47pre1.tar.bz2 8ef7d31a015260f1123688c234661721 inkscape-0.47pre1.tar.bz2.asc 5bb2e12c2c269aeb6e416e8e3ffada76 inkscape-0.47pre1.tar.gz 50d7d3c63e7377fadb3203b0980bc34e inkscape-0.47pre1.tar.gz.asc 2a2f242fcdd3e9e9f41fc7610f55690b inkscape-0.47pre1.zip b5fc9864e25af0ea9032c8c7940be830 inkscape-0.47pre1.zip.asc Hopefully binaries will start appearing shortly. Cheers, Ted

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Inkscape on FLOSS Weekly
by Jon A. Cruz 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

I just realized we should probably mention that Ted and I are being interviewed today on FLOSS Weekly in regards to Inkscape. http://twit.tv/floss It will be streamed live today at 1:30pm on http://live.twit.tv/ but then will go out on the FLOSS Weekly podcast. That usually goes up around the weekend. Hopefully we can bring a bit of attention for Inkscape, the new release, and just possibly interest a few more users to come in and help with final 0.47 testing and bug fixing.

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