Discussion Inkscape

[Jim Hill]

I have been trying Inkscape and was wonder the pros and cons from others who are also using this software.

I realize the problem with using CMYK colors and have a work around for that for my Roland printer.
I was reading that the learning curve is steep but so far I find it a lot like Coreldraw.

I have been using X-8

Thanks Jim

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Pros are going to vary somewhat.

For instance, one of the 2 programming languages that I know(depending on who you talk to, some don't consider scripting languages, programming languages) is Python, so that means that what it doesn't do out of the box, if I can't find someone else that has done it already, I can usually muddle through it and come up with an extension that will fit my need. Now granted, you don't have to write one if you don't know Python, it's just that option is there. Typically one can find most anything already, either through Inkscape's website or on github/gitlab, maybe even sourceforge.

Also SVGs coming from Inkscape can store more information as Inkscape ignores XML markup that it doesn't understand. This comes in handy for plugin use. However, if one was to take the file generated with Inkscape with that extra information, bring it into Ai or DRAW and export a new SVG file, that information is then destroyed.

Cons. A big one, especially as it applies to printers is that Inkscape, due to use the SVG format, is that the program is really for webwork. How it uses fonts to the SVG format itself, is really best for webwork. Due to SVGs also being able to be open and edited via a text editor, it makes it ideal for for using in coding. Either linked via the object tag or directly embedded, it is very easy to manipulate it via JS/CSS(it works get for my in house Electron programs). There is a plugin that helps deal with the colors for printers or (and what I do) can use Scribus (alternative to InDesign) and use that before you go to printing.

Another con, which could be a big one depending on if you need this ability alot, is that file opening proprietary formats may be hit or miss. I haven't had an issue. Ai files, if it doesn't directly open/import etc, changing the extension to .pdf is a work around that I have found fills that works the rest of the time. That may be an issue if the original design of the file turns off pdf compatibility though. CDR files tend to not have any issue in my experience and only my experience. How complicated the files in either count, I would imagine would be a contributing factor as to the success of being able to open the other format or not.

As far as learning curve goes, the biggest drawback, in general, that would happen is the learning curve that one has going from one program to another. Things are in different locations or done in a slightly different way (I don't like how Inkscape does Text on Path compared to Ai for instance). That could give people the false sense that it may not do something, when it does do it, just in a way that they aren't used to.

 

[Jim Hill]

Thanks for posting your comments both pro and cons they are all very helpful.
I have always liked open source software for many reasons.

The shopping cart I use for my website is open source as is OpenOffice and many other things.
Thanks again for your help.

Jim

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have always liked open source software for many reasons.

I've almost become a zealot for it. I really like it. Of course, if certain companies had pushed some things, I probably wouldn't have switched full bore to open source, but I digress.

Unlike other programs that people think that they own the software, because they bought a perpetual license, with open source, one really does own the software and can do with it (especially for internal use) how they want.

But I better stop there, I don't want my annoying "zealotness" taking over the thread.

 

[Bobby H]

Here's a couple other observations on how Inkscape handles text. The application does support most of the extended features of OpenType. However, the implementation is very clunky (like much of the clunky Inkscape UI). Enhanced features can only be accessed in the Text and Font palette. There is no interactive preview; you have to hit the apply button to see any changes take effect. CorelDRAW was actually first to offer drop-down visual OTF options under pieces of highlighted, selected text or individual characters. Illustrator ended up copying that feature from CorelDRAW (to a more limited extent).

While Inkscape's OpenType implementation is a bit clunky, there is still a least an implementation of some kind there. Contrast that with virtually all dedicated sign industry-specific design programs, more expensive ones like Flexi, SignLab or GerberOmega and cheap ones like Vinyl Express LXi or Vinyl Master Pro. They're all still stuck back in the 1990's with their type handling, which is frankly pretty pathetic. If any kind of design niche needs access to advanced OTF features the freaking sign industry should be at the front of the line. We have three licenses of Flexi at my workplace. But none of them are installed on my work computer because it is a dedicated design-only workstation and Flexi is primarily used to drive sign-making hardware.

As far as I can tell Inkscape has no support for Variable Fonts. Maybe that will change in a future release since Google has a modest collection of Variable Fonts in its own fonts web site.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Enhanced features can only be accessed in the Text and Font palette.

Which features are you talking about specifically, because you should be able to also access them from the XML Editor, but if you think the Text/Font Palette is clunky, you probably won't like the XML Editor any more as it does require more from the user, but it is a pretty powerful feature.

Some text features are not going to be as good or even possible just because, again, the SVG format and it's limited to abilities of CSS.

I agree with the clunky UI, based on GTK and how that handles UI and UX (which is based of Gnome's sensibilities on the subject). I much prefer KDE/Plasma/Qt, but I digress.

To the OP: XML Editor is also another big pro with Inkscape versus the others, especially if dealing with web work (common theme here, the web and Inkscape). Unless it's changed with recent versions, Ai and DRAW do not have that same feature.

 

[Jim Hill]

What a world of knowledge from everyone and I appreciate your sharing your views on Ink Scape.
It is a great learning experience for me.

Thanks Jim

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Its really good for tracing. Pretty sure the latest version supports cmyk without any add ons. I also like that you can position nodes by x/y input.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Its really good for tracing. Pretty sure the latest version supports cmyk without any add ons.

I just double checked, .92 does in fact. Teach me for not opening that up and just using my palettes.


Oh that reminds me, to the OP, it's very simple to make your own custom palettes as well (I did this for the RGB values of all the embroidery thread colors/brands that I use).

 

[Jim Hill]

The version of Ink Scape I am using is 92.4 and I believe it does support cymk so that another great feature of the progam.

Jim

 

[Bobby H]

Which features are you talking about specifically, because you should be able to also access them from the XML Editor

Which features? All additional features which OpenType extends beyond the old 256 character limit from old Postscript Type 1 and TrueType fonts. The extended character set features will vary from one font to the next. Those features can include support for extra languages, including diacritic marks and characters with diacritics. Additional alphabets like Greek or Cyrillic can be included. The font may have a variety of ligatures, currency symbols, true small capitals, alternate characters, characters with swashes, ordinals, fraction characters, numerator and denominator digits to create any fraction, different number sets in tabular lining and proportional lining. And those are just features that come to mind, I'm sure there are plenty of others I'm not mentioning.

In CorelDRAW (X6 and later) just about any of those text options can be accessed in a drop down menu that can be accessed underneath a highlighted text object. The Text Properties palette has icons for most of those features.

I have no interest accessing those features via a XML editor. It's faster to an extreme to access OTF features via the methods that are available in the user interface within CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator.

By the way, there is another problem involving text I forgot to mention in my first response. Anyone who uses Adobe Creative Cloud will not see any fonts they sync from the Adobe Fonts service within Inkscape. Other applications, such as CorelDRAW, will "see" those synced fonts. I don't know why the fonts aren't visible within Inkscape.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have no interest accessing those features via a XML editor. It's faster to an extreme to access OTF features via the methods that are available in the user interface within CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator.

I figured that would be the response, or something along those lines. Regardless if you have a desire or not to access them outside of the palette, the fact is that there is another way to access them. Don't use it, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that there isn't another way to access them beyond the font palette.

As to the speed of it all, that's actually debatable. The biggest point is knowledge base of the user and the comfort zone of the user(usually both of those are tied together).

New stuff is always going to be slower as well until one gets the hang of it.

It's a very powerful feature, one that doesn't exist (at least up until the versions that I have) in Ai and DRAW(for actually obvious reasons). Have to remember that XML Editor gives all access to the individual file itself. Anything that Inkscape can't do directly via GUI, more likely then not, can be handled there. And this is where info from plugins is also stored to be retrieved later as Inkscape doesn't destroy markup that it doesn't recognize (unlike Ai and DRAW).

As to the GUI features, they are limited to what was available to CSS (again, web centric format) at the time that they froze major features. Could see about getting 1.0 Beta (if you haven't already) and see what they have in there, if it has changed. I have a copy of it, just use .92 far more as 1.0 is Beta.

By the way, there is another problem involving text I forgot to mention in my first response. Anyone who uses Adobe Creative Cloud will not see any fonts they sync from the Adobe Fonts service within Inkscape. Other applications, such as CorelDRAW, will "see" those synced fonts. I don't know why the fonts aren't visible within Inkscape.

Interesting thing about the XML Editor, even if there is a font substitution that goes on. It still shows the original font family in the editor itself. Now it doesn't show the font on the canvas itself as the legitimate font. You'll see it in the PDF preview on import (although there is no warning about font substitution going to happen, just an option to tick if you want substitution to happen when it is necessary), but it won't bring it in on the canvas after import. But Inkscape should be able to "see" the font.

Now, with it not being able to bring it to the canvas even with PDF compatibility (which I always have to on, never really changed the default), I would say is a limitation of the software.

I used Comic Sans (I thought all y'all would like that) in an Ai file in my Windows VM. Inkscape on Linux was used to open it up(I used a font that I know wouldn't be on my Linux box) and as you can tell, the text that appears on the canvas is not the font family name listed in the XML editor (I have the cursor in the screen shot over the appropriate area). Now, I don't know if that will work on the CC specific fonts as I don't have Adobe CC to try that out.

The XML Editor is a powerful feature. Use it or don't, that's up to you.


Of course, could always see about copying the file. Renaming the copy as whateverFilename.txt and then opening it up in a text editor and search for Font and should be able to see that info just as well, but a little longer of a process.

 

[Bobby H]

I figured that would be the response, or something along those lines.

And I figured you would be at the ready to second-guess any response from me within minutes after I post it.

Regardless if you have a desire or not to access them outside of the palette, the fact is that there is another way to access them. Don't use it, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that there isn't another way to access them beyond the font palette.

I never said there wasn't another way. There's just one way that's far faster, more simple and direct: clicking a text option in a drop down menu underneath the selected/high-lighted text object or clicking a button on a text palette. Just one or two clicks and you're done. Writing out code in XML sure doesn't sound like it's going to be any faster than that. And there's no need or purpose for me taking such a route in sign design work, not when the text tools are right there in CorelDRAW and Illustrator to get the desired result directly.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I never said there wasn't another way.

Uhhhmmmm:

Here's a couple other observations on how Inkscape handles text. The application does support most of the extended features of OpenType. However, the implementation is very clunky (like much of the clunky Inkscape UI). Enhanced features can only be accessed in the Text and Font palette.

That's how it reads to me with regard to what's in bold.

Unless I'm wrong with what "can only" means. Which is possible, wouldn't be the first time that I was wrong.

Writing out code in XML sure doesn't sound like it's going to be any faster than that.

You don't have to write out XML code. Select object, change attribute that you want to change in the editor and click set.

And to top it off, one can select the object in the canvas and it will automatically be selected in the Editor. So it's not like you have to open up an SVG file in Atom, TextEdit, Notepad or whatever and through guesswork be able to change what you want to change.

 

[Jim Hill]

I have been trying out and using Inkscape for the past few weeks and so far I really like it.
I had thought the learning curve would be hard but I find it is easy and in many way's very similar to Coreldraw.

Jim

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I thought you might be interested in this.

A lot of neat new features (I have an AppImage of the RC, but really haven't played with it too much, although I do have a personal project for the weekend, I may play around with it then).

 

[Jim Hill]

I thought you might be interested in this.

A lot of neat new features (I have an AppImage of the RC, but really haven't played with it too much, although I do have a personal project for the weekend, I may play around with it then).

Thanks Wild West for the information on a New Version of Inkscape.

So far I am very impressed with this graphics program and I have always liked using open source products.

Thanks Jim

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have always liked using open source products.

I think that there is a roadblock that a lot of people have and that is "you get what you pay for", so if one doesn't pay anything for it, how good is it really?

The irony here is that open source doesn't in of itself mean free as in no cost (ardour, armour paint, armory3D, rhel, all cost for the latest, ready to run binaries, what those for free have to compile from source (or run on Linux for ardour, but typically not the absolute latest version, unless using a rolling release distro)). That's not the freedom that comes with it. It's disheartening to see that the freedom that it allows for is lost, but oh well, what can one do?

Most everything that I use on a daily basis is open source, with one exception, Substance Painter (which ArmorPaint is an alternative for, paid open source alternative), but since Adobe bought that company, I have to wonder how much longer it will have an AppImage (distro agnostic, portable binary, no installation, just run the file and do your work, don't want it anymore just delete it from the system) for Linux users.