=encoding UTF-8
=head1 NAME
Inkscape - an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) editing program.
=head1 SYNOPSIS
C<inkscape [options] [filename ...]>
options:
-?, --help
--usage
-V, --version
-f, --file=FILENAME
-e, --export-png=FILENAME
-a, --export-area=x0:y0:x1:y1
-C, --export-area-page
-D, --export-area-drawing
--export-area-snap
-i, --export-id=ID
-j, --export-id-only
-t, --export-use-hints
-b, --export-background=COLOR
-y, --export-background-opacity=VALUE
-d, --export-dpi=DPI
-w, --export-width=WIDTH
-h, --export-height=HEIGHT
-P, --export-ps=FILENAME
-E, --export-eps=FILENAME
-A, --export-pdf=FILENAME
--export-pdf-version=VERSION-STRING
--export-latex
--export-ps-level {2,3}
-T, --export-text-to-path
--export-ignore-filters
-l, --export-plain-svg=FILENAME
-p, --print=PRINTER
-I, --query-id=ID
-X, --query-x
-Y, --query-y
-W, --query-width
-H, --query-height
-S, --query-all
-x, --extension-directory
--verb-list
--verb=VERB-ID
--select=OBJECT-ID
--shell
-g, --with-gui
-z, --without-gui
--vacuum-defs
--g-fatal-warnings
=head1 DESCRIPTION
B<Inkscape> is a GUI editor for B<Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)> format
drawing files, with capabilities similar to B<Adobe Illustrator>,
B<CorelDraw>, B<Xara Xtreme>, etc. Inkscape features include versatile
shapes, bezier paths, freehand drawing, multi-line text, text on path,
alpha blending, arbitrary affine transforms, gradient and pattern fills,
node editing, many export and import formats including PNG and PDF,
grouping, layers, live clones, and a lot more. The interface is
designed to be comfortable and efficient for skilled users, while
remaining conformant to B<GNOME> standards so that users familiar with
other GNOME applications can learn its interface rapidly.
B<SVG> is a W3C standard XML format for 2D vector drawing. It allows
defining objects in the drawing using points, paths, and primitive
shapes. Colors, fonts, stroke width, and so forth are specified as
`style' attributes to these objects. The intent is that since SVG is a
standard, and since its files are text/xml, it will be possible to use
SVG files in a sizeable number of programs and for a wide range of uses.
B<Inkscape> uses SVG as its native document format, and has the goal of
becoming the most fully compliant drawing program for SVG files
available in the Open Source community.
=head1 OPTIONS
=over 8
=item B<-?>, B<--help>
Show help message
=item B<-V>, B<--version>
Show Inkscape version and build date.
=item B<-a> I<x0:y0:x1:y1>, B<--export-area>=I<x0:y0:x1:y1>
In PNG export, set the exported area in SVG user units (anonymous length
units normally used in Inkscape SVG). The default is to export the
entire document page. The point (0,0) is the lower-left corner.
=item B<-C>, B<--export-area-page>
In PNG, PDF, PS, and EPS export, exported area is the page. This is the
default for PNG, PDF, and PS, so you don't need to specify this unless
you are using L<--export-id> to export a specific object. In EPS, however,
this is not the default; moreover, for EPS, the specification of the
format does not allow its bounding box to extend beyond its content.
This means that when L<--export-area-page> is used with EPS export, the
page bounding box will be trimmed inwards to the bounding box of the
content if it is smaller.
=item B<-D>, B<--export-area-drawing>
In PNG, PDF, PS, and EPS export, exported area is the drawing (not
page), i.e. the bounding box of all objects of the document (or of the
exported object if L<--export-id> is used). With this option, the exported
image will display all the visible objects of the document without
margins or cropping. This is the default export area for EPS. For PNG,
it can be used in combination with L<--export-use-hints>.
=item B<--export-area-snap>
For PNG export, snap the export area outwards to the nearest integer SVG
user unit (px) values. If you are using the default export resolution of
96 dpi and your graphics are pixel-snapped to minimize antialiasing,
this switch allows you to preserve this alignment even if you are
exporting some object's bounding box (with L<--export-id>
or L<--export-area-drawing>) which is itself not pixel-aligned.
=item B<-b> I<COLOR>, B<--export-background>=I<COLOR>
Background color of exported PNG. This may be any SVG supported color
string, for example "#ff007f" or "rgb(255, 0, 128)". If not set, then
the page color set in Inkscape in the Document Options dialog will be
used (stored in the pagecolor= attribute of sodipodi:namedview).
=item B<-d> I<DPI>, B<--export-dpi>=I<DPI>
The resolution used for PNG export. It is also used for fallback
rasterization of filtered objects when exporting to PS, EPS, or PDF
(unless you specify L<--export-ignore-filters> to suppress
rasterization). The default is 96 dpi, which corresponds to 1 SVG user
unit (px, also called "user unit") exporting to 1 bitmap pixel. This
value overrides the DPI hint if used with L<--export-use-hints>.
=item B<-e> I<FILENAME>, B<--export-png>=I<FILENAME>
Specify the filename for PNG export. If it already exists, the file
will be overwritten without asking.
=item B<-f> I<FILENAME>, B<--file>=I<FILENAME>
Open specified document(s). Option string may be omitted, i.e. you can
list the filenames without -f.
=item B<-g>, B<--with-gui>
Try to use the GUI (on Unix, use the X server even if $DISPLAY is not
set).
=item B<-h> I<HEIGHT>, B<--export-height>=I<HEIGHT>
The height of generated bitmap in pixels. This value overrides the
L<--export-dpi> setting (or the DPI hint if used with L<--export-use-hints>).
=item B<-i> I<ID>, B<--export-id>=I<ID>
For PNG, PS, EPS, PDF and plain SVG export, the id attribute value of
the object that you want to export from the document; all other objects
are not exported. By default the exported area is the bounding box of
the object; you can override this using L<--export-area> (PNG only)
or L<--export-area-page>.
=item B<-j>, B<--export-id-only>
For PNG and plain SVG, only export the object whose id is given in
L<--export-id>. All other objects are hidden and won't show in export
even if they overlay the exported object. Without L<--export-id>, this
option is ignored. For PDF export, this is the default, so this option
has no effect.
=item B<-l>, B<--export-plain-svg>=I<FILENAME>
Export document(s) to plain SVG format, without sodipodi: or inkscape:
namespaces and without RDF metadata.
=item B<-x>, B<--extension-directory>
Lists the current extension directory that Inkscape is configured to use
and then exits. This is used for external extension to use the same
configuration as the original Inkscape installation.
=item B<--verb-list>
Lists all the verbs that are available in Inkscape by ID. This ID can
be used in defining keymaps or menus. It can also be used with
the L<--verb> command line option.
=item B<--verb>=I<VERB-ID>, B<--select>=I<OBJECT-ID>
These two options work together to provide some basic scripting for
Inkscape from the command line. They both can occur as many times as
needed on the command line and are executed in order on every document
that is specified.
The L<--verb> command will execute a specific verb as if it was called from
a menu or button. Dialogs will appear if that is part of the verb. To
get a list of the verb IDs available, use the L<--verb-list> command line
option.
The L<--select> command will cause objects that have the ID specified to be
selected. This allows various verbs to act upon them. To remove all
the selections use C<--verb=EditDeselect>. The object IDs available are
dependent on the document specified to load.
=item B<-p> I<PRINTER>, B<--print>=I<PRINTER>
Print document(s) to the specified printer using `lpr -P PRINTER'.
Alternatively, use `| COMMAND' to specify a different command to pipe
to, or use `> FILENAME' to write the PostScript output to a file instead
of printing. Remember to do appropriate quoting for your shell, e.g.
=item B<-t>, B<--export-use-hints>
Use export filename and DPI hints stored in the exported object (only
with L<--export-id>). These hints are set automatically when you export
selection from within Inkscape. So, for example, if you export a shape
with id="path231" as /home/me/shape.png at 300 dpi from document.svg
using Inkscape GUI, and save the document, then later you will be able
to reexport that shape to the same file with the same resolution simply
with
inkscape -i path231 -t document.svg
If you use L<--export-dpi>, L<--export-width>, or L<--export-height>
with this option, then the DPI hint will be ignored and the value from
the command line will be used. If you use L<--export-png> with this
option, then the filename hint will be ignored and the filename from the
command line will be used.
=item B<-w> I<WIDTH>, B<--export-width>=I<WIDTH>
The width of generated bitmap in pixels. This value overrides
the --export-dpi setting (or the DPI hint if used
with --export-use-hints).
=item B<-y> I<VALUE>, B<--export-background-opacity>=I<VALUE>
Opacity of the background of exported PNG. This may be a value either
between 0.0 and 1.0 (0.0 meaning full transparency, 1.0 full opacity) or
greater than 1 up to 255 (255 meaning full opacity). If not set and
the -b option is not used, then the page opacity set in Inkscape in the
Document Options dialog will be used (stored in the
inkscape:pageopacity= attribute of sodipodi:namedview). If not set but
the -b option is used, then the value of 255 (full opacity) will be
used.
=item B<-P> I<FILENAME>, B<--export-ps>=I<FILENAME>
Export document(s) to PostScript format. Note that PostScript does not
support transparency, so any transparent objects in the original SVG
will be automatically rasterized. Used fonts are subset and
embedded. The default export area is page; you can set it to drawing by
L<--export-area-drawing>. You can specify L<--export-id> to export a
single object (all other are hidden); in that case export area is that
object's bounding box, but can be set to page by L<--export-area-page>.
=item B<-E> I<FILENAME>, B<--export-eps>=I<FILENAME>
Export document(s) to Encapsulated PostScript format. Note that
PostScript does not support transparency, so any transparent objects in
the original SVG will be automatically rasterized. Used fonts are subset
and embedded. The default export area is drawing; you can set it to
page, however see L<--export-area-page> for applicable limitation. You
can specify L<--export-id> to export a single object (all other are
hidden).
=item B<-A> I<FILENAME>, B<--export-pdf>=I<FILENAME>
Export document(s) to PDF format. This format preserves the transparency
in the original SVG. Used fonts are subset and embedded. The default
export area is page; you can set it to drawing by
L<--export-area-drawing>. You can specify L<--export-id> to export a
single object (all other are hidden); in that case export area is that
object's bounding box, but can be set to page by L<--export-area-page>.
=item B<--export-pdf-version>=I<PDF-VERSION>
Select the PDF version of the exported PDF file. This option basically
exposes the PDF version selector found in the PDF-export dialog of the
GUI. You must provide one of the versions from that combo-box,
e.g. "1.4". The default pdf export version is "1.4".
=item B<--export-latex>
(for PS, EPS, and PDF export) Used for creating images for LaTeX
documents, where the image's text is typeset by LaTeX. When exporting
to PDF/PS/EPS format, this option splits the output into a PDF/PS/EPS
file (e.g. as specified by --export-pdf) and a LaTeX file. Text will not
be output in the PDF/PS/EPS file, but instead will appear in the LaTeX
file. This LaTeX file includes the PDF/PS/EPS. Inputting
(\input{image.tex}) the LaTeX file in your LaTeX document will show the
image and all text will be typeset by LaTeX. See the resulting LaTeX
file for more information. Also see GNUPlot's `epslatex' output
terminal.
=item B<-T>, B<--export-text-to-path>
Convert text objects to paths on export, where applicable (for PS, EPS,
PDF and SVG export).
=item B<--export-ignore-filters>
Export filtered objects (e.g. those with blur) as vectors, ignoring the
filters (for PS, EPS, and PDF export). By default, all filtered objects
are rasterized at L<--export-dpi> (default 96 dpi), preserving the
appearance.
=item B<-I>, B<--query-id>
Set the ID of the object whose dimensions are queried. If not set, query
options will return the dimensions of the drawing (i.e. all document
objects), not the page or viewbox
=item B<-X>, B<--query-x>
Query the X coordinate of the drawing or, if specified, of the object
with L<--query-id>. The returned value is in px (SVG user units).
=item B<-Y>, B<--query-y>
Query the Y coordinate of the drawing or, if specified, of the object
with L<--query-id>. The returned value is in px (SVG user units).
=item B<-W>, B<--query-width>
Query the width of the drawing or, if specified, of the object with
L<--query-id>. The returned value is in px (SVG user units).
=item B<-H>, B<--query-height>
Query the height of the drawing or, if specified, of the object
with L<--query-id>. The returned value is in px (SVG user units).
=item B<-S>, B<--query-all>
Prints a comma delimited listing of all objects in the SVG document with
IDs defined, along with their x, y, width, and height values.
=item B<--shell>
With this parameter, Inkscape will enter an interactive command line
shell mode. In this mode, you type in commands at the prompt and
Inkscape executes them, without you having to run a new copy of Inkscape
for each command. This feature is mostly useful for scripting and server
uses: it adds no new capabilities but allows you to improve the speed
and memory requirements of any script that repeatedly calls Inkscape to
perform command line tasks (such as export or conversions). Each command
in shell mode must be a complete valid Inkscape command line but without
the Inkscape program name, for example:
=item B<--vacuum-defs>
Remove all unused items from the <lt>defs<gt> section of the SVG file.
If this option is invoked in conjunction with L<--export-plain-svg>,
only the exported file will be affected. If it is used alone, the
specified file will be modified in place.
=item B<-z>, B<--without-gui>
Do not open the GUI (on Unix, do not use X server); only process the
files from console. This is assumed for -p, -e, -l, and --vacuum-defs
options.
=item B<--g-fatal-warnings>
This standard GTK option forces any warnings, usually harmless, to cause
Inkscape to abort (useful for debugging).
=item B<--usage>
Display a brief usage message.
=back
=head1 CONFIGURATION
The main configuration file is located in
~/.config/inkscape/preferences.xml; it stores a variety of customization
settings that you can change in Inkscape (mostly in the Inkscape
Preferences dialog). Also in the subdirectories there, you can place
your own:
B<$HOME>/.config/inkscape/extensions/ - extension effects.
B<$HOME>/.config/inkscape/icons/ - icons.
B<$HOME>/.config/inkscape/keys/ - keyboard maps.
B<$HOME>/.config/inkscape/templates/ - new file templates.
=head1 DIAGNOSTICS
The program returns zero on success or non-zero on failure.
A variety of error messages and warnings may be printed to STDERR or
STDOUT. If the program behaves erratically with a particular SVG file
or crashes, it is useful to look at this output for clues.
=head1 EXAMPLES
While obviously B<Inkscape> is primarily intended as a GUI application,
it can be used for doing SVG processing on the command line as well.
Open an SVG file in the GUI:
inkscape filename.svg
Print an SVG file from the command line:
inkscape filename.svg -p '| lpr'
Export an SVG file into PNG with the default resolution of 96 dpi (one
SVG user unit translates to one bitmap pixel):
inkscape filename.svg --export-png=filename.png
Same, but force the PNG file to be 600x400 pixels:
inkscape filename.svg --export-png=filename.png -w600 -h400
Same, but export the drawing (bounding box of all objects), not the
page:
inkscape filename.svg --export-png=filename.png --export-area-drawing
Export to PNG the object with id="text1555", using the output filename
and the resolution that were used for that object last time when it was
exported from the GUI:
inkscape filename.svg --export-id=text1555 --export-use-hints
Same, but use the default 96 dpi resolution, specify the filename, and
snap the exported area outwards to the nearest whole SVG user unit
values (to preserve pixel-alignment of objects and thus minimize
aliasing):
inkscape filename.svg --export-id=text1555 --export-png=text.png --export-area-snap
Convert an Inkscape SVG document to plain SVG:
inkscape filename1.svg --export-plain-svg=filename2.svg
Convert an SVG document to EPS, converting all texts to paths:
inkscape filename.svg --export-eps=filename.eps --export-text-to-path
Query the width of the object with id="text1555":
inkscape filename.svg --query-width --query-id text1555
Duplicate the object with id="path1555", rotate the duplicate 90
degrees, save SVG, and quit:
inkscape filename.svg --select=path1555 --verb=EditDuplicate --verb=ObjectRotate90 --verb=FileSave --verb=FileClose
=head1 ENVIRONMENT
B<DISPLAY> to get the default host and display number.
B<TMPDIR> to set the default path of the directory to use for temporary
files. The directory must exist.
B<INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR> to set the path of the directory to use for the
user profile.
=head1 THEMES
To load different icons sets instead of the default
B<${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${SHARE_INSTALL}>/inkscape/icons/icons.svg file, the directory
B<$HOME>/.config/inkscape/icons/ is used. Icons are loaded by name
the icon is not loaded from either of those locations, it falls back to
the default system location.
The needed icons are loaded from SVG files by searching for the SVG id
with the matching icon name. (For example, to load the "fill_none" icon
from a file, the bounding box seen for SVG id "fill_none" is rendered as
the icon, whether it comes from I<fill_none.svg> or I<icons.svg>.)
=head1 OTHER INFO
The canonical place to find B<Inkscape> info is at
L<http://www.inkscape.org/>. The website has news, documentation,
tutorials, examples, mailing list archives, the latest released version
of the program, bugs and feature requests databases, forums, and more.
=head1 SEE ALSO
L<potrace>, L<cairo>, L<rsvg>, L<batik>, L<ghostscript>, L<pstoedit>.
SVG compliance test suite:
SVG validator:
I<Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 Specification>
I<W3C Recommendation 14 January 2003>
I<Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.2 Specification>
I<W3C Working Draft 13 November 2003>
I<SVG 1.1/1.2/2.0 Requirements>
I<W3C Working Draft 22 April 2002>
I<Document Object Model (DOM): Level 2 Core>
I<Arnaud Le Hors et al editors, W3C>
=head1 GUI NOTES
To learn Inkscape's GUI operation, read the tutorials in Help > Tutorials.
Apart from SVG, Inkscape can import (File > Import) most bitmap formats
(PNG, BMP, JPG, XPM, GIF, etc.), plain text (requires Perl), PS and EPS
(requires Ghostscript), PDF and AI format (AI version 9.0 or newer).
Inkscape exports 32-bit PNG images (File > Export PNG Image) as well as
AI, PS, EPS, PDF, DXF, and several other formats via File > Save as.
Inkscape can use the pressure and tilt of a graphic tablet pen for
width, angle, and force of action of several tools, including the
Calligraphic pen.
Inkscape includes a GUI front-end to the Potrace bitmap tracing engine
(L<http://potrace.sf.net>) which is embedded into Inkscape.
Inkscape can use external scripts (stdin-to-stdout filters) that are
represented by commands in the Extensions menu. A script can have a GUI
dialog for setting various parameters and can get the IDs of the
selected objects on which to act via the command line. Inkscape comes
with an assortment of effects written in Python.
=head1 KEYBINDINGS
To get a complete list of keyboard and mouse shortcuts, view
doc/keys.html, or use the Keys and Mouse command in Help menu.
=head1 BUGS
Many bugs are known; please refer to the website
(L<http://www.inkscape.org>) for reviewing the reported ones and to
report newly found issues. See also the Known Issues section in the
Release Notes for your version (file `NEWS').
=head1 AUTHORS
This codebase owes its existence to a large number of contributors
throughout its various incarnations. The following list is certainly
incomplete, but serves to recognize the many shoulders on which this
application sits:
${INKSCAPE_AUTHORS}
This man page was put together by Bryce Harrington
E<lt>bryce@bryceharrington.orgE<gt>.
=head1 HISTORY
The codebase that would become Inkscape began life in 1999 as the
program Gill, the GNOME Illustrator application, created by Raph Levien.
The stated objective for Gill was to eventually support all of SVG.
Raph implemented the PostScript bezier imaging model, including stroking
and filling, line cap style, line join style, text, etc. Raph's Gill
page is at L<http://www.levien.com/svg/>. Work on Gill appears to have
slowed or ceased in 2000.
The next incarnation of the codebase was to become the highly popular
program Sodipodi, led by Lauris Kaplinski. The codebase was turned into
a powerful illustration program over the course of several year's work,
adding several new features, multi-lingual support, porting to Windows
and other operating systems, and eliminating dependencies.
Inkscape was formed in 2003 by four active Sodipodi developers, Bryce
Harrington, MenTaLguY, Nathan Hurst, and Ted Gould, wanting to take a
different direction with the codebase in terms of focus on SVG
compliance, interface look-and-feel, and a desire to open development
opportunities to more participants. The project progressed rapidly,
gaining a number of very active contributors and features.
Much work in the early days of the project focused on code stabilization
and internationalization. The original renderer inherited from Sodipodi
was laced with a number of mathematical corner cases which led to
unexpected crashes when the program was pushed beyond routine uses; this
renderer was replaced with Livarot which, while not perfect either, was
significantly less error prone. The project also adopted a practice of
committing code frequently, and encouraging users to run developmental
snapshots of the program; this helped identify new bugs swiftly, and
ensure it was easy for users to verify the fixes. As a result, Inkscape
releases have generally earned a reputation for being robust and
reliable.
Similarly, efforts were taken to internationalize and localize the
interface, which has helped the program gain contributors worldwide.
Inkscape has had a beneficial impact on the visual attractiveness of
Open Source in general, by providing a tool for creating and sharing
icons, splash screens, website art, and so on. In a way, despite being
"just an drawing program", Inkscape has played an important role in
making Open Source more visually stimulating to larger audiences.
=head1 COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
B<Copyright (C)> 1999-2016 by Authors.
B<Inkscape> is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GPL version 2 or later.
=for comment
$Date$