.svg files in Inkscape - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

millwab · 07-16-2007, 05:43 PM

I've using the excuse of the design contest to learn how to use CorelDraw (v13). I'm slowly learning how to get the things done I need to do - maybe not the most efficient way, but at least they're getting done.

My question is: if I save the file as a .cdr (Corel's std format) I can subsequently open it and continue/modify the drawing. Inkscape won't recognize .cdr files, and if I save the file as a .svg and open it in Inkscape I can't modify the drawing. Any idea what's going on?

Gill · 07-16-2007, 11:59 PM

I was hoping someone would have chimed in by now, Bruce. It would have saved me having to tell that although I'd like to be able to help you, I've only got CorelDraw v7

.

Why not save your file as a jpg in Corel, then import it into Inkscape and save it as an Inkscape svg? That might be a 'workaround' which doesn't involve too much faffing around.

Gill

MikeDingas · 07-17-2007, 12:43 AM

I don't have Corel but I do have Inkscape. I tried to find the specs on Corel Draw V13 and found nothing. So, Question: Are you sure it supports the SVG format? If yes, upload the file here and I'll try to open with Inkscape, modify and save. It doesn't, of course, need to be your actual file. Just one that exhibits the same problem. I'll check back later.

millwab · 07-17-2007, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Why not save your file as a jpg in Corel, then import it into Inkscape and save it as an Inkscape svg?

Gill, I wanted to save it as a .svg so that I could retain the vector drawing. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I assumed that "scalable vector graphics" would still be in a vector format. I'm thinking that if I exported it as a .jpg then imported it into Inkscape it would be a pixilated picture rather than a vectorized one. If I do that and save it as an Inkscape svg would I lose any detail? Is there another format that I could save/export from Corel that Inkscape would recognize as vector?

Quote:

Are you sure it supports the SVG format?

Mike, all I can say is that it was one of the format choices in the "save as" window. If Corel couldn't save a file in a particular format, why would they offer it as a choice?

Gill · 07-17-2007, 11:57 AM

It's difficult to know what to suggest because I don't have CorelDraw v13. The problem is that the early versions of CorelDraw don't save files in the variety of formats that later versions do. As a result, I'm not sure what options are open to you. Could you save the file in wmf format and open that in Inkscape, saving it as an svg file?

I'm going to hunt around and see if some of my computer guru friends can suggest something else. In the meantime, I'm surprised you're looking to transfer a pattern into Inkscape from CorelDraw. I thought CorelDraw was supposed to be comprehensively featured. What is it that Inkscape does which CorelDraw doesn't?

Gill

Gill · 07-17-2007, 01:25 PM

Further investigation suggests that if you save your work as an Autocad dxf file, Inkscape will recognise it and treat it as a vector graphic file.

Let me know if this works

!

Gill

millwab · 07-17-2007, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gill

I'm surprised you're looking to transfer a pattern into Inkscape from CorelDraw. I thought CorelDraw was supposed to be comprehensively featured.

Corel can do more than I'll ever learn, but this is a matter of which computer I'm on. My PC at home has Corel. When I'm at work and have some time at lunch to work on personal things I try to tweek the drawings. I've got Inkscape installed, but they don't want me to install Corel on their machine.

Quote:

if you save your work as an Autocad dxf file, Inkscape will recognise it and treat it as a vector graphic file

Thanx. I'll save it tonight as a dxf and see what happens.

millwab · 07-18-2007, 10:53 AM

Gill,
I'm back to square one. I saved the file as a .dxf and Inkscape did not recognize it when I tried to open it. It's starting to look like I'm not going to be able to go back and forth between applications. If I had time, I'd play with it some more, but right now I don't have that luxury. Thanx for helping.

MikeDingas · 07-19-2007, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millwab

Mike, all I can say is that it was one of the format choices in the "save as" window. If Corel couldn't save a file in a particular format, why would they offer it as a choice?

That's what I needed to hear. I asked because I don't know how computer literate you are and novices can do some dumb things. Like just changing the file extension to whatever suites them.

Would you be allowed to install Gimp on your work PC? It's another free graphics package and offers more drawing capability than Inkscape.