Info missing that restart is needed for some inkscape settings when changed

[Hachmann]

Hi all,

when answering user questions, I noticed that some changes to inkscape settings only take effect after a restart of the program (see https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/253532).
This is (at least) the case for default styles of tools in 0.48.3.1 r9886 (yeah, I need to update...).

Could you please add a short text into the dialogs telling the user he/she needs to restart the program for the changes to take effect? (or, of course, modify the behaviour of inkscape to update while running, but this would certainly be more involved)

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

I've tried to reproduce the issue on Windows XP, Inkscape 0.48.5 and trunk rev.13791, but changing the tools default style seems to work without having to restart the application (tested with rectangle and Bézier only).

Could you please give some precisions? (My German is a bit rusty and I guess I didn't catch a crucial point in the question.)

[Hachmann (marenhachmann)]

Thank you, Nico, and sorry for linking to a German discussion...

With 0.48.4 r9939, which ships with LM17, to which I have switched in between, I cannot reproduce the need to restart Inkscape to make default style changes take effect any more, either.

In 0.91pre3, while testing for this, I found some other inconsistencies in the style preferences (probably I should make this a new bug report then, but perhaps you can advise me if this is all already known/invalid...):

a) the 3D Box has the option to set a style, but all I get, regardless of the chosen style, is a blueish-purple 3D box, which looks 3D because of this and because of the different color shades, of course. Why can I choose a style here at all?

b)
1. use any tool with the option 'last used style': for example, draw a rectangle with a green contour.
2. switch to 'this tool's own style', which in my case creates a rectangle with a blue fill. I can also make several of those.
3. switch back to 'last used style' -> I expect to get a rectangle with a blue fill, too, because that was the style I last used - even if it was a preset - but what I get is again a green contour.
4. Changing this shape's style and drawing the next shape then gives the result I'd expect, though.

c) The button 'take from selection' is only greyed out after I have switched between the radio buttons once (last used -> take from selection -> last used), while I would expect it to be greyed out only based on the currently selected radio button. This is reset on every restart of Inkscape (so the button is no longer greyed out, if it was before).

While b) and c) are mere cosmetic / very shortlived problems (and b) is perhaps even intentional?), a) is a bit strange. Perhaps the options to set a default style could be removed from the 3D box to not disappoint users who try to change them?

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

Thanks for your precisions, Maren!

Maren> [a} the 3D Box has the option to set a style, but all I get, regardless of the chosen style, is a blueish-purple 3D box

Confirmed. The 3D box style settings doesn't seem to work exactly as the other tools. It quite works with the "Last used style" option, but you have to select and modify each side independently (see http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Shapes-Boxes.html) or change the values in the preferences.xml file directly (apparently no other way to reset, see https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/159348).
But "Use tool's own style" seems to be broken.

Maren> [b] switch back to 'last used style' -> I expect to get a rectangle with a blue fill, too, because that was the style I last used - even if it was a preset - but what I get is again a green contour.

Confirmed too. The Tool's own style doesn't count as a last used style. If it's intentional, I suggest we change the tooltip.

Maren> [c] The button 'take from selection' is only greyed out after I have switched between the radio buttons once

Confirmed again. The Preferences dialog is not correctly initialized.
Related (bug not exactly the same): bug #569889 "Take From Selection buttons in preferences are always enabled even if there is no selection".

Congratulations, it seems you found 3 bugs with no report! (Don't hesitate to double-check, I may have been too fast in my search...)
Proposing to close the current report Invalid and create individual reports for each new bug found.

[Hachmann (marenhachmann)]

Thanks again, Nico ;)
Is the last sentence directed at me?
(I'd be happy to do this, but I don't know enough about your bug managing procedures to understand if you are asking the other bug managers for confirmation or just me, that's why I ask - I just don't want to step on anybody's toes)

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

Maren> Is the last sentence directed at me?

Yes (or to anyone else willing to help) ;)

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

Follow-up report for bug [c]: Bug #1401782 "'Take from selection' button should be greyed out at startup" (patch already available).

[Hachmann (marenhachmann)]

bug [a]: https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1401891
bug [b]: https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1401893

Thank you for your help!