pattern fill not saved to pdf correctly

[tim]

Hi

I am fairly new to Inkscape, but love it. Using version 0.91 on windows 8.1

I am also having this problem saving as pdf - I have been using the patterns from USGS for geological rock symbols (https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/si-geology/re ... load-link/). They look great on the screen but when saving as a pdf the patterns fail to tile successfully.

I have a workaround for the problem, which is to export as a PNG file then import into another program (e.g. libreOffice Writer) and save as a PDF from there. A bit clunky but a nice file as a result.

Is this an issue that is likely to be addressed soon? it is a significant one for me and anyone else wishing to incorporate inkscape drawings into professional reports as PDF files.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

As explained in the forum topic where tc68 described the problem first [1], this is a known issue with more recent versions of cairo already tracked for Inkscape in earlier reports, e.g.:
Bug #1488129: Pattern not exported to pdf or printed (cairo >= 1.12)
Bug #1462589: When saving to pdf at certain page size, a pattern disappears.
Bug #1441753: Patterns not exporting correctly to PDF
Bug #1437726: Pattern fill incomplete with PDF export and printing
Bug #1390569: SVG fill pattern lost on PDF export

The PDF file is generated as expected if Inkscape uses older (outdated) cairo version (< 1.12), see e.g. attached PDF file generated with cairo 1.10.2. AFAIU this is an upstream bug in cairo (see also comments 4-5 in bug #1437726).

Proposing to link as duplicate to earlier report (e.g. bug #1390569 or bug #1437726).
--
[1] http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=19760&p=90726

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Possibly mostly fixed in upstream cairo git master - see attached PDF exported with Inkscape trunk (r15003) and cairo git master (1272db9).

[tim (tc68)]

Thanks. How would I make that work on my computer?

On Friday, 1 July 2016, su_v <email address hidden> wrote:

> Possibly mostly fixed in upstream cairo git master - see attached PDF
> exported with Inkscape trunk (r15003) and cairo git master (1272db9).
>
> ** Attachment added: "test-r15003-cairo-git.pdf"
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1597955/+attachment/4693303/+files/test-r15003-cairo-git.pdf
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1597955
>
> Title:
> pattern fill not saved to pdf correctly
>
> Status in Inkscape:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Hi
>
> I am fairly new to Inkscape, but love it. Using version 0.91 on
> windows 8.1
>
> I am also having this problem saving as pdf - I have been using the
> patterns from USGS for geological rock symbols
> (https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/si-geology/re ... load-link/). They look
> great on the screen but when saving as a pdf the patterns fail to tile
> successfully.
>
> I have a workaround for the problem, which is to export as a PNG file
> then import into another program (e.g. libreOffice Writer) and save as
> a PDF from there. A bit clunky but a nice file as a result.
>
> Is this an issue that is likely to be addressed soon? it is a
> significant one for me and anyone else wishing to incorporate inkscape
> drawings into professional reports as PDF files.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1597955/+subscriptions
>

[su_v (suv-lp)]

tim wrote:
> How would I make that work on my computer?
and
> Using version 0.91 on windows 8.1

As Inkscape user on Windows, I'm afraid you will have to wait quite a while ..., and for now settle with known workarounds (as e.g. discussed in the forum topic).

First there needs to be a new stable release of the cairo library (or at least a new unstable development snapshot release - the fix is not in latest cairo 1.15.2 AFAICT), then the Inkscape project needs to update cairo in the Windows devlibs (32bit, 64bit) and provide new Inkscape packages for Windows which include the new cairo version.

With some luck, a new cairo release (which includes a fix or at least an improvement for patterns in PDF exports) may happen before the next planned Inkscape release (0.92) - it does not seem very likely to me though. If it does, then whether or not Inkscape 0.92 for Windows would include a newly released cairo version would depend on other factors too (in order to not introduce regressions elsewhere - as has happened before).

Don't expect a fix magically being available to all Inkscape users on all supported platforms immediately - AFAICT there are still some rendering issues with that one PDF file I exported using latest unstable cairo from git master (at least for some of the patterns in your test case). This is a bug tracker, and my comment was intended for the bug team mostly - as more testing clearly is required (with test cases from all the earlier reports), as well as figuring out further details of the related upstream changes.

[tim (tc68)]

Thanks for the quick detailed reply. I'll just have to wait it out.

On Saturday, 2 July 2016, su_v <email address hidden> wrote:

> tim wrote:
> > How would I make that work on my computer?
> and
> > Using version 0.91 on windows 8.1
>
> As Inkscape user on Windows, I'm afraid you will have to wait quite a
> while ..., and for now settle with known workarounds (as e.g. discussed
> in the forum topic).
>
> First there needs to be a new stable release of the cairo library (or at
> least a new unstable development snapshot release - the fix is not in
> latest cairo 1.15.2 AFAICT), then the Inkscape project needs to update
> cairo in the Windows devlibs (32bit, 64bit) and provide new Inkscape
> packages for Windows which include the new cairo version.
>
> With some luck, a new cairo release (which includes a fix or at least an
> improvement for patterns in PDF exports) may happen before the next
> planned Inkscape release (0.92) - it does not seem very likely to me
> though. If it does, then whether or not Inkscape 0.92 for Windows would
> include a newly released cairo version would depend on other factors too
> (in order to not introduce regressions elsewhere - as has happened
> before).
>
> Don't expect a fix magically being available to all Inkscape users on
> all supported platforms immediately - AFAICT there are still some
> rendering issues with that one PDF file I exported using latest unstable
> cairo from git master (at least for some of the patterns in your test
> case). This is a bug tracker, and my comment was intended for the bug
> team mostly - as more testing clearly is required (with test cases from
> all the earlier reports), as well as figuring out further details of the
> related upstream changes.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1597955
>
> Title:
> pattern fill not saved to pdf correctly
>
> Status in Inkscape:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Hi
>
> I am fairly new to Inkscape, but love it. Using version 0.91 on
> windows 8.1
>
> I am also having this problem saving as pdf - I have been using the
> patterns from USGS for geological rock symbols
> (https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/si-geology/re ... load-link/). They look
> great on the screen but when saving as a pdf the patterns fail to tile
> successfully.
>
> I have a workaround for the problem, which is to export as a PNG file
> then import into another program (e.g. libreOffice Writer) and save as
> a PDF from there. A bit clunky but a nice file as a result.
>
> Is this an issue that is likely to be addressed soon? it is a
> significant one for me and anyone else wishing to incorporate inkscape
> drawings into professional reports as PDF files.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1597955/+subscriptions
>