A GUI to modify letter spacing

[Ringe-users]

I'm using Inkscape to create my business cards and I
would really like to modify the letter spacing in the
"text and font" dialog.

It is possible to do this by creating one textbox for
each letter and then distribute them with even
distances, but it's way too much work to be usable.

The funcionality is already there so I hope this will
be an easy fix. :-P

[Buliabyak-users (buliabyak-users)]

It's also possible to do this by keys, Alt+< and Alt+> when
editing text. A GUI will be done too eventually.

[Ringe-users (ringe-users)]

Yes, but that's only for one letter at the time. It really
would be handy to adjust for all letters in the selected text.

[Buliabyak-users (buliabyak-users)]

No. Keys affect the whole line. Please try it.

[Ringe-users (ringe-users)]

I did try it, you know. I'm running Inkscape 0.38.

Here's what I'm doing:

1. Select text tool.
2. Click somewhere to start typing text and type away.
3. Blinking text marker is at end of line: Pressing "ALT+<
or >" - nothing happens.
4. Pressing once at "<" and then "ALT+< or >" makes the last
letter move.
5. Same happens whatever letter the marker stands at.

If I'm marking a letter early in the text all the other
follows the movement, but they do not move closer to
another, only the current letter with the marker on its left
side.

If I'm using the cursor tool the "ALT+< or >" then the whole
text moves a pixel at the time or something, but still the
letters are not getting closer to another.

In the "CTRL+SHIFT+T" dialog nothing happens to let me
tighten letter spacing.

[Bug Importer (bug-importer)]

The < is the less-than key, not the left arrow key. Arrows
and < > keys have different functions. < is normally on the
same key as comma and > is on the same key as full stop.

[Ringe-users (ringe-users)]

You are right! Thank you! :-) Now all you need is the GUI
part in the text editor.. Inkscape rules!

[Bug Importer (bug-importer)]

Hmm. Alt+> or Alt+< in text mode TYPES on my Linux iBook.

Alt+> etc. in normal mode seem to scale the font in all directions.

[Bug Importer (bug-importer)]

When will a GUI for this be implemented in the text dialog?

[T6435bm-users (t6435bm-users)]

Originator: NO

Alt + >, Alt + < and counterparts Alt + Arrows are good... but it would be
good to see the numerical values applied somewhere in a spreadsheet-like
dialog so that when you add a letter to the text everything won't simply
reset like it happens now...
...and handlers for each letter? how would be that posibility...?

-- Inkscape 1.0 will be cool.

[Brodock-users (brodock-users)]

Originator: NO

the feature is already implemented in sodipodi, so i think it some code
can be reused

[Buliabyak-users (buliabyak-users)]

Originator: NO

sodipodi? are you sure? in what version and where exactly?

[Pander (pander)]

Letter spacing with Alt+< and Alt+> works fine for single characters or selected text in Inkscape version 0.45.1

However offering to set non-standard letter spacing in the "Text and Font" dialogue (Shift+Ctrl+T) is desirable for two reasons:
- it would make generic font settings more complete and easily reusable settings because line spacing is also offered as a GU setting.
- it would make the letter spacing more explicit and reusable since the user a aware of the amount of letter spacing.

Please implement this feature in the text and font dialogue for reasons listed above and request by other users..

[goto (gotolaunchpad)]

Would this function please be added to the Text dialog box! This is urgent! Unbelievable the coders didn't feel like adding it to 0.46 yet!

I didn't know Inkscape had a letter spacing function until I read this thread. Also, how would I on a QWERTZ-keyboard use the hotkeys? The <> key (both characters on the same) is next to the left shift key.

[Alexandre Prokoudine (alexandre-prokoudine)]

@bugmenot

Well, it's quite believable :) If you didn't know about letterspacing, you probably never read http://inkscape.org/doc/keys.html

As for hotkeys, you can always customize an XML files and save it as ~/.inkscape/keys/default.xml

[Equis (rob-cummingsonline)]

Please add this to the Text and Font dialog box. It makes sense that line spacing AND letter spacing are located in this box. It will make it much easier to produce consistent results between different text boxes.

Thanks!

[Vincent Tschanz (fogia)]

The key bindings Alt + > and Alt + < cannot be achieved on non US Keyboard. This is really a problem for me (FR-CH keyboard)

These key binding are also NOT available in the default.xml file fot keyboard shortcuts. I can't even edit the bind to have Letter spacing or line spacing to work.

Should I post another bug for the lack of the keyboard shortcuts XML file?

[su_v (suv-lp)]

@Vincent - there are already many reports filed about that known issue. See e.g. <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/458072/comments/1> for a list of other related bug reports. Most likely you are looking for
Bug #266913 “Text's letter spacing doe not work at all”
Bug #171103 “Manual Kerning on non-US keyboards”

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Inkscape 0.48 has GUI controls for line, letter and word spacing on the text tool controls bar:
<http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/0.48#Text_Tool>