Saving as PDF and PostScript doesn't keep translucency.

[GiuseppeVerde]

Binary package hint: inkscape

1) Create something with translucency. An obvious one is a circle or square with partial transparency with some dark object partially hidden behind it.
2) Save As PDF or PostScript
3) Open the saved file in evince, and notice the newfound opacity.

At least a warning that the output doesn't support translucency would be sufficient.

[Holger Bauer (umarmung-planet)]

I can confirm this for 0.43-4ubuntu3 on dapper.

[Holger Bauer (umarmung-planet)]

There is also a bug open upstream for version 0.44

[Danny Staple (danny-orionrobots)]

I see the translucency (alpha) just fine in eVince when exporting as PDF in Inkscape 0.44-1ubuntu1 on Edgy.

However, I definitely did not see it after exporting to PS. So this issue is still outstanding, if only for saving as postscript.

[Brian Burger (bburger)]

Is this actually an Inkscape bug specifically, or an issue with the PS & PDF file formats?

I know some versions of PDF have trouble with transparency & translucency; I don't know if PS does too.

I'll refer this bug to the inkscape-users mailing list for comment.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

It is a known issue with the Postscript file format (and the PDF-1.0 format). The format doesn't permit the same level of support for transparency as SVG does (particularly noticeable for gradient transparency).

This is an issue we've _long_ dealt with in Inkscape. Emulations and workarounds have been proposed and may become available eventually (such as when the new cairo-pdf extension is finished, probably for the 0.46 release later in 2007).

However, the correct solution is to implement PDF-1.5 export capability in Inkscape, which does have adequate transparency support.

Anyway, here are some of the upstream bugs relating to this:

http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1255734&group_id=93438&atid=604309
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1179448&group_id=93438&atid=604309
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1492661&group_id=93438&atid=604309

[sam tygier (samtygier)]

sf #1492670 is marked as fixed in 0.45.

on feisty saving to pdf preserves transparency
saving to ps does not, and there is no warning

gradient transparency does not work for pdf

[MaxNegro (maxnegro)]

Problem persists on gutsy, inkscape version 0.45. Saving to pdf works, saving to ps does not. Opening inkscape svg with eog and printing from there preserves transparency, so I feel this is not simply a .ps limitation...

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Fixed upstream (see bug #167548)

[Danny Staple (danny-orionrobots)]

Setting this to fix committed. Fix released is surely not appropriate until the fix has hit the Ubuntu apt repos. Will this be available in Hardy or Intrepid?

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

0.46-pre1 with this fix is already available in Hardy now. 0.46 final was released today and should hopefully be in Hardy real soon now.