SVG linking does not work in Inkscape

[Christopher M. Rogers]

SVG spec supports linking of external files including jpegs, pngs, and other svg files.
Inkscape does not support svg file linking properly, though it seems that it does try...

Steps to reproduce:
1. Create a new Inkscape document
2. Drag and drop a jpg or png from the filesystem onto the canvas and choose "link"
3. right-click the image and choose image properties
4. Change the URL to an svg file you have saved somewhere.

Result: Inkscape shows you a pixelated low res version of the svg instead of a vector representation of the svg file.

What should happen instead?

When you drag an svg file from the file system into Inkscape, it should offer a similar dialog to import for bitmap imports - you should be able to link or embed it (Inkscape currently just embeds the svg when you perform this action).

It should then display the linked svg as it would any other vector content in the file, but in a locked state (not editable), with the right-click option to embed the svg available if editing is later desired.

Inkscape ver 0.92.0+devel+201807081751~ubuntu18.04.1

[Jabiertxof (jabiertxof)]

Hi CR, thanks for fill the bug.

In trunk you are allowed to embed and link a SVG is a work done in last hackfest in Sevilla. Is linked as image so we need to set a DPI to it. You have a preference option to show the resolution of showed images so you can change from 696->300 or 600 DPI. Not tested for drag and drop but yes for import normal but for what you say work ok.

The remaining problem is a SVG is a res independent file not like a normal image. In normal image his DPI is know, in a SVG no. If is important have diferent DPI between documents we can add a inkscape:DPI new property related to images so when open a image tag with a SVG use this DPI for display, export PNG... with a fallback to current preference values.

Please could you create a survey in Inkscape Devel mailing list to get feedback about it? It help me in futures surveys, also if I do it is my 3 survey in 2 days ;)

Regards, Jabier.

[Christopher M. Rogers (cajhne)]

Hi Jabier! I tried to import, and I do get a dialogue, but there is no dpi option, and linking the file as an image just makes it a bitmap.

What should happen is that the svg should be displayed as vector, and re-drawn upon zooming, not as a raster image. Making a vector svg a raster image, defeats the purpose of linking the svg in the first place.

If this is done, the dpi should not matter, as the svg graphic can be rescaled with no loss in quality.

Hope that makes sense. :)

Thanks for taking a look at it!

-C

[Jabiertxof (jabiertxof)]

gCR the option of DPI is on preferences and is a Global value because the question I comment previously. Currently you couldent attach a DPI to a SVG in other way.

By design Inkscape couldent link SVG imeges as SVG so we need to import as images with a high DPI.

Anyway you can edit a linked SVG with right click.

Regards, Jabier.

[grey tomorrow (gtomorrow)]

Closing because INVALID: Fix released, DPI Option exists since (at least) v0.92.4.

Related: see https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/-/issues/2103

If you feel this issue has been injustly closed, please feel free to open a new issue at http://inkscape.org/report . Thank you.

Closed by: https://gitlab.com/greytomorrow