I have encountered the following bug, when running inkscape for non-interactive conversion from svg to pdf with a python script (using Python 2.5.2). The command being run is "/usr/bin/inkscape -z -A /tmp/outfile.pdf /tmp/infile.svg". (infile exists, outfile does not)
The inkscape output captured by the script is:
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** (inkscape:9424): WARNING **: Cannot create directory /var/www/.inkscape.
Although Inkscape will run, it will use default settings,
and any changes made in preferences will not be saved.
(inkscape:9424): libgnomevfs-WARNING **: Unable to create ~/.gnome2 directory: Permission denied
Emergency save activated!
Emergency save completed. Inkscape will close now.
If you can reproduce this crash, please file a bug at www.inkscape.org
with a detailed description of the steps leading to the crash, so we can fix it.
** Message: Error: Inkscape encountered an internal error and will close now.
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The script runs as the www-data user, and therefore cannot create new directories in /var/www (whose permissions are: root/root 0755). I have checked it with all cases of ~/.gnome2 and ~/.inkscape existing/not-existing. The only cases which cause inkscape to crash are those in which ~/.gnome2 does not exist (and cannot be created).
When I run the python script (or inkscape directly from the shell) in an interactive session, no crash occurs, therefore I can only assume that there is some connection between the bug and inkscape being run non-interactively. (haven't investigated further, however)
Forgot to mention:
using Inkscape 0.46 (Apr 7 2008)
And, when I did my interactive tests, I did so as the www-data user.