Copy/Paste to the same document should behave as Duplicate

[Pierre-Antoine Champin]

[update] this bug is now better explained by comment #4 <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/510077/comments/4>

I noticed that everytime I copy/paste an object into the same document, its gradient(s) and filter(s), if any, are duplicated.

I assume this is a deliberate choice, in order to allow each copy to have their gradient(s)/filter(s) modified without affecting the other object, just as if it was an *attribute* of the object. However, it seems to me as inconsistent for the following reasons:
- Gradients and filters are shown as autonomous objects in their respectife Edtor dialogs.
- Deleting an object does *not* delete its gradient(s) or filter(s) -- so they really are autonomous.
So a document ends up cluttered with a lot of unused gradient(s) and/or filter(s).

I suggest to add an option "do not copy gradients and filters" in the preferences, which would be disabled by defaut (in order to keep the current behaviour for those who like it). But when this option is turned on, copying an object in the same document would create an object linking to the same gradient(s) and filter(s).
It would still be quite easy to make them independant by dupicating a gradient or a filter manually before editing it.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

What I see in Inkscape 0.47:

1) objects duplicated with menu command 'Edit > Duplicate' re-use the gradient definitions of the original (i.e. they share it), unlike copy&paste'd objects.

2) the 'Gradient Tool' allows to assign existing gradient definitions to new objects (i.e. to share it). You can re-use existing gradient definitions from the same list in the fill&stroke dialog as well, once you change the fill from e.g. flat color to gradient.

3) editing a gradient (number and location of stops, color and alpha values) on-canvas results in un-sharing of the gradient definition: the edits only apply to the current object, whereas editing a gradient in the 'Gradient Editor' dialog edits the definition shared by possibly multiple objects and does not assign the edited gradient to an individual object.

4) 'File > Vacuum defs' exists and allows to remove unreferenced (gradient) elements in the <defs> section.

5) 'Inkscape Preferences > Misc > [ ] prevent sharing of gradient definitions' already exists (though reportedly not working as expected - see bug #437926). This preference is *not* enabled by default.

[Pierre-Antoine Champin (pchampin)]

Ok, so the quick answer to my problem is : use Duplicate instead of Copy+Paste. It makes sense.

Thanks for this comprehensive answer. I discovered a lot of things about Inkscape, and it seems more consistent than I first thought. So I guess this bug/wish can be closed.

Congratulations to the Inkscape team. This is definitely a wonderful piece of work.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> 5) 'Inkscape Preferences > Misc > [ ] prevent sharing of gradient
> definitions' already exists (though reportedly not working as
> expected - see bug #437926). This preference is *not* enabled
> by default.

correction: this setting *is* enabled by default. The user has to deliberately un-check it to enable sharing of gradients.

[Pierre-Antoine Champin (pchampin)]

Thanks to ~suv, I now better understand how Inkscape works.

However, I think this bug still stands, although it should be renamed (can I do that? can somebody else do that?).

I think it should read:
Copy/Paste to the same document should behave as Duplicate

Indeed, not all aplications have a Duplicate function, and a lot of people are better used to simply Copy/Paste. Duplicate is mostly perceived, I think, as a shortcut rather than a different functionality. So for the sake of simplicity (and according to the principle of the least surprise), their behaviors should be unified.

It is definitely related to bug #437926, but I think it deserves an entry of itself, as it is not limited to gradients (at least, it also applies to filters).

May I finally suggest to move the importance of this bug to Low. In my (not so humble ;) opinion, this is a GUI problem, not merely a wish of mine.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> However, I think this bug still stands, (…)
I didn't close it after your previous comment - besides the gradient ui there's also the issue of filters (and I hadn't looked into that at all yet ;).

> (…) although it should be renamed (can I do that?
> can somebody else do that?).
You can do that yourself using the web interface of launchpad <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/510077>: click on the small 'pencil' icon just beside the bug summary to edit it inline.

[Sean J MacIsaac (seanjmacisaac-deactivatedaccount)]

this would be a welcomed change.

+1