Request for line tapering

[Matt Watts]

This is just a request for a feature: I would love to be able to draw a line, say 6 pixels wide that would automatically taper at each end. Kind of like a start or end marker that is simply a taper to nothing. I'm using Inkscape .47 on Windows 7. Illustrator has a stroke that tapers. Thanks a lot.

[Pablo Trabajos (pajarico)]

Assigning a circle in a "pattern along path" LPE might help:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Paths-LivePathEffects-PatternAlongPath.html
However, the aspect of the tamper will depend on the lenght of the path, which might annoy you if you want all ends to look exactly the same.

Related blueprint:
"Power stroke"
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/power-stroke
(not yet implemented)

[Zirneklitis (karlo-k)]

The feeling of the line tapering could be mimicked by line markers (arrows). The appropriate file (e.g. /usr/../share/inkscape/markers/markers.svg) must be supplemented with appropriate "arrow" definitions like:

    <!-- Sharp ending -->
    <marker style="overflow:visible" id="Sharpstart" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="Sharpstart">
      <path transform="scale(1) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter"/>
    </marker>
    <marker style="overflow:visible;" id="Sharpend" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="Sharpend">
      <path transform="scale(1) rotate(180) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter;"/>
    </marker>

[Zirneklitis (karlo-k)]

Four more definitions I found quite useful:

    <marker style="overflow:visible" id="SharpMstart" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="SharpMstart">
      <path transform="scale(0.6, 1) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter"/>
    </marker>
    <marker style="overflow:visible;" id="SharpMend" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="SharpMend">
      <path transform="scale(0.6, 1) rotate(180) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter;"/>
    </marker>
    <marker style="overflow:visible" id="SharpSstart" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="SharpSstart">
      <path transform="scale(0.3, 1) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter"/>
    </marker>
    <marker style="overflow:visible;" id="SharpSend" refX="0.0" refY="0.0" orient="auto" inkscape:stockid="SharpSend">
      <path transform="scale(0.3, 1) rotate(180) translate(0,0)" d="M -10,0 C -7.8,-0.31 -3.4,-0.45 0.01,-0.5 L 0.01,0.5 C -3.4,0.45 -7.8,0.31 -10,0 z " style="fill-rule:evenodd;stroke-width:0.62500000;stroke-linejoin:miter;"/>
    </marker>