Allow suppressing the GUI (-z) when using --verb option(s)

[cristobal.vio]

inkscape wont save (or wont have effect on) the file opened when called with the -z option (no gui)
this is pretty shitty because it makes it a lot slower to edit several svg files from the command line
this is my command

inkscape -z -f prea.svg --verb EditSelectAll --verb SelectionGroup --verb ObjectFlipHorizontally --verb FileSave --verb FileClose

without the -z option works, but it has to load a lot of useless stuff
i dont know if this issue has already been reported... if it has been, then please point me to the solution
thanks a lot

[cristobal.vio (cristobal-vio)]

btw:

cristobal@cristobal-XPS:~/Dropbox/Running/logo$ inkscape --version
Inkscape 0.48.1 r9760 (Mar 22 2011)
cristobal@cristobal-XPS:~/Dropbox/Running/logo$ uname -a
Linux cristobal-XPS 2.6.38-11-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 29 19:05:14 UTC 2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

[su_v (suv-lp)]

As mentioned in the manual page, the option to suppress the GUI is intended to work only in combination with a limited number of other options:

  -z, --without-gui
          Do not open the GUI (on Unix, do not use X server); only
          process the files from console. This is assumed for -p, -e,
          -l, and --vacuum-defs options.

The usage of verbs on the command line has several known limitations. Other related reports are:
Bug #168616: running FileSave verb from command line doesn't work
Bug #361237: Provide scriptable method of saving files
Bug #626854: --verb actions not possible in --shell mode

Usually I refer users to bug #168616 when the question how to use verbs without GUI comes up, but report #168616 actually describes two (AFAIU unrelated) issues (FitCanvasToDrawing doesn't 'dirty' the file, '-z' doesn't work with verbs). Maybe we should keep this one as separate feature request to support (certain) verbs from the command line without opening the GUI?

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Correction: I misread the description of the '-z' option in the man page (the other options it lists to do act as if called with '-z').

The issue is also mentioned in the manual section on using the command line interface:
<http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/CommandLine.html><

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Second attempt to correct my earlier comment:
Correction: I misread the description of the '-z' option in the man page (the other options it refers to do act as if called with '-z').

The issue is also mentioned in the manual section on using the command line interface:
<http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/CommandLine.html>

[cristobal.vio (cristobal-vio)]

thx for the quick answer
;)
the command works (i.e. it modifies and saves the file) when executed without the -z option, with no further user input
i dont know if it was clear or if i was clear enough
thx again

[John Ioannidis (inkscaper-n)]

Bug still present in trunk (r11675).

[Anshul Bhatnagar (anshul223)]

Hi! I am new to the Inkscape code but might be interested in fixing this bug because the power of a non-GUI, command-line based Inkscape tool is to strong to ignore. If someone can just help me get started, I would really appreciate that.

ps: I have looked at the code and have a feeling the use_gui and desktop variables might be good starting points. What do you think?

[P.J. Onori (pj-onori)]

I'm curious if there's been any progress on this feature. I'm using Inkscape extensively for Iconic (http://useiconic.com/) and would it would be amazingly helpful to have this feature.

[Hachmann (marenhachmann)]

Just FYI: this topic comes up in the forums a couple of times each year. Most recent discussion:
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=31352

[Nathan Lee (nathan.lee)]

Closing as part of migration to GitLab (invalid is just the best way to indicate that on Launchpad)

Please continue discussion here: https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/issues/1369