Add GUI option to link SVG in stead of embed SVG

[Pander]

Would it be possible to link to an included SVG image instead of embedding an included SVG. This would be similarly to the choice that is offered when including a bitmap image.

If this would be possible, please implement this. This would incease user satisfaction when included SVG images are by themself updated and the changes should be reflected in SVG images which use these. That would save time to manually update all the included SVG images that get embedded by default now.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Linking as duplicate to Bug #171544 “Use the <image> tag to import another SVG file”.

For a summary of the current status referencing external SVG files in Inkscape, see
<http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.graphics.inkscape.user/14208>

[Pander (pander)]

After deliberating with ~suv unlinked duplicate since this concerns GUI behavior. However https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171544 and https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/97946 hold valuable information.

Please implement a similar GUI dialog box for including SVG images as is offered for including bitmap images. The options presented should be embed and link.

The dialog should present some extra text warning about linking SVG images that itself have bitmap images included if there know issues such as rastarizing.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Note: SVG files imported and linked as <image> (instead of embedded) will be 'static' (rasterized) and not vector-based (at least for now, until someone with deeper understanding of the SVG specification clarifies that issue: currently, Inkscape treats such an external image like other (raster-based) images, and does not use the internal renderer to rasterize it - afaict the rendering is done with librsvg (pixbuf-loader))

With regard to the implementation of a GUI option: you propose to open a dialog each time an SVG file is imported (or drag&dropped on the canvas), and prompt the user to choose (link as image, embed as vector)?

[Pander (pander)]

The option should be presented always I think. But this entire feature should only be implemented once SVG can be linked unrasterized or 'dynamic' Otherwise exporting to higher resolutions or vector formats will not be as the user (should) expect it to be.

Is there a bugreport on that on which this report should depend?

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> Is there a bugreport on that on which this report should depend?

Probably on these two (which are related as far as I understand today):
Bug #171795 “Don't rasterize linked SVG with <image>”
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171795>
Bug #168244 “[win32] image tag does not find SVG source”
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168244>