[CLUE-Tech] Scalable Vector Graphics on Linux?

[mgushee at havenrock.com]

On 4 Mar 2003 at 17:09, Jed S. Baer wrote:

> However, on one of the tangents this little task has taken me on, I've
> discovered that RH (or somebody) has used Adobe Illustrator to make SVG
> files for some of the screens (such as the gdm login screen background).
> Ignoring the question of why these open-source types aren't using
> open-source tools for this,

Ugh. I don't envy you. Bein' as SVG is XML, which makes it kinda my 
specialty, I periodically run around the net checking out various SVG 
tools. And I have to say the general state of the art is mediocre at 
best. Adobe's tools seem to be better than most--not surprising since 
they were the most influential vendor in developing the SVG spec--but
are still a ways from perfect.

> I've found:
>   http://sodipodi.sourceforge.net/
>   http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/
>   http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/frontline/

Yeah. I've heard of these but haven't tried them. Other tools I know 
of:

  Sketch    http://sketch.sourceforge.net/
    A Python-based, Corel Draw-esque drawing program. Worth having
    for general use, but its SVG support is still fairly primitive.
  OpenOrifice
    I believe the drawing program can export but not import SVG. But  
    possibly you could get by with converting the original to EPS,
    editing it in OO, and exporting back to SVG.
  Amaya    http://www.w3.org/
    They claim you can edit SVG with it, but I have never been able
    to figure out how the %@#&*() to make it do that--and it    
    sometimes crashes when I try to *view* SVG.
  KIllustrator ?

Or maybe you could convert to Fig format using ... I don't know, 
there must be some tool to do that, edit in XFig, then convert back 
to SVG. Or if you're brave, you could just open the damn thing up in 
Vim and edit it as text. After all, SVG is just an XML dialect.

Happy SVG adventuring!

--
Matt Gushee
Englewood, CO USA