• From: Cardiff, UK
  • Registered: 2008-12-07
  • Posts: 226

Topic: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

The current stable release of Inkscape has very inflexible menus, meaning that on my netbook's tiny (1024x600) display, the bottom of the application is forced offscreen. I could detach the left hand menu bar and make everything accessible, but it was an ugly and awkward solution.

The new dev builds have fixed this problem. Before yesterday you had to compile yourself, but now you just have to add the repository to your sources.list (In Synaptic: Settings > Repositories - Third Party Software tab, add the line below):

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/inkscape-nightly/ubuntu intrepid main

Then:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install inkscape-devel

Should give you a perfectly usable menu.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_pQF2MZRWh7U/SWjJNktkkJI/AAAAAAAABAY/GK1NASZeUeA/s640/inkscape_dev_build.png

Better still, the option to use smaller icons works! big_smile

I've discovered no bugs yet, but I haven't been using it long. Will report any issues here.

--

Special kudos to _MMA_ from the #inkscape room of freenode for his help big_smile

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  • kestrel
  • Species: F. sparverius
  • Offline
  • From: Moscow, Idaho
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 167

Re: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

Thanks for the pointer. Turns out that this installs a second version of inkscape. In order to launch it you have to execute the command 

inkscape-devel

Now I have 2 versions. sad

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  • From: Cardiff, UK
  • Registered: 2008-12-07
  • Posts: 226

Re: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

kestrel wrote:

Thanks for the pointer. Turns out that this installs a second version of inkscape. In order to launch it you have to execute the command 

inkscape-devel

Now I have 2 versions. sad

I didn't think to mention that. I uninstalled the other one first as a matter of course. Good tip. cool

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  • Registered: 2010-02-03
  • Posts: 44

Re: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

how would i do this on statler? i'm a little confused on repositories in old vs new #! versions. what i understand is, old #! uses ubuntu repos, new #! uses debian repos, and never the twain shall meet? does that about sum it up? without getting too technical, why exactly is this the case or, what is the case?

BTW: i just got finished updating my eeepc to statler this morning before work. wireless connectivity without any configurating has been a real treat! I tried very briefly to get inkscape installed and failed with errors but looking forward to trying again after work. Hopefully I just have to add some repositories.

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

Does the Inkscape from the Debian Squeeze repo still have this problem?

You could try getting 0.48 from the Experimental repo:

http://packages.debian.org/experimental/inkscape

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  • Registered: 2010-02-03
  • Posts: 44

Re: Inkscape on a small screen (with noob-friendly instructions)

looks like i must just have done something wrong trying to get inkscape intalled while rushing to get ready for work. inkscape goes fine now.
statler fixes all!