Problem with fonts and text

[Mayday]

When switching from one PC to another my text gets mixed all together in one line, and also when I write the text goes over another. I do not know why This started to happen after the last update win 10.

[Moini]

Mayday, check the Inkscape versions you are using. Do they match?
If they do, check the fonts installed on those different systems. Do they match?

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Hopefully you've found your message.  I moved it to its own topic, since it's a different problem.

I'm not clear what you mean about switching PCs.  Do you mean when you open the file on another computer?  And you mean you open it in Inkscape, which is installed on both computers, right?

Which computer (operating system) and which version of Inkscape does the text look ok on, and which version and system does it not look right?

Unfortunately, the text in your screenshot is so tiny, I can hardly identify it as text.  I can't really read it or see the problem.

As Moini sort of implied, you need to have the font installed on both computers.  You shouldn't really need the same version of Inkscape installed, although that might be a solution.  But I'd still be curious about the versions, and investigate whether there's a bug.

[Mayday]

Thank you. I found it. All my PCs are windows 10 system regularly updated and the same (every classroom has one). I update Inkscape too at the same time on all. So this is very frustrating since every 45 minutes I have to go in to another classroom and work on another computer and usually all my files look the same, but now on two PC all text is without spacing, and on 5 others it is the same as before and when I make the new file. Also when I start a new file on PCs with the issue it gives me no spacing, just writes text one over another. i tried changing default spacing but it goes back to old and font size iz 30 (it use to be 12 default).

Capture.JPG
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On one PC I am using 0.92.3 and on another, it is the same. all have the same built and update version.

I added an attachment using the forum system so I do not know why they come out small?

[Mayday]

Facepalm and stop the earth rotation... one of the PCs is still on 0.91 and everything \i do on him is mixed everywhere else, and the sad part is that is the one in my classroom I used most so 90% of my files in the past month is on 0.91. I just installed 0.91 on this PC and the image is normal.


Capture1.JPG
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How do I fix 0.92 default issues giving me small /no spacing and large font at startup?

[brynn]

Hhmm, strange and interesting....  I see the problem now.  I probably can't say much about this, but I think Moini may know the answer.  But I do want to ask this.

Are you using Flowed Text?  In case you aren't aware, when you drag out a box with the Text tool, and then type inside the box, you're making Flowed Text.  If you simply click once and start typing, you're making regular text.

I'm not sure whether flowed text is relevant to this problem.  But it might be.

I could add that I also have problems with the default font.  No matter what I set for my default font, some time later, usually short time, I find it's been changed.  It might be 10 minutes later, or it might be a day or 2.  But my default font never stays where I set it.  It also never stays where it sets itself. 

(I probably should get around to reporting it as a bug, but I can't figure out any possible trigger.)

Oops, you posted the last message while I was typing.  I'll post this, then I'll respond to the last message.

[brynn]

Ok, so instead of using 0.91 for all the computers, I wonder if it would fix the problem to use 0.92.4, for all the computers?

Honestly, you should be able to see the correct text across any versions of Inkscape.  I don't know, but perhaps in the current version, 0.92.4, this problem has already been fixed?  (Developers are all ramped up, working to release the long awaited version 1.0, so a ton of bugs are getting fixed, these days.)

Or maybe Moini will know a good fix for this, which would allow you to use 0.92.4, instead of 0.91?

[Mayday]

Lots of sorry for my delayed response. This "problem" with 91 and 92 is a mayor MAYOR disaster. I have 10 books I am publishing this and next month, and silly of me I did my title cover of each book randomly from one classroom to another so today, one day before I send all my things to publishing company I am looking at my files and.... khm khm....
inki stinky 91 to 92.JPG
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(viewed 603 times) and most of my vector images for the book, oh..... Sunday is a busy day for me... I just downloaded rar file of both 91  and 92 and I am just going to open it in one and if the text is wrong open it in another, 'cause girls gotta do what girls gotta do to get things to work.

And it frustrates me that when I drag a text box and I change font size or something and I start typing I get all these random tools but not text actually typing in the box. So I have to type one thing and then select it and then change the font and whatever.  So what am I doing wrong? How do you type a text inside Inkscape clear canvas?.... Dont mind me I have been switching from 91 to 92 for days now trying to fix it all.

[brynn]

Oooohhh, I had a good laugh with "inki stinky"     I am sorry you're having so much trouble though.

I know exactly what you mean when you start typing, and you're expecting that you're going to type text, and instead, you're typing key shortcuts, and enabling several different tools in succession.  (For myself, I'm often typing numbers, which freaks out the zoom level!)  But it sounds like you've figured that out.   Not just the text object needs to be selected before you start to type, but you have to click inside the text object, with the Text tool, to activate the cursor.  Once you see the cursor flashing, you're ready to type.

Unless you specifically need flowed text, I would suggest not using it.  It will not show up in any program outside of Inkscape.  (I explained flowed text in a message above.)  Or if you use it, be sure to convert it to paths before you send it to another person or program.  (Path menu > Union)  (Note that it will no longer be editable as text after it's converted to paths, so if you think you might ever need to edit the text, be sure and save the text, as text, somewhere - either in the same file, maybe outside the page border, or on a hidden layer, or in another file.)

I still don't know why it doesn't display properly across different versions.  That might have something to do with having used flowed text.  I'm just not sure.  A similar problem was posted in a different message recently, which I thought Moini might know the solultion to.  But I just looked it up (my poor old brain), and was reminded that it was suspected it might be a bug.  I guess that doesn't help you very much, but hopefully you can at least get your files ready to submit, by using the same version.

But if you have time, later, after your deadline is passed, if you could provide SVG files and/or screenshots showing the problem, we could get a bug report posted, and start it on its way to being fixed.

That's a very nice drawing, by the way!

[Mayday]

 If you simply click once and start typing, you're making regular text.

Simply click were? I tried and no results.

92 is a disaster. The default settings are crazy. 1000% as separation in line for text?


0.91.svg
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0.92.3.svg
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91 image open with 92.JPG
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92 image opened with 91.JPG
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[brynn]

If you simply click once and start typing, you're making regular text.

Simply click were? I tried and no results.

Click on the canvas.  Click nearby to where you want the text to be, and start typing.  I'm not sure if you meant that clicking did not put the cursor on the canvas, or if typing nothing was typed.  If clicking once didn't put the cursor on the canvas, then maybe you were on the wrong layer?  Or a locked layer?

Yes, that line spacing of 1000% is a bug.  Most of the time you can change that to something better.  But I know, it's big old pain in the behind.  I've personally posted a feature request to make that setting optional.  As you know, in earlier versions of Inkscape, the line spacing was automatic, and beyond control (because it didn't need to be controlled).  Now, they found some reason that a few people might want to control it, and forced all users to have to learn how to use it.  I hope they will make it optional, but my request hasn't gotten any support, so it's not looking very hopeful.

Ah yes, that is indeed flowed text in your files.  I don't know if using regular text would avoid the problem or not.

Thanks for sharing the files.  Can you explain what you're showing in these files?  I don't see the same problem that you showed in your first screenshots, in these files.  Possibly I don't see them, if the problem is only on Windows 10, because I'm on Windows 7.  But possibly I don't understand why you shared them.

Well I should say that I see the problem in the JPGs, but I don't think I see it in the SVG files.  Hmm, I don't see it in the 0.92.3.svg file.  In the 0.91 file, I see that the text has moved slightly, but it's nothing like what you show in 91 image open with 92.JPG, where the text is tiny and far away.

[Mayday]

I think it is a combination of windows and inkscape problem. I just uninstalled 92 and returned 91 because it is so annoying when the default settings from the installed program are 1000% spacing for text and all my other images are scrambled.

EDIT: PFHHHH I can not believe this was so easy to fix... C:\Users\Marina\AppData\Roaming\inkscape/ preferences file, open in notepad and change 1000% to any desired number, and all other default strange settings I can correct in here. Thank you for giving me a brainstorm to solve this.

[brynn]

Oh, I love brainstorming, haha!

I'm glad you found a satisfying solution.  But you still have to change the spacing, if you use a different font size, right?

Another possible solution would be to make a custom default doc, or custom template.  Although still, if you use a different text size, I think you still need to adjust the spacing.

[flamingolady]

I find that the custom template works the best (replace the normal file default).  Personally haven't noticed the 1000% line spacing, but my line spacing is now all screwed up too, since I used the arrows to custom kern.  I saw on your title book page that you used an exponent as well, and I suspect that messed you up too, could be wrong though.  Seems like once you use kerning, that it stays for each text you type thereon in!   I have to go figure out how to change that now too, can't seem to find the default line space. 
And what happened to the online manual, I use it all the time, so much of it hasn't been updated, yet old things I used to refer to seem to be gone, ughhh!
My comment from what I saw above, is to ensure that you click on the A[ (text tool button) before creating OR editing your text box, when you try to just click in the pre-made text box, it does crazy stuff like you mentioned. 

[Moini]

It happened due to a preferences incompatibility on updating. You solve it once, then it's fine.

> But you still have to change the spacing, if you use a different font size, right?

- No.

> Another possible solution would be to make a custom default doc, or custom template.  Although still, if you use a different text size, I think you still need to adjust the spacing.

The default document does not contain any info about line height. The preferences file, as the user found out him- or herself, is the correct place. One could also just delete the file to get a proper line height (I think).

[brynn]

Hhmm, we might not be talking about the same thing, Moini.

I'm talking about the line height that's set to 1000% on the control bar.  See here, a font size set to 4 and line height 1000%!


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If my font is, let's say 25, I might set the line height to 30.  If I change to a different font size, let's say 40, well than the 30 line height ends up putting lines on top of each other.  So no matter what it's set for, the next time you change the font size, you have to change the line height spacing again.

I would very much like to make that setting optional.  I want the line height to be set automatically, like it used to be.

If there's some way to make the line height automatic, like it used to be, I would LOVE to know how to do that!

Edit
So as far as I know, setting the line height in the prefs file just changes that 1000% to whatever.  Let's say you set it to 30.  If you decide to use a font size 50, again, you'll have lines on top of each other.  Unless there's some other way to use this feature that's not obvious.

[Moini]

You need to set it correctly once. It may take a bit of fiddling. But after that it will no longer go back to the 1000%. Maybe you need to update to 0.92.4 to get that to work, don't know.

[Moini]

You may need to allow it to use the last set value, instead of a (broken) preset, perhaps.

[Moini]

(or if you want my preferences file...)

[brynn]

You need to set it correctly once.

I don't understand how that's possible.  Even if it would stay where I set it, that's not appropriate.  Maybe I should make a test file.

So in the attached SVG file.  Let's say I set it for 25 px, and it actually stayed at 25 px, instead of switching back to 1000%, you can see that when I use 72 font size, line spacing of 25 px doesn't work.

Unless you're saying that percent is somehow different from all the other units, and it only stays where you set it if you use percent?

I think I've mentioned before that whatever I set for my default font never stays set.  It resets itself on its own.  I had to reset it again just now.  I have to reset it pretty much every time I use the Text tool.  And I've been assuming that this line spacing is going to behave the same way the default font setting behaves.  That's why I wish it could be optional, so I don't have to deal with it.

[Moini]

Try with these preferences:

[Moini]

(remember to rename them to preferences.xml)

[brynn]

Thanks Moini.

Exactly the same results.  I made the text blue, so you could tell the difference, since otherwise I used the same sizes of things.

And the line spacing switched back to 1000% for every new text object.

[flamingolady]

Mine does not reset to 1000% each time, interesting.  If you click on the line height ? before starting to type, then it seems to automatically adjust.  This is going to drive me insane! Why can't an option be an automatic set like in prior versions?

[Moini]

Brynn, did you use the preferences file I gave you?