Inkscate - with Inkcutter - linux mint

[rsobieck]

I am for sure a beginner - first time using Inkscape.  I have viewed 14 beginner tutorials on youtube and have a basic grasp on using Inkscape itself.  Have drawn a few simple art projects to get started, works on my laser printer. 

I wish to use it for a new UScutter (SC model 34") that I have recently purchased.  I did install the Inkcut  via these instructions.  http://inkcut.sourceforge.net/.    I set the cutter up, and cut the test pattern from the control panel, so I know my cutter works.  This is where I get stuck. 

I tried to use the USB cable, but I read on other searches, to use the 9 pin serial.  I don't have a serial connector on my computer.  On top of that I tried to deinstall and reinstall Inkscape/Inkcut and no longer can get to Inkcut menue.   When inside Inkcsape, I go to Extensions....then cutter/plotter......a small grey line to the right shows up instead of the Inkcut menu.  I had the menu last night - I believed I goofed something up. 

I am not a linux expert, but can follow command line instructions to completion if someone has a solution that way.

I think my first step somehow is to see if linux recognizes the cutter via the USB port.

Help is greatly appreciated.

[Moini]

Hi,

to get a clean start again, you'll need to remove all files in ~/.config/inkscape/extensions that pertain to the extension. I think you may have accidentally messed up the directory structure.
Then just put inkcutext1.inx and the folder inkcut into the extensions directory.

Beware: inkcut has last been edited in 2010, so if it doesn't work, this may be because it's very outdated.

Is there a specific reason as for why you're not using the extension that comes with the recent Inkscape version? (Export -> Plot, and more info and info how to find most recent versions at https://www.timewasters-place.com/tag/plotter/) Maybe they have different features?

Quoting the developer from his blog:
"InkCut COULD be a good and usable alternative, but it is also buggy and difficult to understand. "

[rsobieck]

Moni, thank you for your reply.  Maybe this is a case of me reading too many forums.   

I think I am hearing you say, take out all the Inkcut configs (yes I double goofed that).  Maybe unistall Inkscape, then reinstall.  Try the Plot function in the newer Inkscape.  It should support a UScutter SC series

[brynn]

On top of that I tried to deinstall and reinstall Inkscape/Inkcut and no longer can get to Inkcut menue.

Do you mean that you tried to uninstall Inkscape?  Or InkCut?  How did you try to uninstall InkCut?

This is totally off topic, but since both of you are Linux users, and I'm about to be soon -- Are zip files a purely Windows thing?  Or can other operating systems use zip files?  If Linux systems can use zip files, then I have a tip for you, to find all the InkCut files.

[rsobieck]

Since I goofed the original install, I removed Inkscape and Inkcut

sudo rm -r inkscape

I am starting from scratch:
1.  New installation of Inkscape - I went to the newest version 0.92.1
2.  My Vinyl cutter is a UScutter - model SC 801 - a 34" wide cutter
3. I am using Linux Mint 17.1, on an i7 processor

I am not sure - but I think the first step is to ensure that my UScutter is recognized.  I did the following below:
~ $  dmesg | grep tty
[    0.000000] console [tty0] enabled
[    0.912127] 00:0b: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4, base_baud = 115200) is a 16550A
[    8.291735] usb 3-4: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0

I think this means the device is attached. 

I go into Inkscape - draw a simple square with no fill
go to Path > Object to Path
Extensions > Export > Plot...     a new menu pops up with 3 tabs, Connection Settings, Plotter Settings, and Plot Features
    Connection settings - Serial Port :         COM1 - I am not sure how to reconcile USB0 to COM1
                                       Serial Baud:        9600
   Plotter settings           - I left these as default, mostly pen force, speed, etc until I can get activity

I say - "Apply" and get an error window
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "plotter.py", line 268, in <module>
    e.affect()
  File "/usr/share/inkscape/extensions/inkex.py", line 283, in affect
    self.effect()
  File "plotter.py", line 98, in effect
    self.sendHpglToSerial()
  File "plotter.py", line 199, in sendHpglToSerial
    if 'ould not open port' in inst.strerror:
TypeError: argument of type 'NoneType' is not iterable


I am think this has to do with configuration of serial ports but I do not understand it and must research in more detail.  If someone understands this and can point me, I would greatly appreciate it.

   

[brynn]

I find it odd that any kind of current software or hardware, would use or require a serial port.  I thought usb ports were universal now.

The very first mouse I had with my very first computer (Windows 95) had a serial connector.  But my next computer had no serial ports at all, so I had to get an adapter.  So the serial plug could go into the USB port, via the adapter.  So that was serial to USB.  But going the other way around, USB to serial, it seems like that might be hard to find.

The Plot dialog does say that you can use an adapter (which it calls a "bridge").  But does your plotter actually use a serial port?

[Moini]

@rsobleck:
You're using quite an unusual way to uninstall software...

It wouldn't have been necessary to remove Inkscape, you would only have had to remove the extension in your user configuration directory, in ~/.config/inkscape/extensions (if that's where you had put it - it's the correct place! Never put custom extensions into /usr/share/inkscape/extensions. They will be lost after an update.).

But when you do uninstall a program, please use apt for it (or snap, or if you used the flatpak, then maybe your way is the right one...).

sudo apt-get remove <program>

This will not delete your user configuration files. If you want to remove everything that is related to the program, do

sudo apt-get purge <program>

Or use a graphical package management tool, mintinstall, or synaptic, or whichever one you prefer (those, too, most probably won't remove the config files).

As for where to ask for an answer to your question about the error message (if the search doesn't yield any results):
I'd recommend you ask either timewaster on his blog (if you speak German: he does, too), or you make a new bug report for Inkscape on launchpad (https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape).

[Moini]

@Brynn: 

Are zip files a purely Windows thing?

No, programs for archiving are available on Linux, too. I would assume that, by default, on a newly installed Ubuntu / Linux Mint, more archive formats are supported than on a fresh Windows install.

[brynn]

So could this member, as well as the Mac user in the other topic who was having a hard time installing Inkscape - could they just download the zip files?  Or they would need some other archive format?

I wonder why we dion't provide archives for all systems?  Is it harder to do with other archive formats, then just zip them up?

Edit
Also re the serial ports - does that seem odd to you that the extension calls for a serial port?  Or are they still common in Europe or other places?

[rsobieck]

Moini, thank you very much for your help.  I must confess I am not a linux expert and take your advice. 

I will use the two resources you have listed for the next step.

Thank you for the time!  This forum has been helpful.

Robert

[Moini]

Sorry, Brynn, I'm not sure I can follow you.

Zip is just a way to compress a set of files. This makes them smaller, and glues them together into a single file. It's a common format to exchange folders, or sets of files.
A .py and a .inx file can be put into a zip file. An exe file can be put into a zip file. A whole folder with lots of photos can be put into a zip file.

The computer where the file is unpacked still needs to be able to deal with the files it unpacks to be able to use them.

[Moini]

@Robert: I hope you'll be successful! (if you are, can you post an image of your result, some time? I love to see what people do with Inkscape!)

[rsobieck]

I will reply back. 

I want to ensure that I have properly installed a driver that is permanent to communicate to USB0 through serial.  I am on the Linux Mint forum to seek help here.  After that, I will be back to Inkscape.

Thank you for your investment of time.  I recognize helpers are volunteers and will share when I learn something. 

[brynn]

Well, I was just thinking about other ways that people can get Inkscape, if they can't install, for some reason.  And I notice that we only provide zip files for Windows.  Why don't we offer some archive packages for Linux or Mac?  Is it hard to do?  It seems to me like it must be easier, but what do I know? (haha)

[rsobieck]

I have decided that I will purchase the application Tux Plot. 

http://securetech-ns.ca/tuxplot.html

The cost is small, and the person supports both Linux Mint and my specific Vinyl cutter.  It will save a lot of fooling around and get me productive. 

 Thank you forum contributors, especially Moini.

Robert

[Moini]

Why don't we offer some archive packages for Linux or Mac?

As said before, the functionality is not related to the compression algorithm that is used to make files easily downloadable.

We do provide some equivalent to executables that do not need all the dependencies installed for Linux and OS X. They're called flatpak, snap and dmg.