I have been working on a map in inkscape that needs to be converted to eps for (scientific) publication. Export to any format other than svg loses the pattern fills, which is a disaster. Is this a known issue (couldn't find anything on it in these forums), and does anyone have any suggested work arounds?

Thanks

I think pattern fills and clips won't convert to EPS. It's a known limitation. The only real work around is to create your drawing without relying on those effects--I can appreciate this may require a lot more work.

The only alternative is if you have access to another program like Illustrator which could convert a PDF saved from Inkscape into an EPS.

Actually the pattern fills seem to disappear when the file is saved as anything other than svg (plain svg is OK as well as inkscape svg). PDF export loses the fills. Exporting to bitmap preserves the fills, but the results look awful - even racking the dpi right up, and this obviously defeats the point when the desired end result is an eps.

I have to say I struggled with the fills in the first place, and the weakness in their implementation is an absolute reason not to use inkscape. I'll look for the official feedback mechanism to make this point.

Thanks

mrlarge wrote:Actually the pattern fills seem to disappear when the file is saved as anything other than svg

You are probably right. I personally haven't had to do this. But I'm positive the developers are aware.

Exporting to bitmap preserves the fills, but the results look awful - even racking the dpi right up

It really shouldn't. It should look perfect unless something is going wrong. Are you able to provide an example.

...and this obviously defeats the point when the desired end result is an eps.

If you know exactly how you are going to use the image, a correctly sized bitmap will provide identical results to a vector. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices

I have to say I struggled with the fills in the first place, and the weakness in their implementation is an absolute reason not to use inkscape. I'll look for the official feedback mechanism to make this point.

Remember Inkscape is not a product developed by a company of employees. The entire program is developed by volunteers. If you would like to discuss features and functions you can do so on the Developers Mailing-list (details can be found on Inkscape.org). If you have specific idea on how Inkscape can be improved you can log your idea at https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/

Having said that, you might like to raise your issue with pattern fill works on this forum. We are mostly users here, but sometimes users here have advise and knowledge you didn't know before that gets around the problems you have.