Hi there!
Fist of all, thanks to every and each one of you guys responsible for this incredible piece of software.
I'm an inkscape's enthusianstic since it was sodipoli (lol) and now I think I finally have something to contribute.

A have solid knowing of Packaging design sofwares, like Impact and Laserline, wich have features such Packaging Macros, where the user is capable of setting width, height and depth of the package and select lots of options to create his design.
Such software are really really expensive, and Based on an extension found in inkscape wich dran a simple box, I created a whole set of new options and calculations to fit REAL Packaging Design needs.
It is an Extension called INKPACKING.

Lets explaing it through some images:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... magem7.png
here is the menu where it appears (i know it is outside pattern but I could not set it write, sorry u_u)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... magem8.png
It has lots of tabs an options regarding all aspects of the package, Things like Dust Flaps, Clue and Lock Flaps dimensions, discounts and angles are also changeable

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... magem9.png
It uses an extreme precise measurings and calculations so Designer just dont worry about techinical stuff, like paper compensations and do. It will simply work just fine.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... agem10.png
Different top and bottom lockers dimension and positions can be made

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... agem11.png
Things like finger slots are also available

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... agem12.png
This is a very common package design made with inkpacking

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... agem14.png
And a lot of variations we can do with it!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ANvxZnqhd_M/S ... agem16.png
Of course we can use the drawing for plotting, cutting mockup machines and using inkcape ilustration features for a complete Packaging Design solution!

Sure there a lot of features missing, like automatic layouting and some Lockers and Top/Bottom options, but I think the present set offers a lot of good features.

Hope it could be integrated in future versions of Inkscape. Meanwile, just download the attachement and try INKPACKING just extracting to inkscape's extension folder

My very Best Regards!!!

Celso Junior
Brazil

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

Wow, this sounds like a very useful extension, for those who need boxes And thanks for your hard work too!

I haven't looked at any of your images yet. But I wanted to ask, have you posted a message previously, perhaps under a different userrname? It's not a problem. But the reason I ask is that someone else recently posted that they want to create such an extension as this. I would assume it was you. But if not, we might be able to search out the other messages and put the 2 of you together.

Also I wanted to suggest contacting the developers via the mailing list, or maybe irc channel. Then you can have developers testing it, and have a better chance of getting it included with a future release. I've seen extensions offered here and there, which can be downloaded and added to Inkscape (somehow), but which don't come with the installed version. So it will be useful, whether or not it's eventually "official". But it can't hurt to try

Now I'm off to look at the PNGs

celso.junior wrote:I'm an inkscape's enthusianstic since it was sodipoli (lol) and now I think I finally have something to contribute.

Great to hear and many thanks for sharing the extension!

celso.junior wrote:A have solid knowing of Packaging design sofwares, like Impact and Laserline, wich have features such Packaging Macros, where the user is capable of setting width, height and depth of the package and select lots of options to create his design.
Such software are really really expensive, and Based on an extension found in inkscape wich dran a simple box, I created a whole set of new options and calculations to fit REAL Packaging Design needs.
It is an Extension called INKPACKING.

Lets explaing it through some images:(…)

Unfortunately the screenshots are rather tiny and thus nearly unreadable. Maybe you could crop the original screenshots and publish them without scaling down?

A quick initial feedback based on an as quick test run by someone otherwise not familiar with packaging design and all the intricate details and terminology it involves: Could you add 'px' as selectable unit to the extension as well? Internally, Inkscape saves all values converted to SVG user units (px), and sometimes, work flows and designs are better created and kept in pixel units until scaled for a specific output format, to prevent any accumulation of rounding errors due to the units conversions.

celso.junior wrote:Hope it could be integrated in future versions of Inkscape. Meanwile, just download the attachement and try INKPACKING just extracting to inkscape's extension folder

To have the extension considered for inclusion and distribution with Inkscape, please file a report in Inskcape's bug tracker (it will be marked as 'feature request' by a member of the bug team) and attach the extension there. It would be helpful if you also provide a readme.txt or an SVG drawing explaining the usage and the detailed options. Maybe you could also elaborate on how your new extension relates to the existing one ('Extensions > Render > Foldable Box…'), and how (if feasible) the two could be combined.
In the meantime, I would recommend that you add the extension to the list in the Inkscape wiki (Extension Repository) and either link to this forum topic, or upload the extension to one of the many free code hosting services (sf.net, google code, gitourious or github, launchpad.net, etc.)

Another question about the paths created by your extension:
The existing 'Foldable Box…' extension creates separate closed paths for each part of the foldable box, which thus can be easily edited, colored or pattern-filled or even used as clip-paths.
Any special reason why your extension creates a series of unclosed paths (technically they seem to reflect or correspond to the various additional options offered)? Is it mainly to avoid coinciding (aka duplicate) edges when sending the design to a plotting/cutting device?

brynn wrote:Welcome to InkscapeForum!

Wow, this sounds like a very useful extension, for those who need boxes And thanks for your hard work too!

I haven't looked at any of your images yet. But I wanted to ask, have you posted a message previously, perhaps under a different userrname? It's not a problem. But the reason I ask is that someone else recently posted that they want to create such an extension as this. I would assume it was you. But if not, we might be able to search out the other messages and put the 2 of you together.

Hi there!
Well, don't know about the other extension, this is the first time I create a topic here and first-time user really ^_^
Since I could not attach the images directly I tried to link it from my blog, wich explains and describes Inkpacking but it is in Brazilian Portuguese unfortunally. u_u

brynn wrote:Also I wanted to suggest contacting the developers via the mailing list, or maybe irc channel. Then you can have developers testing it, and have a better chance of getting it included with a future release. I've seen extensions offered here and there, which can be downloaded and added to Inkscape (somehow), but which don't come with the installed version. So it will be useful, whether or not it's eventually "official". But it can't hurt to try

Now I'm off to look at the PNGs

Ok! Thanks for the tip! I'll follow it so let's see if the extension can be approoved, "standarlizided" and integrated with Inkscape.
Thanks a lot!

~suv wrote:Great to hear and many thanks for sharing the extension!

Unfortunately the screenshots are rather tiny and thus nearly unreadable. Maybe you could crop the original screenshots and publish them without scaling down?

Ok! I tried to link from my blog but seems the resolution is not that good... I can fix that! ^ ^

~suv wrote:A quick initial feedback based on an as quick test run by someone otherwise not familiar with packaging design and all the intricate details and terminology it involves: Could you add 'px' as selectable unit to the extension as well? Internally, Inkscape saves all values converted to SVG user units (px), and sometimes, work flows and designs are better created and kept in pixel units until scaled for a specific output format, to prevent any accumulation of rounding errors due to the units conversions.

Ok! I choose other measures cause I was thinking in real world units. But the main problem is that paper thinkess compensations would be inaccurate even if we do not redimension the drawing when we try to print, let`s say, sin ome cutting plotter machine. But there is nothing wrong puttig px as an option! No problem.

~suv wrote:
To have the extension considered for inclusion and distribution with Inkscape, please file a report in Inskcape's bug tracker (it will be marked as 'feature request' by a member of the bug team) and attach the extension there. It would be helpful if you also provide a readme.txt or an SVG drawing explaining the usage and the detailed options. Maybe you could also elaborate on how your new extension relates to the existing one ('Extensions > Render > Foldable Box…'), and how (if feasible) the two could be combined.
In the meantime, I would recommend that you add the extension to the list in the Inkscape wiki (Extension Repository) and either link to this forum topic, or upload the extension to one of the many free code hosting services (sf.net, google code, gitourious or github, launchpad.net, etc.)

I thought it would be tha way, integrating with the existable extension. For inkpacking I was just not capable of creating it inside Render menu - lack of knowledge u_u
I' ll follow the links and do as you said ^_^ let's hope it can be integrated correctly and inside inkscape standards.

Best regards and thanks!

~suv wrote:Another question about the paths created by your extension:
The existing 'Foldable Box…' extension creates separate closed paths for each part of the foldable box, which thus can be easily edited, colored or pattern-filled or even used as clip-paths.
Any special reason why your extension creates a series of unclosed paths (technically they seem to reflect or correspond to the various additional options offered)? Is it mainly to avoid coinciding (aka duplicate) edges when sending the design to a plotting/cutting device?

That`s a good noticing!
Normal CAD designs really do that, single Lines an no Filling areas and no overflapping lines. That's what I tried to reproduce.
But there is another issue that obligates the drawing be like that: Paper Thickness Compensations. It displaces "crease" lines inside the Box, lines in top and bottom parts, Locker and Clue Dust Flap, so there is not really closed path inside the drawing u_u

But, there is an option: Using the Fill tool, at an optimal zoom, can create closed filled areas inside every part... that's not that ellegant but works

Regards an thanks

celso.junior wrote:Extension called INKPACKING.

Excellent extension. Too bad it doesn't work in version 0.91, displays the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "inkpacking.py", line 891, in <module>
e.affect()
File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\extensions\inkex.py", line 268, in affect
self.effect()
File "inkpacking.py", line 185, in effect
docW = inkex.unittouu(self.document.getroot().get('width'))
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'unittouu'

Hopefully not this abandoned and solve it

Anyone know another tool / extension / similar script that this working?

Gracias

There was a change in version 0.91 having something to do with unit conversion, that I understand - not at all. I just mention that in case you might be able to fix it yourself. If you do, please share your fix, so others can benfit

There are some other extensions that might work. Boxmaker: http://hackaday.com/2012/07/26/box-make ... -inkscape/

Tabbed Boxmaker: viewtopic.php?p=38785

Or another option would be to install the last stable version of Inkscape 0.48.5, where I guess it probably still works. You don't necessarily have to uninstall 0.91, to install the older version. Just put in a different directory.

See the release notes for more details about how to fix: http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php ... ing_change (if you give me a few days, I could do that, too)

Works again (modified for 0.91, also it now lives in 'Render' submenu, like the standard foldable box):



Should this extension be made more widely available? I could upload at inkscape.org - but it's not *my* extension (but GPL 2.0 or higher, so technically not a problem), and it's not really finished (no px units, two options marked with *todo*).

Just a very brief look, to me seems more comprehensive than Boxmaker and Tabbed Bm. So probably would be nice if it were at least listed on wiki repository page. But if not finished, probably not ready for adding to the Extensions menu.

If ownership matters, maybe you could call it your version of Celso Junior's extension. If 2 options are marked as "todo" then maybe they are hoping someone will do it, implying that it's ok to modify it? After nearly 4 years without changes..... ??

Could always TRY contacting via pm....

Thanks, Brynn. I've sent celso.junior a PM now - if there's no reply within the next two weeks, I'll just create a github repo, so maybe others can contribute.

Got no answer from celso.junior - neither by mail nor forum PM :/

The extension is available here now: https://github.com/Moini/inkpacking

If someone would like to take over maintenance or improve the extension, please contact me via the repository's issue section.