Hi,
how could i align text on circle? Or any different object on the circle or arc? I need to auto rotate this circle, then text will be symmetrically adjust. I think that is analog to align rectangle-like object by the moving (to the center in hight or width). I know i could rotate them by mouse but this is Another words how get this efects:
http://www.unimi.it/img/usmHome.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/i ... _UNIPD.gif
http://www.unibo.it/CMSUniboWeb/Resourc ... s/logo.gif

Or maybe inkscape has same special tools for adjusting object by symmetry type? That will be GREAT.

Pleas help me.

Try this in the Inkscape Manual:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL ... -Path.html

Thats not exactly i want to make. I know i could kerning and shifting text by alt+arrows. But during this i don't know when text will by symmetrically placed on the path. I could only estimate it by eyes. In CorelDraw is special button allowing you to this symmetric adjusting. Could You help me, how this need was solved in Inkscape?

best wishes

Maybe this possibility is fixed in rotate tool (that would be superb solution) but which key could active it?

BTW i think that developer could implement some symmetry-based modification tools (analogy for GREAT Tiled Clones) by rotating.

PS
Is there a pdf version of Inkscape manual or another offline?

Have a look at the Align and Distribute dialog (bottom of Object menu). You can space the letters exactly equally, using Distribute. I'm guessing you might need either Distribute centers equidistantly horizontally, and/or Make horizontal gaps between objects equal. Then you should be able to use Align, and either Center on vertical axis, and/or Align baseline anchors of text horizontally, to make it symmetric. However, centering on a vertical axis is not the same thing as symmetry, just something very close. Using both Align and Distribute should get you very close, but probably not true symmetry.

If anyone else can help statek with this, please jump in. We get lots of messages asking for the Text on a Path feature, and I usually reply by linking to the manual, since that usually provides the answers. But the issue of symmetry of text on a path is beyond my knowledge and skill (although I'm looking forward to learning about it).

[Edit}
Not sure about pdf, but there's a book
http://www.informit.com/store/product.a ... 0137004720

Thanks,
but how could i use Align and Distribute, i have only 2 objects: circle and text? I solved my question by terribly way:
1 made circle and text
2 click on both, then use text / put on path
3 click on text only
4 use alt + arrows until height will be so small as possible
5 click on circle and text then use align to centering (horizontal axis) - there is something wrong with this tool - it doesn't work well. I need to use it many times until effect was acceptable
6 finally i moved text up, above circle

Then i get almost good effect, but this method betrays when character in text are diversify in height. And the main weakness it is very time-consuming. Of course it doesn't work on ellipses

Well, I was thinking of aligning and distributing the letters. On my initial reading of your 2nd and 3rd messages, you seemed interested in a true kind of symmetry, rather than just having the text centered. But now that I'm trying to reproduce your problem, I see that breaking up the text into individual letters and using Align/Dist is taking the long road.

Really, if you Center your text, rather than Align Left (in Text tool toolbar), your text will be centered, and generally symmetrical (althought not technically, truely symmetrical). In this way, the Align and Distribute dialog is not needed.

Here, I made a sample logo, and below I will elaborate on the descriptions:


(Oops, didn't mean to make them so big )

#1 In these examples, I've made the paths which will contain the text in red. After I'm finished, I will remove the strokes. In this 1st sample, I typed the text, using the default Align left setting. You can see that the left-aligned text begins where the circle/path technically begins. Definitely not where you want the text to be.
#2 Here I've rotated the inner red circle. The rotation has to be done before the text is applied to the path, and I had to do a great deal of trial and error (ie - rotate, Text on path, undo twice, rotate to new value, Text on path, undo twice, rotate to new value, Text on path, etc., etc.) until the text appears symmetric.
#3 In the 3rd sample, when I typed the text, I made sure to choose Center, rather than Align left. This centers the text at the center of the circle/path (which is opposite what are technically the ends of the circle/path). Still the text is definitely not where I want it to be, but in this case, I can clearly see that it's exactly 90 degrees off.
#4 Here the inner red circle is rotated by -90 degrees. No trial and error needed. No Align/Distr needed.

I'm sorry this has been so confusing. I think we've been tripped up because of speaking different languages -- much can be lost in translation sometimes. And again, if anyone else can join this discussion, please feel free

So I hope my comments here have finally cleared things up. Please let me know how this works for you.

All best

Brynn you are GREAT !!!
Thanks a lot, You save my life (I waste so much time for this problem). Your solution is perfect I tried to align center the text after putted on path - effect was extremely different. Sorry cause my english, i know it is awful. And i'm thinking about symmetry as a math theory with application in theoretical physics. Also thats the reason of difficulty with saying sensibly about symmetry without math formalism. Again, thank you very much.

best wishes

PS
Are You using 2 circles to receive 4th picture? I'm asking because I don't know how use Distribute\Remove Overlaps and resizing with circles. But I need to make texts on top and bottom exactly in this same ring - You did it. Now I use kerning (up or down), bu it is lame solution.

You're welcome, statek
I'm glad we finally got it right!

I forgot, is there a posiblity to snap guideline to object, not object to guideline. Now i'm duplicating object and changing to guidelines. Again, thanks a lot!

Oops, I didn't see your PS.

Are You using 2 circles to receive 4th picture? I'm asking because I don't know how use Distribute\Remove Overlaps and resizing with circles. But I need to make texts on top and bottom exactly in this same ring - You did it. Now I use kerning (up or down), bu it is lame solution.

Well it seems that you can't scale the text AND the circles at the same time. So you have to make the text the exact size you need it before you apply it to the path. (When I tried scaling a finished logo, the text didn't scale right. I think it's because it's in the circle shape; I think if there were no curve, the scaling would have worked. But really I'm not sure why.) Also, forget about Align and Distribute and Remove overlaps -- it's not needed

Yes, I used 2 circles in the 4th sample. Here's how:

First I made the 2 black circles, the ones that will remain visible when all is finished. Then I duplicated the inner black circle and Scaled it 105%. Then I made it red and thinner, then rotate -90. (Actually thin and red is optional -- I just did that for clarity in the image -- eventually I will remove the red stroke altogether.) Next type text for the top, format the text, and finally Put text on path.

For the bottom text, first I duplicated the outer black circle and Scaled it 95%. Then I made it red and thinner. Now for the bottom text, if you follow the instructions that I posted a link to in my 1st message, this path has to be reversed, in order to reverse the direction of the text (on the circle/path). So after making red and thinner, Path menu > Object to Path, then Path menu > Reverse. Next type text for bottom, format the text, and Put text on path.

The duplicated circles do not have to be scaled exactly 105% and 95%. They can be scaled to any number, as long as they are an equal number above and below 100% (102 and 98, 112 and 88, 106 and 94, etc.).

Now the logo is finished, as far as the text. Now you can select the 2 thin, red circles, open the Fill and Stroke dialog > Stroke tab, and click on the big X, which means "no stroke". This will make those paths invisible, although they will still be there.

I forgot, is there a posiblity to snap guideline to object, not object to guideline. Now i'm duplicating object and changing to guidelines.

Yes. To snap guideline to object: Doc Prop dialog > Snap tab -- enable snapping for Nodes, Snap to Nodes and Snap to Paths; also on Guides tab -- Snap guides while dragging. After all settings are correct, then whenever you drag a guideline, and it gets close to a node or path, it will kind of jump over to the node or path. However, you have to grab the guide where it's closest to the node or path. If you grab it too far away, it won't snap. And next, if you no longer want to snap object to guide, you need to disable snapping. Or instead of disabling snapping, you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + drag, each time you drag something. (I prefer disabling snapping, to having to remember the Shift, but whatever works for you )

If you still have more questions, please feel free to ask

brynn wrote: Yes. To snap guideline to object: Doc Prop dialog > Snap tab -- enable snapping for Nodes, Snap to Nodes and Snap to Paths; also on Guides tab -- Snap guides while dragging. After all settings are correct, then whenever you drag a guideline, and it gets close to a node or path, it will kind of jump over to the node or path. However, you have to grab the guide where it's closest to the node or path. If you grab it too far away, it won't snap. And next, if you no longer want to snap object to guide, you need to disable snapping. Or instead of disabling snapping, you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + drag, each time you drag something. (I prefer disabling snapping, to having to remember the Shift, but whatever works for you )

If you still have more questions, please feel free to ask

It doesn't work on my comp. I don't know why. I musty disable "snap when distance is less then ...", forget it. I have one doubt with this circles. I made this 2 red circles (defining text area). Then i must put 2 text strings (this same font size). But how could adjust font size? It must be accurate (too big means crossing circles, too small means ugly gaps between circles and text). I must do it experimentally? Or maybe you know better way? And my las question, i promise i don want to bother you more. Do you know any good&free svg viewer on win, now i use firefox for fast preview, but it has many lacks:)

best wishes

It's no problem, statek, you can ask as many questions as you want -- whatever it takes! Luckily this is a topic I know something about, lol :mrgreen:

Yeah, those Snap settings are SO confusing. You think you have them set to snap as agressively as possible, but really, you have just reduced the snapping potential! You don't have to disable "Snap when distance is less than", but disabling it actually makes snapping stronger, from any distance. If you keep it checked, snapping only happens at the distance you choose, and not beyond that distance.

But how could adjust font size?

After you type the text, with the Text Tool :tool_text: still active, look at the toolbar across the top. You'll see places to set the font type, size, and choices for centering, aligning, etc. On my computer, for some reason, I have trouble when I use this toolbar. So I open the Text and Font dialog (from the Text menu), and I am able to format the text there.

Yes, you do have to experiment to get the right size. What I do is to make 2 straight lines the same distance apart as the thinkness of the ring (that's made of red circles). Then you can type your text in or near it, change sizes, and move around the text until you hit upon the right size. Then just delete the straight lines after you get the size right, and Put text on path.

I have heard of a good, free SVG Viewerr. Let's see if I can find the name and website. Here we go: RENESIS PLAYER I must report, however, that I have been unable to get the browser plugin to work. The thumbnail veiwer works beautifully though.

Let me know how things go with your logo.

brynn wrote:It's no problem, statek, you can ask as many questions as you want -- whatever it takes! Luckily this is a topic I know something about, lol

Again, You are GREAT !!! - like You very much:)

brynn wrote:Yeah, those Snap settings are SO confusing. You think you have them set to snap as agressively as possible, but really, you have just reduced the snapping potential! You don't have to disable "Snap when distance is less than", but disabling it actually makes snapping stronger, from any distance. If you keep it checked, snapping only happens at the distance you choose, and not beyond that distance.

If i not disable "Snap when distance is less than", snapping guidelines doesn't work, completely doesn't. Changing distance doesn't work too. So, or i disable "Snap when distance is less than" or i cant snapping guidelines. I think changing duplicated object to guidelines is easier:) Maybe it is win release bug. Forget it.

brynn wrote:After you type the text, with the Text Tool still active, look at the toolbar across the top. You'll see places to set the font type, size, and choices for centering, aligning, etc. On my computer, for some reason, I have trouble when I use this toolbar. So I open the Text and Font dialog (from the Text menu), and I am able to format the text there.

I agree something goes wrong with this toolbar.

brynn wrote:Yes, you do have to experiment to get the right size. What I do is to make 2 straight lines the same distance apart as the thinkness of the ring (that's made of red circles). Then you can type your text in or near it, change sizes, and move around the text until you hit upon the right size. Then just delete the straight lines after you get the size right, and Put text on path.

Pity. Working with Inkscape is very time-consuming. I think i know little easier method. Change duplicated circles to guidelines, then snap text to one of them and choose font (without drawing any new object and handle moving text). But this extremely close to yours. The worst moment is font size choosing - usually predefined sizes are not good.

brynn wrote:I have heard of a good, free SVG Viewerr. Let's see if I can find the name and website. Here we go: RENESIS PLAYER I must report, however, that I have been unable to get the browser plugin to work. The thumbnail veiwer works beautifully though.

I tried this RenesisPLayer, but it cannot display all svg correctly. Batik viewer is more powerful in this applications but it so big (~12MB) and so slow. That is big lack in freesoft, that is no powerful image viewer. There is Gimp and Inkscape that could replace Adobe or Corel solutions in basic applications, but no raster&vector viewer ...

If i not disable "Snap when distance is less than", snapping guidelines doesn't work, completely doesn't.

Yes, this is how it should be! We must have had another language translation misunderstanding Snapping guidelines does work with Snap distance enabled, but sometimes you have to be zoomed in to just the right place to notice that it's working. The shorter the distance that's defined, the more you need to be zoomed in to experience the Snap.

I think changing duplicated object to guidelines is easier:)

Everyone finds a work process that works best for them. I've never used Object to Guideline, but that doesn't mean it's not a perfectly acceptable way to work

Pity. Working with Inkscape is very time-consuming.

Inkscape is still very much in the development stage. Some people (like me) still experience a lot of bugs and crashing. Although developers and graphic artists always say is pretty stable. I think there is a much bigger learning curve for non-professionals like me!

The worst moment is font size choosing - usually predefined sizes are not good.

I didn't have much trouble in making my examples. But I can see if you are working with a very small logo (less than 150 px), it could be frustrating getting everything proportionally sized.

Batik viewer is more powerful in this applications but it so big (~12MB) and so slow.

Interesting, I had not heard of Batik. I thought I'd post a link, in case others are interested. I think I might download and try it out. Looks like I might find some of its other tools useful, in addition to the viewer, even though I am NOT a developer.

All best

brynn wrote:

If i not disable "Snap when distance is less than", snapping guidelines doesn't work, completely doesn't.

I should write: If i disable "Snap when distance is less than", snapping guidelines doesn't work, completely doesn't. Pleas pardon me. I must back to school:) Seriously, today i will open school books - thats the only way. Sometimes I really don't like difference between my language and others especially at double negation ...

Yes, this is how it should be! We must have had another language translation misunderstanding Snapping guidelines does work with Snap distance enabled, but sometimes you have to be zoomed in to just the right place to notice that it's working. The shorter the distance that's defined, the more you need to be zoomed in to experience the Snap.

Very sorry and best wishes:)