Did text on image but wouldn't save

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emma27
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Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby emma27 » Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:38 pm

Hi Everybody :)
I've been shown on this forum how to put curved text on an image, so thanks for that. The image has been converted from .xcf to .jpg in GIMP, at least I'm hoping that's what happened. I thought as .jpg it would work better in Inkscape. So after long hours trying to draw a not so wobbly curved line with the pencil, putting in the text and text along path, I thought I had the most beeeoootiful curved text in the universe. Imagine how I felt when I tried to save it and it said, with a great big red cross :oops: :? all over the page with the image gone, something about not being linked and it hasn't been saved. All this started when I opened the image in GIMP. Also in Inkscape I didn't put the curved text onto a new layer. :roll: If anyone can help me I would be very grateful. Thanks. emma27 :tool_text:[color=#0000FF]
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prkos
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby prkos » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:40 pm

I'm not sure I completely understand what's happening but have you tried embedding the image? It's under Effects > Images if you're using 0.46
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emma27
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby emma27 » Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:51 pm

Hi prykos :)
Thanks for your reply. To explain further, I resized the image with Inkscape, I did a curved path using the freehand pencil, then added the text and text along path. The image was an imported royalty free from jupiter.com saved as a jpeg, then opened in inkscape. When I had finished the stuff on the image I tried to save it and then the red cross appears saying 'linked image not found'. :? I've read all kinds of answers about what to do and I get the impression it's some kind of bug in Inkscape. Some say you have to ungroup an imported image 2 or 3 times, other users give other explanations. I have Inkscape 0.46. If you can help I would be really very happy to know what to do as I prefer Inkscape to GIMP. emma27 :roll:

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brynn
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby brynn » Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:26 am

I think it would be helpful to know what steps you took and in what order. Because I'm not sure why you would want to edit a JPG in Inkscape. Afaik, it can be done, although I will admit that I don't know what issues might be involved. However, I'm not at all clear what you're doing. Here's what I understand so far, and if you could correct it, I think we'll be able to sort out the problem.

1 - You got the image from jupiter, saved as JPG, then opened in Inkscape.
2 - You also said you changed it from XCF to JPG in GIMP. How did it get to be XCF? After you acquired from jupiter, did you edit in GIMP some and save in the native GIMP filetype XCF? Then still in GIMP, save as JPG and close; then open the JPG in Inkscape?
3 - After you opened the JPG in Inkscape, you said you resized it. At any time, did you use Trace Bitmap (from Path menu) to convert it to vectors? Or did you just add the vector Text on Path, on top of the JPG (but not on a new layer)? If so, this may be the heart of the problem.
4 - When you finished with your Text on Path, and saved in Inkscape, did you choose JPG from the dropdown list in the Save As dialog? Or did you just click the Save icon?
5 - In one place, you said you saw the red X and "Linked image not found" when you tried to save in Inkscape. But in another place, you said you saw it when you tried to open it again later in GIMP. Did you see it in both places, or have I misunderstood you?

I think the trouble may be that you're thinking Inkscape and GIMP do the same thing, but have different interfaces (GUIs). (And I could not agree more; I love the Inkscape interface; it's why I've gone to so much trouble to learn about vector graphics!) However, they are very different! GIMP is similar to most other graphics program, in that it is a raster type editor. Raster means that a pixel in the editor is equal to a pixel on the screen (or monitor), so that whatever attributes you have assigned to each pixel in a raster type program, are displayed in each on the screen. However, Inkscape is a vector type graphics program (SVG means Scalable Vector Graphics). Unfortunately, I can't explain vector grphics very well, except to say that they don't recognize pixels (except as a unit of measure). But here's some info from Wikipedia, and you can do your own research to further understand it, as well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics.

Anyway, I suspect you tried to save your JPG as an SVG, which won't automatically happen. So if you can clear us up on each step you took, and in what order, I think we can help you sort it all out :D

emma27
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby emma27 » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:57 am

Hi brynn :)
Thanks for your reply. These are the steps exactly as I did them with a new image I downloaded from jupiter. So I downloaded the image from jupiter, saved as jpeg but I think it saved as jpg, then opened Inkscape, then 'file' and then 'open' to open the image, I resized the image to my liking using x and y, then using the freehand pencil tool I created a path, then I selected A from tools, made the font and size right, then clicked on the image above the path to put in the text, then selected text and using CTRL+SHIFT held down so I could select the path as well, then went to text and clicked put on path. It worked just fine. :D So then I went to 'fill and stroke' and after selecting the text I used 'fill' I think it was to change the color of the text, then I selected the path and went back to 'fill and stroke' meaning opening the 'fill and stroke' dialog again, I clicked on the 'stroke paint' tab in the dialog box, then moved the A slider all the way to the left to make the path disappear. This worked too. :lol: . Then I pressed 'save' in the 'file' tab and that's when this big red cross appeared with a message on it 'linked image not found' :? :oops: :cry: brynn thanks for your help so far. emma27

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prkos
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby prkos » Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:40 pm

Can you try it again only this time don't open the jpg but import it through the File > Import.

Your problem might be this bug, which has been solved recently https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/429529
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Inkscape Manual on Floss
Inkscape FAQ
very comprehensive Inkscape guide
Inkscape 0.48 Illustrator's Cookbook - 109 recipes to learn and explore Inkscape - with SVG examples to download

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brynn
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Re: Did text on image but wouldn't save

Postby brynn » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:13 am

Hi emma,
In most cases, I would defer to prkos, who is much more skilled and experienced than I am.

It sounds like you have follwed all the proper steps for creating the text on path, and indeed it sounds like you have been successful there. I would say that the problem is that the text on path you've created is a vector image (which would normally be saved as SVG), while the image you got on jupiter is a JPG. And I think the problem is that Inkscape can't save one part of an image as SVG and another part as JPG. I think the "linked image that can't be found" is the JPG part. And I think that's why prkos suggested Importing the JPG. (Yeah, I know that's a lot of "thinks" -- I can't image I'll ever reach the end of learning Inkscape :P )

Wow, I just read the bug report that prkos referenced and linked, and indeed, you have stumbled upon a bug! In order to get the fix, you will need to download the version 0.47pre4. However before that, I would definitely try prkos's suggestion to Import your JPG, rather than Open it. (Open Inkscape, then File menu > Import)


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