Hello, I am new to INKSCAPE, have only had it a week but already can use it which is more than I can say for Photoshop et al and half a year.
However, I am NOT really creative, nor technical, which for most part doesn't seem to be an issue with InkS.

OS etc.
Wind 2003 server enterprise English , Opera, Pent 4 dual core, Language setting NZ English Inkscape version .47

I am trying to make a Gate Brochure in Chinese and English.
I can get the English up no problems but am having a devil of a job with Cn.
I have tried to paste a Chinese doc using the PASTE and PASTE IN PLACE option from EDIT but although it works the result is a series of small boxes.
I have tried to :
select text tool, click somewhere on canvas, then go to Text dialog box (Ctrl+Shift+T), select the Text tab, right-click in the text area, select Input Method>SCIM Input Method from the menu, press Ctrl+Space to switch scim from english to chinese text, then type in pinyin and select the appropriate phrase using number keys or mouse, and the chinese text appears in the text area in the Text dialog box. When I click the Apply button, the text appears on the canvas but again as a series of small boxes.
The latter I cut from "Peter Moulder wrote on 2008-07-01:" in answer to a similar question.

Also a weird thing, although as i said, I have an English OS, use English input and language options, [am English] some parts of INK are tabbed in Chinese.
For example, when I initiate the TEXT box, [as above] and select TEXT, the options are are all in Chinese, the TABS are English, as is "Set As Default", bottom left hand, but the bottom right which should be apply and cut are in Chinese.
Coming back to Text dialog box (Ctrl+Shift+T) and the TEXT tab, the 6th option, [after ELECT ALL seems to be a language option, [remember this is in Chinese on my system!] but Chinese is not among the choice of languages, Thai, Vietnam are there, but not what I want.
That isn't really an issue, I just want to write or paste in Chinese!

If anyone can help me with this I would really, really appreciate it.
Thanks
Peter

Hi there,

Glad you feel that Inkscape has been very useful to you, barring the small problems you're having with the Chinese fonts

What OS are you running Inkscape on?
I know I did have some trouble before (in Kubuntu) pasting Japanese text (which has some Kanji) into Inkscape from certain sources -- what worked for me, though, is to paste the text from the source onto a plain text editor like Gedit, Kwrite or Leafpad (in Windows, Notepad), and then recopy it from there into the Inkscape text box. Not sure why it works, but it just works [for me].

Well, see if that helps, it's worth a try anyway. ^^

Hello, thanks very much for that.

OS etc.
Wind 2003 server enterprise English , Opera, Pent 4 dual core, Language setting NZ English Inkscape version .47

I too wondered if it is the O/S, I do get issues with some programmes that won't function fully on it, was thinking of setting up dual boot with XP.
I have SUSE Linux, but with an old INKSCAPE and it is limited, I tried to upgrade but not tech savy to do that in Linux.

I will try your suggestion, I did spend another couple of days wit Mr Google, the only thing I found was PAINT. net which I downloaded and used instead as a stop gap. Plus is I CAN type in Chinese, negatives, is that it is not editable, it pastes"Into the photo" and then you are stuck with it.
Actually, it is not a bad bit of soft, but INK still has the edge for overall control, creativity and design so I will try your suggestion, and report back, probably next week as I am off on Chinese New year break soon.

So, thanks again.
p/s does any one else have rouble with the CAPTCHA or???
This is try number 6!

Hi C Quel.
Well, it failed.

Sort of
Maybe I need to clarify, doing what you suggest does work in so fr as I CAN get the Chinese characters into the TEXT box, BUT I can also do that from either typing direct or posting from any other source.
The problem comes when I hit add [or what ever it is}, the end result on canvas, where it matters, is ALWAYS a series of boxes.

I have given up searching Google for info, there seems nothing much there and unless I have missed it, the Manual for Ink doesn't actually cover this either.
I am not sure if I can but I will try to add a screen shot here of what my "TEXT" box looks like with part Eng and part Cn
Nope, I can't!

For now I will have to struggle with Paint.net, but cheers a heap for your suggestion.



Peter

Hmmm, now I wonder if it's an issue with the font.

Oh well, I guess if you want to end it here we'll have no choice. ^__^

But I don't want to turn down a good challenge, so why don't you post a sample of the text you want to add into Inkscape, so I can at leats tinker away and find out what the deal is. If I do come up with something, I'll let you know... that way, if we have another WordPerfect (or Lotus123?) come and visit us, I'll know exactly what to say next time. ^^b

Hmmm, the font?
I use VERDANA as my defult, for Eng, I think the stuff my wife typed and I tried to paste was Simsum, but I would have to wait till she came back after CNY to ask her.

To be honest I never thought of playing with the font control in the text box, will try that later and report back.
As for the Challenge, hehehe me too, but my knowledge of INK is limited, the manual is great but, unless I keep missing it, there isn't a hole heap of info on Chinese font issues.
Also, I know it sounds harsh but right now my priority is getting the brochure finished and printed in time for March China trade fairs, so time to "Play" is short.
But, how do I paste stuff here, sounds a daft question but I tied the screen shot of a "bi-lingual" drop down and it failed.

I'm still betting my buttons on it being an O/S thing, doesn't like win 2003 Server, some progs don't run so well on it I have noticed.
Ahhh Lotus 123, would have been a cool company name I guess, maybe fraught with copyright issues when we came to register it, but we went with the expression WORD PERFECT as a multi lingual marketing company with native speakers.

Cheers
peter WPBeijing

c-quel wrote:Hmmm, now I wonder if it's an issue with the font. ^^b

Well my friend, what a cool customer you are!
Yes, it WAS the font!
You know I had looked at that option many many times, BUT the thing I overlooked was the font setting in the TEXT BOX.
Once I changed that to DIMSIM or what ever, the little boxes magically turned into Chinese characters.
So damned simple and obvious yet I missed it each and very time, had it not been for your [maybe not so] subtle hint I would still be wondering.
So, thank you buddy, sadly I worked it out too late for this job but next time I will use INK and see how I go.
Sorry about the delay in thanking you, i went away fro 3 weeks and then forgot how to get back to this page!
Duh