Hello everybody,

As i'm using Inkscape quite often, it's now time to mention my ideas for new features.

First of all a tool similar to the lattice tool in Blender would be very nice (I haven't found such a tool). Just define a "cage" object for your model and apply global shape changes to the cage, the model should follow appropriate. But of course it should be possible to use more complex shapes than squares as "cage" objects.

Another approvement: a possibility to change the arrow size and linestyle size independently from the line weight.

Additionally a nice tool would be some type of dimensioning tool like in most CAD packages (i just can speak for myself, but I need such a tool in many drawings).
You select 2 points and the tool creates the corresponding dimension. Maybe with some options like arrow type, font, ...

Last but not least, the text tool!!! Unfortunatelly I use the Win Version and this tool has developed another few new bugs in the new 0.46.

Ok, thats all from me

Jakob

I seen a video somewhere that I think illustrated your cage idea. I can't remember where I found it now. It looked very useful for animation.

I personally don't like the idea of introducing dimensioning. I think Inkscape needs to keep its focus. Those who want a CAD program should get a CAD program. Inkscape shouldn't attempt to be an illustration program, page layout program, CAD program, raster program, etc, etc. It will likely suffer if attempts to be too many things. People should be encouraged to use the correct tools for the job, rather than throwing all features into one program. I bet drafters aren't asking AutoDesk to include a calligraphy tool into AutoCAD so they can use it to draw comics.

There is a new Live Path Effect called Lattice deformation, it might be what you talk about. You won't find it in the official 0.46 version, the version I have it in is a few days old. Its still a big buggy though but you can download a development Inkscape version and play with it

As a technical writer I´m using inkscape for technical illustrations.
jakobgager: I agree with you, it would be helpful to have some more techdrawing abilities.

besides it is in the roadmap:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php ... _abilities

Thanks for the quick replys.

To microUgly: I don't want Inkscape to behave like AutoCAD. But as I'm a student of mechanical engineering, I have to draw lots of schematic sketches with just one or two dimensions. So there is no need to draw exact lines, circles or something like in real technical drawings. It's just to create nice looking images with some information.
Of course I could draw the dimensions myself but, it would save some time if there was such a tool available.

Ciao Jakob

You should also look into Effects > Visualize Path > Measure Path and Effects > Visualize Path > Measure Path > Dimensions

The first puts a text on path object with the path length, and the other draws technical helper lines to mark the length and height of the object. You can combine those 2 to get what you want.

But I don't think you can find the Dimensions in the official 0.46, you have to get a latest dev build to use it. But you can still make use of Measure Path in 0.46

macti wrote:As a technical writer I´m using inkscape for technical illustrations.
besides it is in the roadmap:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php ... _abilities

Besides it is already in works

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php ... echDrawing
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.grap ... evel/27077

[img=http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/4/7/6/t_techm_8ccd887.png]