This is a read-only archive of the inkscapeforum.com site. You can search for info here or post new questions and comments at The gradient editor is going to be removed from Inkscape 0.46.
> >Comment By: bulia byak (buliabyak)
>Date: 2007-09-28 07:40
>Message:
>Logged In: YES
>user_id=741217
>Originator: NO
>in 0.46 all gradient editing is on canvas, gr editor is gone
>
I think that rather than removing it, the tool should be improved and kept alongside editing on canvas
for tasks difficult to achieve with editing on canvas.
For instance:
1) Generation/modification of gradients by means of formulae
2) Special effects with gradients (interference(?))
any other idea to let the developers know?
...
Demise of Gradient Editor
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
I agree with the removal of the gradient editor (esp after seeing this thread, viewtopic.php?f=5&t=265#p1506). In it's current form, it's very clumsy. It could be improved, but I don't see any advantage to the gradient editor over doing edits on the canvas.
In its current state, there is nothing you can't do on the canvas that you can do in the editor. And working on the canvas is a lot easier. I think the features you describing don't yet exist (what is Gradient Interference?) but if they are introduced they could go on the tool control bar, which is a very accessible area. I can't think of any reason to keep the editor.
In its current state, there is nothing you can't do on the canvas that you can do in the editor. And working on the canvas is a lot easier. I think the features you describing don't yet exist (what is Gradient Interference?) but if they are introduced they could go on the tool control bar, which is a very accessible area. I can't think of any reason to keep the editor.
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
Maybe the new gradient editor could be another program.
Things that it could do:
1) Chosing the interpolation between stoppoints (for instance linear, cubic spline, other functions...) [of course this is
the abstract viewpoint, since finally all SVG gradients will be a set of stoppoints with linear interpolation of colors
and alpha between them].
2) Inserting formulae for the generation of RGBA values and of the positions of stoppoints.
I have already a working Python program that does that (see my blog)... but it is an amateur program...
BTW, the principle underlying my request on the gr editor was that of real-time effect of tools (Xara again!); that is
actions on dialogs should be reflected immediately on the drawing, with much greater control of results.
Things that it could do:
1) Chosing the interpolation between stoppoints (for instance linear, cubic spline, other functions...) [of course this is
the abstract viewpoint, since finally all SVG gradients will be a set of stoppoints with linear interpolation of colors
and alpha between them].
2) Inserting formulae for the generation of RGBA values and of the positions of stoppoints.
I have already a working Python program that does that (see my blog)... but it is an amateur program...
BTW, the principle underlying my request on the gr editor was that of real-time effect of tools (Xara again!); that is
actions on dialogs should be reflected immediately on the drawing, with much greater control of results.
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
"gradient interference" could be:
Combination of two gradients with alpha subintervals to create
moiré and similar effects...
Combination of two gradients with alpha subintervals to create
moiré and similar effects...
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
1) I don't think anything would prevent the developers from including this on the tools control bar.
2) This is something that would ideally be under the "Effects" menu. Do you know that Inkscape uses Python for it's effects? You might be able to have your code included now.
2) This is something that would ideally be under the "Effects" menu. Do you know that Inkscape uses Python for it's effects? You might be able to have your code included now.
Stand-Alone Gradient Editor
I have brushed up my python code and submitted the idea of the gradient editor to Sourceforge.
IF they accept it, I'll need help to bring the unpolished code to an acceptable release stage.
IF they accept it, I'll need help to bring the unpolished code to an acceptable release stage.
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
After completing my latest drawing, I gotta admit that I no longer think the removal of the gradient editor is a good idea. It has major advantage and that is that it's useable at any zoom level.
If you refer to http://microugly.deviantart.com/art/Dad ... s-67843368, the gradient on her lips has 5 stops. At 100% zoom it's unmanageble. You can zoom in, but the way the colours will interact at 100% zooms can be difficult to predict. So you zoom in, make changes, zoom out to check, and repeat until you get it right. Also, with smaller objects, the other issue is that the handles and stops can make it difficult to percieve exactly how something will look until you deselect it.
On-canvas editing isn't so great when I'm finished colouring. I often go back and tweak a lot of the gradients, explore different colours etc etc. Doing this using the gradient editor is far easier then working on-canvas because I can maintain a set zoom and see the results without selecting different objects (although this could be made easier if you could select the gradient from a drop-down list in the editor).
The gradient editor also has the advantage of being able to visualise your gradient without the distraction of objects. You can see exactly what your gradient looks like in the gradient editor, but on canvas other object may give the illusions about how transparent a gradient is, or what colour you have selected for an stop.
On-canvas gradient editing also becomes clumsy when you have overlapping objects and you're editing the gradient on a lower object. If you try to add a stop to the lower object by clicking on the gradient line you'll find that the selection will change to the above object. You have to remember to hold Ctrl (or is it Alt) to select through the above object. Although, this might be behaviour that can be fixed with on-canvas editing.
Although for different reasons, I agree with Rosros that perhaps the editor can be kept for advanced users.
If you refer to http://microugly.deviantart.com/art/Dad ... s-67843368, the gradient on her lips has 5 stops. At 100% zoom it's unmanageble. You can zoom in, but the way the colours will interact at 100% zooms can be difficult to predict. So you zoom in, make changes, zoom out to check, and repeat until you get it right. Also, with smaller objects, the other issue is that the handles and stops can make it difficult to percieve exactly how something will look until you deselect it.
On-canvas editing isn't so great when I'm finished colouring. I often go back and tweak a lot of the gradients, explore different colours etc etc. Doing this using the gradient editor is far easier then working on-canvas because I can maintain a set zoom and see the results without selecting different objects (although this could be made easier if you could select the gradient from a drop-down list in the editor).
The gradient editor also has the advantage of being able to visualise your gradient without the distraction of objects. You can see exactly what your gradient looks like in the gradient editor, but on canvas other object may give the illusions about how transparent a gradient is, or what colour you have selected for an stop.
On-canvas gradient editing also becomes clumsy when you have overlapping objects and you're editing the gradient on a lower object. If you try to add a stop to the lower object by clicking on the gradient line you'll find that the selection will change to the above object. You have to remember to hold Ctrl (or is it Alt) to select through the above object. Although, this might be behaviour that can be fixed with on-canvas editing.
Although for different reasons, I agree with Rosros that perhaps the editor can be kept for advanced users.
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
I hope you've sent a message with your experience to the dev mailing list. From your description, it sounds like at least keeping the gradient editor available would be a good idea.
Re: Demise of Gradient Editor
kelan wrote:I hope you've sent a message with your experience to the dev mailing list. From your description, it sounds like at least keeping the gradient editor available would be a good idea.
Not yet. But I will. I need to formulate my examples better I think. Screenshots etc.