Hi Friends,
I'm answering my 2nd topic this month where the member has used the .7z version of Inkscape, rather than the Windows installer version. In both cases, the new user could not make the tools work at all. In both cases, right "out of the box" the tools were found to have styles Unset!

The first topic: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9457 which ~suv found too tedious to read in detail (probably my fault), and this one today viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9674.

Why is the zipped version released with these tools styles Unset as the default?

Thanks for any comments

Does the page say how many time this particular release is downloaded? I don't have a solution for why the tool styles are unset. But I'm wondering how often this version is ever used.

I do use 7zip in Windows. I prefer it to Windows XP's default zip management. But I might find it hard to believe the average user would prefer to locate a *.7z version. In fact, I'm sort of puzzled as to why it's even available since most users are comfortable with setup.exe.

Still, you *do* have a point. I imagine this release is out in order to help resolve any problems that might come up with the setup.exe version.

That seems like a reasonable explanation to me.

I don't expect the problem will come up in the forum much at all, if ever again. I just tend to have an insatiable curiousity. I like to understand why things are they way they are. Yes, that makes life very frustrating and confusing for me, lol! But also, pretty darn amazing!

Anyway, not a serious problem. That's a good answer to give, if it ever comes up agian. It just seems odd to me to have the styles unset.

Thanks for answering

I hear you. And to a degree we can answer some questions here. But yours, while an excellent question, is a tough one. Even if we both put our minds to it and figured out what went wrong I don't think we could *fix* the problem.

Perhaps this should be sent exactly to the bug reporting area. Hmm! Is it possible to put in a bug report based on what you posted here in the forum over at the links you gave to the other poster?

Let's see if they can tackle this and re-compile a 7z version with all the right settings.

BobSongs wrote:(…) But I'm wondering how often this version is ever used.

I do use 7zip in Windows. I prefer it to Windows XP's default zip management. But I might find it hard to believe the average user would prefer to locate a *.7z version. In fact, I'm sort of puzzled as to why it's even available since most users are comfortable with setup.exe.

AFAIU there are reasons why others may prefer not to have to use the installer for each new development build they offer to test, and some even may want to keep multiple versions unpacked in different folders to be able to compare different revisions. Automatically installed shortcuts, links into the start menu and file associations are not really required to run inkscape directly out of the folder the 7z or ZIP archive was unpacked to.

Honestly I don't understand why you bother with formats you personally have no use for, and even want to get rid of them altogether (why would Inkscape need developers on Windows anyway?).

The installer package has been, currently is, and will be (probably as .MSI for 0.49, too) provided for stable releases.

I haven't seen anyone reproduce (i.e. give a list of steps to reproduce) the claim that the 7z or ZIP archive of the stable or recent development builds has different (unset) tool preferences compared to what Inkscape uses out-of-the-box if installed with the EXE installer version (assuming fresh, new default preferences for both test cases!) - the reports about tools not working that I do recall are either due to misconfigured tablets (mouse/pen works in the menus and toolbars, but not on the canvas), opacity set to '0' (sometimes this sticks as 'last style used' after editing the style attributes of a transparent gradient stop on-canvas) or the alpha channel ('A') of the fill or stroke color set to '0'.

Some of the reasons I'm not convinced that the two mentioned topics describe problems related to using the 7z or ZIP archive instead of the installer on Windows:

• Inkscape has "hard-coded" default styles/preferences which are in effect if the 'preferences.xml' file does not yet exist for the current user (e.g. the first time the application is run by the current user), and written to the newly created preferences file when Inkscape is quit.
• If the preferences file exists (e.g. from an earlier Inkscape version used with the same account/user, or an earlier test run), the settings are taken from that file.
• Delete or move/rename the file and a new one is created with default settings the next time Inkscape is launched and quit again (allows to "reset" Inkscape).
• Uninstalling Inkscape using the 'Uninstaller' does not delete the preferences file (usually you want to keep your custom settings when e.g. upgrading, or installing a different version later on).
• The installer package uses the same binary build of inkscape as is inside the 7z (or ZIP) archive (they are not separate builds of inkscape itself). Thus they both have the same built-in defaults and look for the preference file in the same location (%APPDATA%\Inkscape\preferences.xml).

I agree completely, ~suv, and that's why I have not posted a bug report at Launchpad.
I would never post a bug report without personally reproducing a problem (or having personal knowledge that a qualified person could reproduce it). And as I've said, I have not confirmed that this is the case. By posting this topic, I was hoping to attract the attention of someone whose system is set up so as to facilitate the proper testing (where deleteing prefs file is not a problem); or someone who could explain it. If I had another computer on which I did not actually use Inkscape, I would be able to test this "theory".

Also, I was prompted to post this topic, because in the first linked topic, the user was very convincing about the unset styles. And I posted it after having read the 2nd linked topic, but before that problem was resolved. It sounded very much to me like the unset style issue. But in the end, there was another solution, and I never was convinced about the unset style in that case.

I probably should have either edited the original or posted a subsequent message, that the 2nd linked topic had a different resolution. I apologize for overlooking that.

~suv wrote:Honestly I don't understand why you bother with formats you personally have no use for, and even want to get rid of them altogether (why would Inkscape need developers on Windows anyway?).

I can't speak for BobSongs but I don't think he was suggesting getting rid of the zipped version. Speaking for myself, and to my understanding BobSongs would agree, I just want to try and prevent new users from acquiring the zipped version, if it is indeed meant as a development tool....or if it is meant for general use, to fix the unset style issue, IF it is confirmed. My motivation is to contribute to the effort to help Inkscape meet it's goals to be a really great vector graphics program. That's why I "bother".

IF the unset style issue can be confirmed and reproduced, then I would propose a note be attached to the zipped version's download link, that it is not intended for general use, and is more a development tool. Please note the big "IF"!

PS - Is renaming the prefs file an acceptable environment for testing this? Because if I could just rename it (rather than deleting), I could test the zipped version, and then re-rename it when finished, thereby restoring my prefs. Right?

PPS -

~suv wrote:The installer package uses the same binary build of inkscape as is inside the 7z (or ZIP) archive (they are not separate builds of inkscape itself). Thus they both have the same built-in defaults and look for the preference file in the same location (%APPDATA%\Inkscape\preferences.xml).

If this is the case, then I would be persuaded that the user in the first linked topic was mistaken. It's hard for me to understand how ALL his tools had unset styles, for whatever reason. But if the 7z and exe are identical programs, except for the manner of installation, he would have to be mistaken! .....And if that's the case, I would no longer feel motivated to even test the 7z version! .....And if that's the case, then this "theory" is proved wrong, imo.