Inkscape for Mavericks - Rumors Thread

[Irishman]

So, as a long-time user of Adobe Illustrator, I struggled for a while til I found an open source alternative for me (since I no longer have access to Illustrator as a standalone app, and refuse to pay Adobe's extortionary prices to rent CC).

I finally downloaded Inkscape after learning that it can open my many existing AI files, only to find out that it only supports OSX up to Snow Leopard!

I'm running Mavericks, just like the rest of the Mac world!

So, I can't be alone in my frustration with what is, by accounts, a strong app that I can't run because they stopped development about 2.5 years ago!

Has anyone heard any rumors regarding future support for Inkscape? Have you heard of any great alternatives to it that do support OSX 10.9?

Please, join the conversation.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

So, as a long-time user of Adobe Illustrator, I struggled for a while til I found an open source alternative for me (since I no longer have access to Illustrator as a standalone app, and refuse to pay Adobe's extortionary prices to rent CC).

I finally downloaded Inkscape after learning that it can open my many existing AI files, only to find out that it only supports OSX up to Snow Leopard!

I'm running Mavericks, just like the rest of the Mac world!

So, I can't be alone in my frustration with what is, by accounts, a strong app that I can't run because they stopped development about 2.5 years ago!

Has anyone heard any rumors regarding future support for Inkscape? Have you heard of any great alternatives to it that do support OSX 10.9?

Please, join the conversation.

I've been using Inkscape 0.48.2 on Mavericks without problems for the past several days. I only downloaded it a week or so ago, had never used it before, but it does work.

 

[Irishman]

I've been using Inkscape 0.48.2 on Mavericks without problems for the past several days. I only downloaded it a week or so ago, had never used it before, but it does work.

Hmmm...I wonder how 0.48.2 works for you and not me?

 

[Negritude]

Development has not stopped, it's just that pre-built binaries for OS X haven't been packaged in awhile.

Inkscape 0.48.4 (stable) and 0.48.99 (development) are available via MacPorts:

http://www.macports.org/ports.php?by=name&substr=inkscape

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Development has not stopped, it's just that pre-built binaries for OS X haven't been packaged in awhile.

Inkscape 0.48.4 (stable) and 0.48.99 (development) are available via MacPorts:

http://www.macports.org/ports.php?by=name&substr=inkscape

I tried downloading 0.48.4 (not from MacPorts, another site) and it just downloaded 0.48.2 again although the link stated .4. Does one have to compile the MacPorts one? --I don't know how to do that.

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Hmmm...I wonder how 0.48.2 works for you and not me?

Hmmm, good question. Maybe you'll have to scrap the one you have and download it again. You did also download XQuartz, correct?

 

[Irishman]

Hmmm, good question. Maybe you'll have to scrap the one you have and download it again. You did also download XQuartz, correct?

No.

What's that?

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

No.

What's that?

Okay, THAT's why you're not able to run Inkscape! You need XQuartz/X11 --X11 is the older version. I dunno, it's confusing, here:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_Inkscape#Getting_The_Right_Inkscape_Installer
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT5293

You have to install it first in order to get Inkscape to run. No sweat, I'll look up a link.
http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/

 

[Irishman]

Okay, THAT's why you're not able to run Inkscape! You need XQuartz/X11 --X11 is the older version. I dunno, it's confusing, here:
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_Inkscape#Getting_The_Right_Inkscape_Installer
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT5293

You have to install it first in order to get Inkscape to run. No sweat, I'll look up a link.
http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/

Did you download version 2.7.5?

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Did you download version 2.7.5?

Yes indeed, just checked, XQuartz 2.7.5.

Have you installed it yet & is Inkscape working? Fingers crossed.

-------
Just remembered, I saw this earlier today, Inkscape getting ever so close to the magical 1.0 release, very encouraging:

 

[Irishman]

Yes indeed, just checked, XQuartz 2.7.5.

Have you installed it yet & is Inkscape working? Fingers crossed.

-------
Just remembered, I saw this earlier today, Inkscape getting ever so close to the magical 1.0 release, very encouraging:

I'm wondering if I've copied Inkscape or XQuartz to the wrong applications folder, because it can't seem to find XQuartz when it asks for it. Does it matter if I copied Inkscape to my user apps folder, or is it looking for it in the system's apps folder?

I browsed, and found XQuartz in my Utilities folder. When I launch Inkscape, it launches X11 and something called Xterm, which is some sort of terminal app. Help?

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

I'm wondering if I've copied Inkscape or XQuartz to the wrong applications folder, because it can't seem to find XQuartz when it asks for it. Does it matter if I copied Inkscape to my user apps folder, or is it looking for it in the system's apps folder?

I browsed, and found XQuartz in my Utilities folder. When I launch Inkscape, it launches X11 and something called Xterm, which is some sort of terminal app. Help?

It's not just you, I was confused by this too. Apparently X11 is the old version, wrapped in XQuartz for Mountain Lion & Mavericks. Don't worry about where it is as long as you've installed it. It's in my Utilities folder too. I did what you just did too, searching for it etc. The thing is, you've got it. Now, when you want Inkscape, just click on Inkscape and the schizoid XQuartx/X11 will open first, then open Inkscape.

The only quirk I've had trouble with is that the main top menu bar remains X11 and the menu bars for Inkscape are on each floating Inkscape window you have open. I guess it's like Windows, I dunno, I haven't used Windows in ages. So last week I kept clicking on the wrong menu bar for various things, not a big deal really.

Oops, sorry! Reading comprehension fail. How many Applications folders do you have? As for Xterm, I may have run across it last week, I don't remember. Oh gosh, only a week and my memory is dribbling away. I also installed GIMP around the same time so I'm trying to separate what happened when, with what.

Oh yeah, I read some of the notes and some referred to XQuartz and some to X11, so I believe I ended up downloading the same thing twice and then having to get rid of it. After I had XQuartz and Inkscape, I had to restart my iMac for something, can't remember exactly. But if you have the two, it wouldn't hurt to restart or log out and then try to open Inkscape again.

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If it's loading X11 then good, that's correct. So first X11 shows up in the main menu correct? Then Inkscape DOES open? IF so, that's all correct. If this isn't happening, what are you seeing?

 

[Irishman]

It's not just you, I was confused by this too. Apparently X11 is the old version, wrapped in XQuartz for Mountain Lion & Mavericks. Don't worry about where it is as long as you've installed it. It's in my Utilities folder too. I did what you just did too, searching for it etc. The thing is, you've got it. Now, when you want Inkscape, just click on Inkscape and the schizoid XQuartx/X11 will open first, then open Inkscape.

The only quirk I've had trouble with is that the main top menu bar remains X11 and the menu bars for Inkscape are on each floating Inkscape window you have open. I guess it's like Windows, I dunno, I haven't used Windows in ages. So last week I kept clicking on the wrong menu bar for various things, not a big deal really.

Oops, sorry! Reading comprehension fail. How many Applications folders do you have? As for Xterm, I may have run across it last week, I don't remember. Oh gosh, only a week and my memory is dribbling away. I also installed GIMP around the same time so I'm trying to separate what happened when, with what.

Oh yeah, I read some of the notes and some referred to XQuartz and some to X11, so I believe I ended up downloading the same thing twice and then having to get rid of it. After I had XQuartz and Inkscape, I had to restart my iMac for something, can't remember exactly. But if you have the two, it wouldn't hurt to restart or log out and then try to open Inkscape again.

-------------
If it's loading X11 then good, that's correct. So first X11 shows up in the main menu correct? Then Inkscape DOES open? IF so, that's all correct. If this isn't happening, what are you seeing?

Patience sort of pays off.

Clicked to launch Inkscape and it did this time, giving me a new blank document. I was hoping to be able to open my old AI files So far, none have opened.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Patience sort of pays off.

Clicked to launch Inkscape and it did this time, giving me a new blank document. I was hoping to be able to open my old AI files So far, none have opened.

You have to be a bit more patient. There is a delay. Try clicking on the icon in the Dock once. I did try opening AI files last week and they opened --although I'm not entirely certain all the layers were there. It was just a test and I didn't try to work with them. I just tried again now on a really complex AI file with tons of layers, a window opened with options --which I didn't mess with, I just hit OK and the file opened. As far as I can tell, there was only one layer and the fonts were changed. :/

I do not have a great understanding of AI or Inkscape as yet, you sound like you do have more experience with AI than I, so hopefully you can optimize your files with that window.

I've been working with an old AI file in Illustrator CS2 on a Snow Leopard partition, but I used Inkscape in Mountain Lion last week to create custom ligatures and font glyphs. Then using them in the AI document in SL. That all worked out fine.

 

[Irishman]

You have to be a bit more patient. There is a delay. Try clicking on the icon in the Dock once. I did try opening AI files last week and they opened --although I'm not entirely certain all the layers were there. It was just a test and I didn't try to work with them. I just tried again now on a really complex AI file with tons of layers, a window opened with options --which I didn't mess with, I just hit OK and the file opened. As far as I can tell, there was only one layer and the fonts were changed. :/

I do not have a great understanding of AI or Inkscape as yet, you sound like you do have more experience with AI than I, so hopefully you can optimize your files with that window.

I've been working with an old AI file in Illustrator CS2 on a Snow Leopard partition, but I used Inkscape in Mountain Lion last week to create custom ligatures and font glyphs. Then using them in the AI document in SL. That all worked out fine.

My experience with AI was with creating sci-fi blueprints and similar artwork (mostly Star Trek and Star Wars). some were just line art, most were shading an colored to some degree.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

I opened another similar file, this time toggling choices in the window and my fonts are as they should be. However, I'm not finding the layers yet. It's probably me, not Inkscape.

Ha! Opened one in iDraw and it's severely mangled. Unfortunately iDraw will not import .ai files yet. Most PSDs and SVGs, yes. So advantage Inkscape.

 

[Irishman]

I opened another similar file, this time toggling choices in the window and my fonts are as they should be. However, I'm not finding the layers yet. It's probably me, not Inkscape.

Ha! Opened one in iDraw and it's severely mangled. Unfortunately iDraw will not import .ai files yet. Most PSDs and SVGs, yes. So advantage Inkscape.

We'll, not an advantage for me, as I've yet to find any of the dozen or so projects that would open for me.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

We'll, not an advantage for me, as I've yet to find any of the dozen or so projects that would open for me.

I ran into this yesterday, not any of my own (old CS2) AI files but some newer versions. Unable to open them at first with Inkscape. Later I managed to open two but they both appeared blank. I've found where the Layers icon is and that showed nothing too.

What I did was open them in a SL partition with CS2 and saved them as SVGs. They then opened in Inkscape/Mavericks and I was able to work with them yesterday afternoon. This morning I clicked on the AI files with Inkscape and they opened and are workable. Very odd. I'm not sure what the inconsistency is.

I've found an assortment of very helpful Inkscape tuts and a "crash course" posted by Chris Hilbig ---and am REALLY beginning to appreciate the things possible with Inkscape. But looks like I'll still need to keep CS2 and Snow Leopard for file insurance.

Earlier I stated that I'd opened a multi layer AI file in Inkscape but couldn't find the layers. Well, since then, it shows one layer --none of the sub layers. Everything was clickable and editable within the image file though. I guess I just don't understand the layers management with Inkscape yet. The program (to me) is definitely a keeper despite the quirks.

 

[eljonco]

I'm running Mavericks, just like the rest of the Mac world! <..>OSX 10.9<...>Please, join the conversation.

Although Inkscape and Quartz/X11 are running, I notice that images do not open; there is just a flash and although the image name displays in the menu, the image does not show.

Solution was ticking the preference box to display as full screen. Although everything else went black, at least I could work with the image. If anyone else has a better solution, please chime in.

 

[WallToWallMacs]

So, as a long-time user of Adobe Illustrator, I struggled for a while til I found an open source alternative for me (since I no longer have access to Illustrator as a standalone app, and refuse to pay Adobe's extortionary prices to rent CC).

I finally downloaded Inkscape after learning that it can open my many existing AI files, only to find out that it only supports OSX up to Snow Leopard!

I'm running Mavericks, just like the rest of the Mac world!

So, I can't be alone in my frustration with what is, by accounts, a strong app that I can't run because they stopped development about 2.5 years ago!

Has anyone heard any rumors regarding future support for Inkscape? Have you heard of any great alternatives to it that do support OSX 10.9?

Please, join the conversation.

I doubt we'll be seeing much from Inkscape is very much wedded into the whole GNOME stack but with that being said have you given OmniGraffle 6 or possibly a try? Maybe Sketchbook Pro 6?

 

[Irishman]

I doubt we'll be seeing much from Inkscape is very much wedded into the whole GNOME stack but with that being said have you given OmniGraffle 6 or possibly a try? Maybe Sketchbook Pro 6?

Do either of them open existing AI files?

 

[WallToWallMacs]

Do either of them open existing AI files?

I had a check and it appears that neither one supports importing AI files.

 

[Irishman]

I had a check and it appears that neither one supports importing AI files.

For me, what I need is a total AI replacement app, something that will give the same toolset (for the most part) and be able to open my dozen or so AI files. These were HUGE projects for me, and they've been on a back burner for quite a while.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

For me, what I need is a total AI replacement app, something that will give the same toolset (for the most part) and be able to open my dozen or so AI files. These were HUGE projects for me, and they've been on a back burner for quite a while.

Could you possibly run Windows & CS2(free) in a virtual machine? Or Snow Leopard server & CS2 in a VM? Only thing is, CS2 might be too old to open much newer AI files, not sure.

 

[Irishman]

Could you possibly run Windows & CS2(free) in a virtual machine? Or Snow Leopard server & CS2 in a VM? Only thing is, CS2 might be too old to open much newer AI files, not sure.

Nope. The lack of funds ATM is the primary reason I'm not using CC. A new Windows license would not be workable for the same reason.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Nope. The lack of funds ATM is the primary reason I'm not using CC. A new Windows license would not be workable for the same reason.

I understand perfectly, same for me. Which is why I'm keeping my SL partition and my old CS2, and also investigating open source in my Mavericks partition. Also philosophically opposed to renting from Adobe. But anyway.

You can always send me one of your AI files to see if I can open it in Inkscape/Mavericks, in which case there's a weird glitch in your current installation.