Forum: Inkscape Inkscape 0.48 Chill (the winter is heavy everywhere!)

Hey all,

This is where 0.48 as a "release" begins! This email will be a little
redundant for developers, but will let users know what the current plan
is. The next stage (Frost) kicks into gear at the beginning of March in
case you were wondering.

For right now:
*New feature development will focus on wrapping up.
*We will identify "make check" issues (we need to make sure things are
"friendly" for packaging).
*We will run an About Screen contest on DeviantART (which I will
announce within the next 24 hours and post all info to both lists).
*Ensure that the Release Notes are at First Draft stage. This is
primarily a developer task, however, if you are a user and follow
development closely and have something to contribute in this area which
we may have overlooked, such as fixed bugs, changes in functionality,
etc. please contribute.
*Update tutorials and other docs (we could use volunteers). Not joking,
if you are an Inkscape user and have the misconception that the only way
you can contribute is by code, you are missing out on one of the most
important things for our users... documentation. If you have time to
spare and some tips for others that you're willing to share, please let
us know.

--- boring developer junk ---

I do want to request from developers... most "big" new stuff be
committed by March 1st if possible (or shortly thereafter).

JonCruz: The swatch previews for "auto" swatches are starting to worry
me given that they have not been working for quite a while now (since
0.47 dev cycle). The same goes for the method of editing color (gradient
editor rather than F&S dialog). If you will not have time to address
these before Freeze, please expect that I will request the feature is
disabled again for this release at that time... I will also request that
in 0.49 that you not re-enable it until you are looking to actively work
on it.

Krzysztof: The new Node Tool is fantastic. I know you're actively
working on it, but I do just want to make sure that you will be able to
set aside a few hours here and there for bugfixing as there are still a
number of bugs and features missing from previous releases.

Arcadie/Michael: The Connector Tool really is not consistent with the
behavior of other tools. If it is not likely to be sorted out by Freeze,
I will request that at least the tool controls button for "add
connection point" be disabled, as it is not user friendly at this point.

Please know that I am not targeting people or criticizing their work.
This is a schedule issue and our date of release was horribly far behind
schedule for the past couple releases. We will just be sticking to
release schedules much more strictly than we have previously, and if
features aren't "bug-free"/complete enough to release on time... there's
always next release! :) Besides, we're going to be in the trenches w/
0.49 for a bit by what has been discussed so far.

Cheers,
Josh

Joshua and Company:

I have a request for the next version of Inkscape:

Architect it such that a novice like me with only
thirty years of software development experience
can figure out how (and has the patience) to build it.

I gave up after having to find, download and build
12 dependent libraries on my RedHat Enterprise #4 box.

Bill

On Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:10:20 -0500, "william.crocker@analog.com"
<william.crocker@analog.com> wrote:
> I gave up after having to find, download and build
> 12 dependent libraries on my RedHat Enterprise #4 box.

Seriously, get yourself a windows machine ;-) Although the majority of 
the
devs are using Linux, for some reason nothing can beat the windows
environment when it comes to compiling easily. You'll only have to
download
the bundled set of libraries and off you go!

More realistically, can't you use a recent fedora install, either 
parallel
boot or virtualized? I guess it's just a matter of Red Hat 4 being out 
of
date, and us devs using very recent libraries. You will only need this:

sudo yum install ImageMagick-c++-devel ImageMagick-c++ ImageMagick-devel
ImageMagick glibmm24-devel libsigc++-devel gtkmm24-devel glibmm24
libsigc++
gtkmm24 intltool gc gc-devel lcms lcms-devel gsl gsl-devel libxml2-devel
libxslt-devel boost-devel popt-static poppler-devel inkscape

(retrieved from http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CompilingFedora)

and a single patch to avoid compilation errors with a too recent poppler
librarie provided with Fedora 12 (see launchpad for that)

Good luck,

Diederik

Diederik van Lierop wrote:
> 
> More realistically, can't you use a recent fedora install, either parallel
> boot or virtualized? I guess it's just a matter of Red Hat 4 being out of
> date, and us devs using very recent libraries. You will only need this:
> 
> sudo yum install ImageMagick-c++-devel ImageMagick-c++ ImageMagick-devel
> ImageMagick glibmm24-devel libsigc++-devel gtkmm24-devel glibmm24
> libsigc++
> gtkmm24 intltool gc gc-devel lcms lcms-devel gsl gsl-devel libxml2-devel
> libxslt-devel boost-devel popt-static poppler-devel inkscape
>

You're out of control.
I rest my case.          :-)

Bill

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 09:10:20AM -0500, william.crocker@analog.com 
wrote:
> 
> Bill

Sounds like a documentation problem.

- hendrik

> 
> More realistically, can't you use a recent fedora install, either parallel
> boot or virtualized? I guess it's just a matter of Red Hat 4 being out of
> date, ...
>

I prefer to think of it as, "well defined and stable".

... more obligatory smiley faces.   :-)  :-)  :-)

Bill

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 09:50:54AM -0500, william.crocker@analog.com 
wrote:
> > environment when it comes to compiling easily. You'll only have to
> > gtkmm24 intltool gc gc-devel lcms lcms-devel gsl gsl-devel libxml2-devel
> > libxslt-devel boost-devel popt-static poppler-devel inkscape
> >
> 
> You're out of control.
> I rest my case.          :-)

Now it sounds like mor than a documentation issue.  It sounds more like
gnucash.  I'm using Debian, and just use whatever inkscape and gnucash
comes with the distro, whether I like it or not.

-- hendrik

Thanks for this update!

To follow up on volunteering, it would be great to get our FLOSS Manuals
documentation up to date.  Right now it reflects mostly 0.46, and needs
some love to bring it up to date.

http://en.flossmanuals.net/bin/view/Inkscape/WebHome

You don't need to have any profound knowledge - all that we ask is that
you are able to write (the more proficiently the better :) and want to
take the time.

It would probably be good to ask any questions on the Inkscape Docs
list( http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/inkscape-docs) and
maybe sign up on the FM list for questions about the FM platform
(http://en.flossmanuals.net/about).  You can also reach me by email or
jabber/gchat at this address - I should be able to answer most questions
or provide some direction.

It would be great if we had a community up-to-date manual by the release
date!

JF

On Feb 17, 2010, at 6:10 AM, william.crocker@analog.com wrote:

> 
> I gave up after having to find, download and build
> 12 dependent libraries on my RedHat Enterprise #4 box.

RedHat Enterprise 4 is based on Fedora Core 3. Fedora is up to release 
13 now. Also RHEL 4 has entered it's winding-down phase-out EOL cycle. 
Plus the replacement (RHEL5) has been out for 3 years.

That's really something for your fellow OS users to help you with. 
Inkscape does support many many older library versions and OS's... but 
it's hard for one small team to suport a ten-revisions-out-of-date 
entering end-of-life-wind-down phase distro without having people on 
that specific distro lend a hand.

>>> sudo yum install ImageMagick-c++-devel ImageMagick-c++ ImageMagick-devel
>>> ImageMagick glibmm24-devel libsigc++-devel gtkmm24-devel glibmm24
>>> libsigc++
>>> gtkmm24 intltool gc gc-devel lcms lcms-devel gsl gsl-devel libxml2-devel
>>> libxslt-devel boost-devel popt-static poppler-devel inkscape

I see an attempt at documenting the libs required to build Inkscape
here: http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CompilingInkscape,
but this can not be trusted. For example, the Solaris page talks
about version 0.44

Maybe this *is* a documentation problem.

The README file broaches the subject with references to the likes
of Boehm-GC and gtkmm, but does not specify version numbers.

I suggest the README file include the specific list of dependent
libraries and their version numbers as recommended to build the
associated version of Inkscape. If they were listed in bottom-up or
top-down order; that would just be so much more helpful.
There is little more frustrating than taking an hour to find
download and build your tenth component just to have it complain
about needing three more. When will it end....

Bill

Utopia: A world where the inhabitants use operating systems which are
         less than five years old and the "file system" stops at the 
RJ45
         connector on the back of the box.

william.crocker@analog.com wrote:
> I suggest the README file include the specific list of dependent
>          less than five years old and the "file system" stops at the RJ45
>          connector on the back of the box.
>   
It might be a good idea to inquire (on irc or this list) as to how that
wiki page could be updated, and then update it once you find that the
solution works. It would certainly be beneficial to others as well.

JF

Joshua Facemyer wrote:
>>
>> Utopia: A world where the inhabitants use operating systems which are
>>          less than five years old and the "file system" stops at the RJ45
>>          connector on the back of the box.
>>   
> It might be a good idea to inquire (on irc or this list) as to how that 
> wiki page could be updated, and then update it once you find that the 
> solution works. It would certainly be beneficial to others as well.
>


Oops. Now I have homework.

I will forge ahead and see if I can build Inkscape
here in the 19th century. If so, I will document the libraries
which I used, their versions and the apparent build order.
I can then publish that information, but it will have a finite
life-time as with the information referenced above.

The developers, as part of a significant release really need
to tell the world how they did it; What libraries are required
and what versions. That information should be in the release
notes and Wikis should reference up to date release notes, not
release notes referencing out of date Wikis as we have here.

This will take some time as I have a low threshold of pain.
Nobody is to hold their breath.

Bill

william.crocker@analog.com wrote:
> I can then publish that information, but it will have a finite
>
> Bill
>   

This (up-to-date documentation) could take place in the utopia, which
also includes free time for doing everything you want :)  That's the
reason we have non-dev contributors, who are able to help do some of
those maintenance tasks the devs don't have time for.

Why don't you start a new thread with the question (briefly) stated as
the subject?  That will probably get the attention of the correct people
who can answer your questions better than continuing the discussion in
this thread.

JF

On Feb 18, 2010, at 1:00 PM, Joshua Facemyer wrote:

> 
> This (up-to-date documentation) could take place in the utopia, which 
> also includes free time for doing everything you want :)  That's the 
> reason we have non-dev contributors, who are able to help do some of 
> those maintenance tasks the devs don't have time for.
> 
> Why don't you start a new thread with the question (briefly) stated as 
> the subject?  That will probably get the attention of the correct people 
> who can answer your questions better than continuing the discussion in 
> this thread.

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/HelpWanted

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/HelpWanted#Determining_Dependencies

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Tracking_Dependencies

>> Oops. Now I have homework.
>>
>> I will forge ahead and see if I can build Inkscape
>> here in the 19th century. If so, I will document the libraries
>> which I used, their versions and the apparent build order.
>> I can then publish that information, but it will have a finite
>> life-time as with the information referenced above.

I don't believe it, but I am looking at Inkscape 0.47
running on my RedHat #4 machine.

- I had to download and compile 21 separate components
   and many of them multiple times before I found versions
   I could work with.

- I have a build order.

- Some of the components built without issue,
   but a number of them required pampering.
   I've written it all down.

- I have a list of environment variables which I
   had to set to trick it all into working.

What would you like me to do with this information?

Bill

On Friday 19 February 2010 04:16:17 pm william.crocker@analog.com wrote:
> 
> - I have a list of environment variables which I
>    had to set to trick it all into working.
> 
> What would you like me to do with this information?

I would like to thank you for your time and effort.
Your struggle will help other RHEL users.

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CompilingRHEL  will most likely 
be the
best place to put it. It is currently empty so feel free to form it to 
your
will. You will also need to add a RHEL link to the
http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Compiling_Inkscape page.

Again without users willing to go the extra mile inkscape could not 
exist.
Thank You.

Joshua L. Blocher
verbalshadow

On Fri, 2010-02-19 at 18:16 -0500, william.crocker@analog.com wrote:
> I don't believe it, but I am looking at Inkscape 0.47
> running on my RedHat #4 machine.

Wow! Congratulations. Well done and thank you for persevering.
Your efforts are sure to be useful for others. :)

> - I have a list of environment variables which I
>    had to set to trick it all into working.
> 
> What would you like me to do with this information?

Posting it here, for the record, can't hurt.  And possibly putting it on
the Inkscape wiki...  Create an account if you haven't already done so.

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CompilingInkscape#OS_.26_Distribution_Specific

Maybe adding Red Hat Enterpise Linux in there, and then making a page
with a heading for RHEL4 would be a good place?

--
Donna Benjamin - kattekrab.net

Inkscape: Open Source Scalable Vector Graphics
http://www.inkscape.org

>> I don't believe it, but I am looking at Inkscape 0.47
>> running on my RedHat #4 machine.
>>
>> What would you like me to do with this information?
> 
> http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CompilingRHEL  will most likely be the 
> best place to put it. It is currently empty so feel free to form it to your 
> will. You will also need to add a RHEL link to the 
> http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Compiling_Inkscape page.
> 

Done.

See the "Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version #4" link from:

     http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Compiling_Inkscape

I'd appreciate the opportunity to make any corrections required on
the page for the next couple of weeks before anyone else
goes crazy on it.

Thanks.

Bill

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 3:40 AM, Joshua A. Andler <scislac@gmail.com> 
wrote:
> JonCruz: The swatch previews for "auto" swatches are starting to worry
> me given that they have not been working for quite a while now (since
> 0.47 dev cycle). The same goes for the method of editing color (gradient
> editor rather than F&S dialog). If you will not have time to address
> these before Freeze, please expect that I will request the feature is
> disabled again for this release at that time... I will also request that
> in 0.49 that you not re-enable it until you are looking to actively work
> on it.

(I know I'm late but) I'd just like to second that request.

--
bulia byak
Inkscape. Draw Freely.
http://www.inkscape.org