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GIMP goes SVG
An anonymous reader writes "The GIMP developers released a new snapshot in the development series. Version 1.3.21 (aka the path to excellence release) features an improved path tool with superb path stroking and adds SVG support. You can now export your GIMP paths to SVG and the new SVG import plug-in not only renders Scalable Vector Graphics for you at the desired resolution, it also imports SVG paths as GIMP paths."
What would put GIMP on the map is an easier interface (although 1.3 is a vast improvement, it still ain't photoshop)
Also, if you want a good vector graphics editor for free, try SodiPodi. It's good. Especially for a 0.3 level program.
P.S. This isn't meant to be rude to GIMP. It's being compared only to THE BEST. They actually have a better interface than most other programs that compete with Photoshop (that is, programs that I've tried).
I believe it uses librsvg. The fastest and most complaint SVG renderer out there.
(Maintained by my good friend and fellow AbiWord developer Dom Lachowicz)
Martin
> 1) Did they waste time writing it all themselves, or are they interworking with SodiPodi? SodiPodi is an excellent piece of software if you want to edit SVG.
We (or rather Sven) used rsvg to read and render the SVG as a bitmap.
> 2) Does it just import them and make paths, or is it a full-featured SVG editor? Someone else commented on it now being Photoshop+Illustrator, but that's a whole different thing. Photoshop also supports importing SVG and AI format, it just doesn't edit them. (see question three)
It just imports SVG to a rastermap, and exports paths to SVG. There is no support for the funky stuff like gradient fills, object groups, etc. This is not a vector graphics program.
> 3) Does it make this simple?
Yes. You load your SVG, specifying the size of the bounding box, and there you go.
Cheers,
Dave.