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Decent Multi-Format SVG Converter?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on

gbulmash asks: "I've been messing with the graphics in the Open Clipart Library and it feels as if SVG is a standard like 'meatball' is a standard. Most of the graphics render just fine in Inkscape, but you'll get 5 different renders in 5 different applications. For example, one of the Baby Tux drawings renders differently in Firefox, Corel Draw X3, Illustrator, and Inkscape, and generates error messages from Batik's rasterizer. If I use Inkscape to export to EPS, the EPS opens in Illustrator pretty much like the SVG does, but (and this may be a problem with Corel) doesn't import well into Corel Draw X3. Is there an application that can render SVG images as well as Inkscape can, but will also produce an output to EPS & SWF that looks like the render? Is there something that can output to a more normalized SVG that will render more faithfully in Illustrator or Corel for the sake of conversion to EPS and SWF?"

27 comments

  1. Sketsa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Did you try Sketsa?

  2. 60 something SVG programs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    A previous Slashdot post linked to an article that listed 60 something
    different SVG programs.

    Vector vs Raster (at maa.org)
    http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_0 8_01_05.html

    Sounds like an article that trudges through SVG compliance for
    all these programs is needed.

    1. Re:60 something SVG programs by wysiwia · · Score: 1

      http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_0 8_01_05.html

      Very good link. Unfortunatly most of the free solutions require either an additional GTK- or Java-Installation which is a killer argument for my use.

      O. Wyss

      --
      See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
    2. Re:60 something SVG programs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
      most of the free solutions require either an additional GTK- or Java-Installation which is a killer argument for my use.

      Huh? The standard Linux desktop environment is GNOME and it uses GTK, so it is likely that you already have GTK on your system. Even those who are still stuck with an older system such as KDE usually have GTK installed. I don't see how it could be a "killer argument". If you want the best environment and the best applications, you will need GTK anyway. And just in case you would be using some other operating system, you can also install GTK for Windows or for MacOS X.

    3. Re:60 something SVG programs by wysiwia · · Score: 1

      ... And just in case you would be using some other operating system, you can also install GTK for Windows or for MacOS X.

      None of the people I'm looking for an SVG editor use Gnome nor any other Linux desktop system. They all use Windows and there's no chance to convert them to anything other. Besides none would ever try to install a GTK or Java-Runtime since they all are more or less computer illiterates.

      O. Wyss

      --
      See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
    4. Re:60 something SVG programs by chrish · · Score: 1

      You're expecting people to switch platforms for a graphics format?!

      --
      - chrish
    5. Re:60 something SVG programs by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      Many GTK applications will install their own GTK on Windows. GIMP & Gaim have completely painless installers (although not necessarily painless first run experiences, but whatever).

      And installing the Java Runtime is not brain surgery.

      So you're asking for a program that can perfectly convert SVGs to whatever and are installable and usable by computer illiterates? Sortof a different target.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    6. Re:60 something SVG programs by EsbenMoseHansen · · Score: 1
      older system such as KDE usually have GTK installed.

      What sort of flame is this? KDE (and lots of other toolkits) are currently developed, and are thus quite new. It's not as if GTK is even a superior toolkit, meaning that it has some points where it is better, and some where it is worse. Thus personal opinion matters much; e.g, the printer support in GTK is pretty horrid.

      On the subject, I think that rendering the image to PNG or even GIF is the only option that produce consistent, if non-scalable, results. Inkscape will probably do the job just fine for that. Unless we are talking printer output, in which case, I just don't know.

      --
      Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
    7. Re:60 something SVG programs by wysiwia · · Score: 1

      You're expecting people to switch platforms for a graphics format?!

      No, why do you come to this conclusion?

      O. Wyss

      --
      See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
    8. Re:60 something SVG programs by aminorex · · Score: 1

      It's quite trivial to bundle GTK or JRE in an NSIS installer .exe. Presumably you're not equally illiterate?

      --
      -I like my women like I like my tea: green-
    9. Re:60 something SVG programs by try_anything · · Score: 1
      The standard Linux desktop environment is GNOME and it uses GTK, so it is likely that you already have GTK on your system. Even those who are still stuck with an older system such as KDE usually have GTK installed.

      Flamebait. KDE is a very lively project that provides all the bells and whistles and releases new versions on a regular basis. I give GNOME a chance every year or so, most recently a few months ago with Ubuntu, yet KDE has remained my preferred environment since 2001. GNOME vs. KDE is a matter of taste, not a matter of one being more standard or technically ahead of the other, though I'm sure each one is ahead in some areas.

  3. Re:pstoedit by zsazsa · · Score: 1

    whoops, mod my original comment down. pstoedit can only take PostScript or PDF as input.

  4. Canvas? by Rixel · · Score: 2, Informative

    A couple of years ago, I was trying to import/export Corel files and it was driving me nuts, and I tried several programs. Best results I got was from Canvas from Deneba. Haven't used it recently, but it boasts over 80 import filters.

    --
    Never play chicken with a passive aggressive.
  5. firefox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    I loaded up the 3 baby tux svg files from that site and they looked exactly the same to me in firefox and inkscape.
    Make sure to use at least FF 1.5 as the 1.x series renders very poorly.

    1. Re:firefox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      FF 1.5 still has some problems too. For example it doesn't display fonts of the appropriate size in pfsense's traffic graph, while Opera shows them perfectly.

  6. adobe by tezbobobo · · Score: 2, Funny

    I find, as long as you stay in the adobe line from beginning to press things should be alright. It's not the best, but at least it is standard forom one end to the other - illustrator/photoshop to indesign/incopy.

    1. Re:adobe by tezbobobo · · Score: 1

      PS I'm working on apples and adobe SVG viewer plugs into Safari.

    2. Re:adobe by Haeleth · · Score: 1

      I find, as long as you stay in the adobe line from beginning to press things should be alright.

      Sure. Similarly, staying in the Corel line until you generate the output works beautifully. Indeed, you can even produce an EPS in CorelDraw that you can use just fine in InDesign.

      But I'm not sure what all this has got to do with the actual question, which was how to produce an SVG that renders the same in a variety of products from different sources.

    3. Re:adobe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the question was how to produce SVG FOR THE SAKE OF PRODUCING AN EPS AND AN SWF. This puts a pragmatic emphasis on the final product - the EPS or SWF. That means producing your SVG in illustrator then using adobe products to produce the later is a viable option. My point was, with that purpose in mind, using an adobe suite solution is an option. I was on the question your were not.

  7. VectorSection by zerblat · · Score: 4, Informative
    VectorSection is meant to be a universal vector file format converter, and it's being sponsored by Xara. I don't know it it's usable yet, but it might be worth taking a look at.

    Anyway, I'm sure that the Inkscape folks would be interested in bug reports if there's something wrong with their EPS export. You could also try saving as PDF instead and see if that works better.

    --
    Please alter my pants as fashion dictates.
    1. Re:VectorSection by Bryce · · Score: 1

      "Anyway, I'm sure that the Inkscape folks would be interested in bug reports if there's something wrong with their EPS export."

      Actually, for these issues we have sufficient bug reports; next we could really use some patches to fix them... Anyone want to become the resident EPS expert for Inkscape? :-)

  8. many SVG implementations get the work they need by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Batik is really good, though lacks some SMIL.
    In browserland Opera seems to be in the lead.
    A lot of SVG content on the web is not valid SVG, so you can't expect it to render the same on different viewers.
    Things are improving fast.
    See this broad range of links on SVG: http://svg.startpagina.nl/

    1. Re:many SVG implementations get the work they need by Cameron+McCormack · · Score: 2, Informative

      Incidentally Batik now has support for SMIL animation in SVN, which will be included in the next release.

    2. Re:many SVG implementations get the work they need by jesboat · · Score: 1

      Batik also renders fonts improperly in some situations.

  9. Same standard, different implementations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SVG is just a specification for XML documents, and it is up to the application's developers to implement it. The "problem" with SVG is that it encompasses so much that nobody has yet made an application which includes everything (that is obviously the ultimate goal, but for places where animation capabilities and things are not practical there are other specifications with names like "tiny"). I have had a bad experience with SVG where even Inkscape, which seems to include pretty much every non-animated feature, mangled some images (bug reported, and fixed in SVN by the way). It seems like the most comprehensive SVG creator at the moment is Inkscape, and the most comprehensive viewer is Opera, although if you really want EVERY feature then sadly you might have to use a text editor.

  10. Batik error with baby tux by Cameron+McCormack · · Score: 3, Informative
    The reason that Batik doesn't handle the baby tux file is that there is indeed an error in it. On line 90, the transform attribute doesn't have a closing parenthesis in it. Quoting from SVG 1.1, one of the things that must be done when the document is "in error" is:
    A highly perceivable indication of error shall occur. For visual rendering situations, an example of an indication of error would be to render a translucent colored pattern such as a checkerboard on top of the area where the SVG content is rendered.
    Batik stops document rendering at that point and pops up a message indicating the error. Not many UAs do this, actually, and many actually just choose to ignore errors. This is likely one of the causes of the difference in behaviour you are seeing.