Write Inkscape extensions that modify objects
In last month's issue [1], we saw how to write an extension that rendered an object (a circle) in an Inkscape document. But apart from creating new objects, Inkscape extensions can also be used to modify existing objects. Let's see how this can be done be creating an extension that will generate "wobbly" animation. The idea is to take a given path – say, a piece of text – and to move its nodes around a little bit. Then save the result as a frame, move the nodes a little more, save again, and so on. When you put the frames together, it will give the impression that the text wobbles. This video shows how to do it in After Effects [2], but it seems like a lot of work for something that could be done with a relatively simple script.
Unfortunately, documentation and tutorials explaining how to create this type of script are all but nonexistent. Again the only way forward is to wade through source code and comments within code [3] to try and figure out what tools are available to achieve our ends.
What Is a Node?
Any object in Inkscape can be broken down into a bunch of paths, and paths, in turn, are made up by a bunch of nodes. So the key to modifying any object is modifying its nodes. But what is a node? You may think it is the point on a path where the path can change direction. In fact, that is just one control point, and a node is made up of three control points.
[...]
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.
-
Wayland 1.24 Released with Fixes and New Features
Wayland continues to move forward, while X11 slowly vanishes into the shadows, and the latest release includes plenty of improvements.
-
Bugs Found in sudo
Two critical flaws allow users to gain access to root privileges.
-
Fedora Continues 32-Bit Support
In a move that should come as a relief to some portions of the Linux community, Fedora will continue supporting 32-bit architecture.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 Drops bcachefs
After a clash over some late fixes and disagreements between bcachefs's lead developer and Linus Torvalds, bachefs is out.
-
ONLYOFFICE v9 Embraces AI
Like nearly all office suites on the market (except LibreOffice), ONLYOFFICE has decided to go the AI route.
-
Two Local Privilege Escalation Flaws Discovered in Linux
Qualys researchers have discovered two local privilege escalation vulnerabilities that allow hackers to gain root privileges on major Linux distributions.
-
New TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro Powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300
The TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 offers serious power that is ready for your business, development, or entertainment needs.
-
LibreOffice Tested as Possible Office 365 Alternative
Another major organization has decided to test the possibility of migrating from Microsoft's Office 365 to LibreOffice.