GSoC/GCI Archive
Google Summer of Code 2013

Inkscape

Web Page: http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Google_Summer_Of_Code#Suggested_Ideas

Mailing List: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/inkscape-devel

An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format.

Inkscape supports many advanced SVG features (markers, clones, alpha blending, etc.) and great care is taken in designing a streamlined interface. It is very easy to edit nodes, perform complex path operations, trace bitmaps and much more. We also aim to maintain a thriving user and developer community by using open, community-oriented development.

Projects

  • Electronics CAD support I want to make Inkscape an open-source electronics CAD tool. A schematics and PCB layout editor is not much more than a vector graphics editor with some special-purpose features. I want to implement these few special-purpose functions in Inkscape. The first steps are to add a component abstraction, a template feature and netlist generation. All these things will also be useful outside of electronics CAD. Inkscape will easily be the nicest electronics CAD tool out there^^
  • Implement a new raster-to-vector algorithm and integrate it in Inkscape as a new option aside from Potrace This project aims to implement, as a library, an algorithm designed by Johannes Kopf and Dani Lischinski. The paper can be found at http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/kopf/pixelart/ . After implement the library, the second step of the project would be integrate it within Inkscape.
  • New from Template widget My goal is to implement an old idea which seems to be quiet usefull and improving - New From Template from inkscape https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/new-from-3.template-dialog http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/NewFromTemplateSpec
  • Recolor Artwork Interactive Tool: Proposal for Inkscape - GSoC 2013 Inkscape has a variety of tools that suffice for most graphic designers’ work. Having worked with Adobe Illustrator (and related products like CorelDraw, Photoshop etc) since middle school before making the switch to Inkscape, places me in a position where I can judge what is missing as a designer and what is possible as a developer ( owing to my undergraduate studies ). I propose to create a revamped tool for editing solid-colored objects selected on the Canvas and forming Color Themes. The tool shall provide interactive color- editing which is very useful for professional designers and novice alike. Elements of basic Color Theory will be integrated in the tool to aid scheme based color grouping. For a clearer picture please visit: https://kuler.adobe.com/#create/fromacolor http://colorschemedesigner.com/ The tool will be an improvement over the 'Wheel' widget in the 'Fill and Stroke' Dialog Box.
  • Refactoring and Improvement of Unit Support For Google Summer of Code, I would like to improve unit handling in Inkscape. It is my understanding that Inkscape's current unit handling is scattered across the code base in various locations, and from personal experience, I know Inkscape's unit handling could use improvement. To start, I would refactor all of Inkscape's unit handling into one centralized location. I would then extend this unit handling to allow for easier use of "real" units, e.g. millimeters, both on the document wide level and for individual objects.