The current manual carries a copyright to a single author who is also a primary developer, who just hasn't had time (apparently) to update it. But there is a movement afoot to create an "open manual" which can be edited by anyone. I don't know if it will be updated to 0.92 or not. I think this is a valid point that should be addressed in the manual.īut even more unfortunately, the current manual has not been updated to version 0.91. Like I'm guessing you had a hard time figuring out that you had to use the Fill and Stroke dialog, to change the colors of the gradient stops. You just have to look somewhere else to find them. However, having said all that, I can say that I have been able to use the new Gradient tool control bar successfully, and no features have actually been lost. Perhaps some intense discussion happened years ago, and they don't wan't to re-visit it. The only explanation I've ever seen is a statement that the developers have decided to eliminate it.period. When I've posted a bug report/feature request, it's immediately marked as "Won't Fix" and it's moved into some area where it's not found in simple searches (I can only find it again by going through my user account). Every time I've been shut down without much explanation. However, I should say that I've tried a couple of times to bring up a discussion about the elimination of the Gradient Editor. This is one of the great benefits of open source software, which allows ordinary users to have a voice in development. and I doubt if you'll find any exisiting reports, but read on. But before you post a new report, be sure to search first, to make sure there's not already an existing report. The bug tracker also handles feature requests. Or you could use the bug tracker, which is Launchpad. You could use either the development list or the users list (developers will see it on the user's list, and by using the user's list you don't run the risk of your message getting overlooked) (because the user's list is much less active, and if a very involved discussion is happening on the dev list, your message might get bumped off the first page of messages fairly quickly). If you want a discussion, the mailing list is the best place. So if you want your message to reach developers, there are a couple of options. I was wondering if this was an oversight, or if there's some subtlety to how its supposed to be used that I'm missing.Unfortunately, not many developers participate here. Using the old gradient editor, that made sense, because it popped up a dialog that let you edit the colours but the new in-place editor doesn't really make so much sense for swatches, which aren't so closely tied to a particular object on the canvas - and in fact sometimes exist without there being *any* object on the canvas using them. The thing is, internally, these are actually stored as gradients (1 stop gradients if you're just using a solid colour), so editing them uses the gradient editor. a swatch for roads, one for major contours, one for rivers and streams etc. They allow you to store named colours that are shared between every object you apply them to. Swatches are a feature for having per-document colour palettes - check out the Fill/Stroke dialog and you will see a button just after the pattern button. I do understand how to use the new gradient editor, and for normal gradient editing, I actually like it better than the old editor. After you do that, and with a gradient selected on the canvas, you can click the Edit Gradient icon/button in the Fill and Stroke dialog, and the old Gradient Editor will open. First, double-click on the Gradient tool button, to open Inkscape Preferences > Tools > Gradient and check "Use Legacy Gradient Editor". However, if that's not to your liking, I discovered a way to get the old Gradient Editor back. They are essentially identical, and I think that's why developers thought the editor wasn't really needed. (You may have noticed a lot of similarity between the Fill and Stroke dialog and the old Gradient Editor. Once a stop has been selected, you will be able to edit it from the Fill and Stroke dialog. With the Gradient tool engaged, click on a stop (tiny diamond shaped handle on the longer gradient handle (including the beginning and ending stops, which are a square on one end and circle on the other). Editing gradients is a little different in 0.91, so it's all on-canvas now. I'm not entirely clear what you mean by "swatches", but it sounds like you seem to have lost the ability to edit the gradient stops.
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