Re: Inkscape SVG and LyX

[Bernhard Roider]

Helge Hafting wrote:
Bernhard Roider wrote:
Paul Smith wrote:
On 9/14/06, Bernhard Roider <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> >> > There is something that may be relevant: it is possible to 
convert
>> >> > from SVG to Xfig format with pstoedit. With this approach, we
>> can then
>> >> > edit the Xfig picture and edit the text with the special 
flag on,
>> >> > getting at last the text of the picture written with the 
default
>> LaTeX
>> >> > font of the document.
>> >> >
>> >> I've tried to draw with xfig two or three times, and in my
>> oppinion the
>> >> user interface is realy awful! inkscape has a really feature 
rich
>> >> interface and  i can draw images there very quickly. inkscape 
runs on
>> >> windows and unix systems - what about xfig? moreover, i do not
>> like to
>> >> add plain LaTeX to my images (which is done with those special
>> flags if
>> >> i got that right). why not support psfrag in lyx? as i wrote in
>> the tips
>> >> wiki, i use it now with ERTs. The big advantage would be, 
that i can
>> >> write everything i want to typeset with LaTeX into the 
picture can be
>> >> written with LyX.
>> >
>> > I share your opinion regarding Xfig. However, I think that the 
best
>> > way to insert SVG pictures in LyX is through Xfig together with
>> > pstoedit. You will not really need to edit your Xfig picture with
>> > Xfig, as a simple text editor is able to change (almost at 
once) all
>> > needed special flags. Doing so, there is no need for using 
psfrag.
>> > However, if you feel comfortable with your way, just use it, 
as I am
>> > not campaigning for using my solution!
>> as i never tried your way i cannot really decide whats better. 
is it
>> possible to typeset e.g. formulas within LyX and place them in the
>> images that way?
>
> No, but you can open your Xfig file with a text editor, and then you
> just replace, e.g., 'x' with '$x^2$' to get a math mode squared x.
> Alternatively, you can insert '$x^2$' directly in Inkscape, when you
> are drawing your picture. That is simple, I think.
>
Yes, but i don't want to typeset such (often much more complex) 
formulas
by myself if i have such a great tool like lyx that supports me.

If you have such a great tool, just use it.... :-)

To be precise, when you copy a formula from LyX to a text editor, the
latex code of the formula is pasted. And from a text editor, you can
copy the code of your formula into Inkscape.

Ah, i didn't know that copy/paste stuff works with lyx. it didn't in 
1.3.x, did it? it's an option, but still i would prefer having all of 
the latex typesetting in a single file (or file type if i split a 
large document into several smaller parts). Managing formulas in 
images to match the ones in the main document is always more work i 
think.
Sure, but:
Lyx knows nothing about inkscape, and won't ever know any more than
"how to turn it into .eps or .pdf for inclusion".

as i mentioned earlier i use psfrag for that purpose. that way i write 
the formulas in lyx and latex replaces them in the image (the only 
drawback is that u must use dvips, but i always do that). the thing that 
i miss here is some support from lyx such that i don't always have to 
insert ERTs (psfrags calling syntax is no really standard latex. and 
even if it was i think u can only write layouts with paragraph styles 
that are translated to latex commands but not something like an inlined 
latex command - which would be nice in my opinion).
by the way: does lyx support writing latex code in another window but 
the main window? would it be difficult to make a dialog window with an 
input field in which the user can write formulas?

bernhard