SVG Import

Hi all,
Basically, what are my options here? Can I convert SVG to Draw, can Artworks do anything with them? I don’t mind paying for Artworks if it has sound SVG import, just wondering what my options are.

I’m looking to try designing my garden/courtyard and rather than buy a Windows app, I’d like to use RISC OS, and perhaps if I can get the graphics as SVG, I can convert to Draw or Artworks and use them that way.

Cheers

Garry

NetSurf can imprt SVG files and save them as draw files.

I didn’t know that! I’ll try it out as soon as I can. Cheers!

I’m wondering why, if you’re using a RISC OS approach, you need to import SVG. Wouldn’t Draw files fill the bill?

NetSurf can imprt SVG files and save them as draw files.

Didn’t know that either, the first one I tried came out inverted and reflected, but the rest were pretty good.

@Alan

I’m looking make a plan for designing my courtyard, trees, plants, bench and so on. I’d like to get some clipart for the images and I just think I’ll have better luck finding what I need in SVG format than Drawfiles.

I was intending to just get a Windows program for the job, but I’m getting back into using RISC OS where I can, so I’m going to try that first.

Cheers

Garry

Is there an application that will go the other way and convert a Draw file to SVG?

Yes: http://clive.semmens.org.uk/RISCOS/XP1Dr2SVG.html

I understand there are others too, but I forget the details. It’s not perfect (I don’t think any of the others are either), but for most things it’s not bad. Details on the linked page.

Draw 2.44 (05 Dec 2009) will do it, but that is ‘on the dark side’. ;-)

Is there an application that will go the other way and convert a Draw file to SVG?

In addition to Clive’s then trying:

Draw2SVG
by Steven Simpson

I tried the NetSurf approach, but that failed quite badly even on the simple SVG logo on Wikipedia. I think the best approach for me might be to dig up some old clipart CD with Draw format files.

They way that I tend to import non-native vector artwork is to use Inkscape (on Windows or Linux) to convert to a PDF, then load that PDF into ArtWorks. There are still some gotchas, but it’s worked fine for a number of logos that have gone on to be included in professionally-printed jobs, and has had more success than any other approach that I’ve tried.

Thanks Steve, I have been considering getting Artworks for a while, though I hardly do any drawing at all, so maybe I’ll see if I can achieve what I need in !Draw first.

I do quite a bit of drawing – engineering drawings, architectural ones, and illustrations. I’ve not had access to expensive drawing software since retiring in 2007, but for most vector work I find !Draw perfectly adequate, and a lot easier to get good results with than other packages, even expensive software I had to use at work.

For example, I did all these http://clive.semmens.org.uk/RISCOS/SVGSamples.html and these http://clive.semmens.org.uk/RISCOS/DrawScreenShots.html in !Draw.

I also use Draw quite a lot. I’d love to see improvements in the area of selection though. For example, if a line has its width set to the default width of “thin”, it’s virtually impossible to select it by clicking on it. It would also be great if lower items in the stack could be prevented from being selected. This probably requires the use of layers though, which would be a big change.

I have found (Draw+ / DrawPlus) to be handy in-between Draw and Artworks.

From the same stable is OpenVector.