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[Blender & Inkscape] Bi-directional link for project documentation. Is this possible?

  1. D by DADA_universe on 2 Jul 2020, edited 9 Feb 2023 # +3 votes

    Seeing this thread about Freecad controlled in Blender via Sverchok reminded me of the Blendot project which I stumbled upon a while back - a bidirectional link between Blender and the Godot Engine. The developer went ahead to also create similar links with Krita, and with Gimp.

    Not clear how that implementation was done, but I've been wondering if this can be done with Inkscape, such that Inkscape becomes to Blender what Layout is to Sketchup, but even more powerful if well connected. The fact that both tools handle svg quite well is a plus. A Bi-directional workflow would enable even more interesting ways of using both tools seamlessly like one. I've used inkscape to layout some plans exported from Blender as svgs and I see potential in this sort of workflow.

  2. S by stephen_l on 3 Jul 2020 # +2 votes

    Links between apps are "fragile" by definition.

    Bi-directionnal links require lot of care and frequent updates to keep things working, especially when representations are not 1:1 synch - eg wall 2d symbol may be split by windows / doors, where it is only one entity in 3d (even adsk half failed with revit-max link, where things are 1:1 and all in 3d, mostly for entity / structure management ability differences between softwares).

    Would rather use inkscape as printer manager only and handle missing features on blender's side instead.

    Speckle approach may be some kind of universal bridge by decoupling data structures sharing and means to represent geometry/shapes on both sides. With such solution, not only inkscape may be kept in synch, but also freeCad and any app implementing the same protocol in real time.

  3. B by bitacovir on 3 Jul 2020, edited 3 Jul 2020 #
  4. S by stephen_l on 3 Jul 2020 #

    As far as i can understand by diving into the linked tread, Inkscape and gimp integration are "watchdog" like only reloading files on change, looks far from "so called interactive link".

  5. D by DADA_universe on 3 Jul 2020 #

    Thank you for weighing in on this @stephen_l

    Your perspective on this is quite instructive. I was already very interested in Speckle and would spend more time looking into it on the strength of this.

  6. C by Coen on 8 Feb 2023 # +1 votes

    @stephen_l said:

    Links between apps are "fragile" by definition.

    Bi-directionnal links require lot of care and frequent updates to keep things working,

    Does this not apply to software in general ;-). Also I think 'linking' software could also be used to get the best of both worlds.

  7. N by Nigel on 9 Feb 2023 #

    When referring to links is that what I would call XRefs?

  8. D by duncan on 9 Feb 2023 #

    Added the prefix' and tags 'Blender & Inkscape'. This is how we keep our forum usable and searchable.

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