Inkscape

How do I change the default page layout? (MS Windows)

Asked by Symphonion

When I start Inkscape it automatically opens a new A4-sized document. Since I never use this format it would be really nice if it was possible to change this default page layout. Is it?

I am using Inkscape 0.46 under Windows XP (in case that has something to say ...)

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RIco
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Best RIco (rico-rootscore-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#1

set the layout as you would like your default layout to be (window size, page size, etc). Save it as "default.svg" (without the quotes) in the templates folder located in C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Inkscape\ from now on when you open Inkscape it will automatically use your layout as default.

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Symphonion (kasperc-gmail) said : 		#2

It works! Thank you very much! :o)

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sysrock (sysrock) said : 		#3

This did not work for me. I too am using Inkscape 0.46 on WinXP, but for whatever reason, I still get the original layout. I want to get the "Show Page Border" defaulted to off and the window size to more than just a quarter of my screen. Currently I have a blank svg file without the border and a large window size entitled default.svg in the C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Inkscape\ directory. This did not work for me.

After a little detective work, I did figure it out though. My resolution was to go to the Default template (the one accessed by File - New - Default or Ctrl+N) found at C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\templates and saved my default.svg file over the one located there. Admittedly this destroys the original default, but I really don't think I will ever like being confined by borders or want to work in a very small window. I guess that if you wanted to, you could change the name of the original default.svg file to another name and then save yours. Anyway, I hope this helps others.

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cimofj2 (cimofj2) said : 		#4

I am using Windows Vista Home Premium SP1.
The README file that came with Inkscape (with a little editing) says the following:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Inkscape\share\templates
This folder contains the templates for new documents created in Inkscape.
You will normally see them listed in the File > New submenu.
A template may store any document-specific settings (such as initial zoom and view, paper size, background and borders, metadata, window geometry, grid and guide settings, export hints) as well as any objects.
To add a new template, simply save or copy it in this folder; nothing else is required.

Files of the mask default.*.svg are the translations of default.svg template into different languages.
The default.svg itself is in English.
These translations contain a translated name of the default layer and possibly different canvas size.
Each language version of Inkscape will only use one of these templates and ignore the rest.