How to use Inkscape in commandline mode

Inkscape is a great GUI Vector graphic editors, but can also be used in command line mode.

A command in inkscape is called a 'verb'

Basic usage

List available commands, verbs

• inkscape --verb-list
• List of verbs

List all command line options

• inkscape --usage

Load file

• inkscape -f FILENAME

Performing Operations

--verb (Then the Action)

ex.

--verb EditSelectAll

--verb SelectionUnGroup

--verb EditSelectAll

--verb ObjectToPath

--verb FileSave

--verb FileQuit

Exporting SVG to different formats

export to bitmap (png)

• inkscape -f FILENAME.svg -e FILENAME.png

  loads FILENAME.svg and exports it to FILENAME.png

• inkscape -f FILENAME.svg -w WIDTH -h HEIGHT -e FILENAME.png

  loads FILENAME.svg and exports it to FILENAME.png with width size, WIDTH, and height size, HEIGHT, in pixels

export to pdf

• inkscape -f FILENAME.svg -A FILENAME.pdf

  loads FILENAME.svg and exports it to FILENAME.pdf

export to ps

• inkscape -f FILENAME.svg -P FILENAME.ps

  loads FILENAME.svg and exports it to FILENAME.ps

export to eps

• inkscape -f FILENAME.svg -E FILENAME.eps

  loads FILENAME.svg and exports it to FILENAME.eps

External links

• INKSCAPE-MANUAL: CommandLine
• INKSCAPE-MANUAL: CommandLine Options