How to open a new file from the command line with Inkscape

Question

I can't find how to open a new svg document with Inkscape, simply from the terminal.

If the document specified as argument (or via -f) does not exist, there is just an error saying it doesn't exist, and then it opens an unsaved new document.

I tried using the verb FileSaveAs like this for example:

inkscape --verb FileSaveAs mynewfile.svg

but FileSaveAs does not take arguments, it just opens the graphical window for this action.

I might be persnickety, but I would find it more convenient to be able to create a new file directly from the command line instead of having to launch this window and click to the right directory...

Answer 1

To my surprise, there seems to be no option in Inkscape to produce a new file from cli!

How to create the option?

As always, if it doesn't exist, it can be made:

1. Open Inkscape, create a new file drawing.svg
2. Save this file anywhere

3. Copy the code below into an empty file, save it as newinkscape (no extension) in ~/bin. Create the directory if it doesn't exist yet.

   #!/bin/bash
   
   sample="/path/to/drawing.svg"
   dr=$1
   
   cp "$sample" "$dr"
   inkscape "$dr"
   

   Make the script executable

4. Replace in the line:

   sample="/path/to/drawing.svg"
   

   The path by the path to your sample file.

Log out and back in, now:

newinkscape /path/to/newfile.svg

will open a new empty Inkscape file, saved in the location you used in the command.