Craft Edge

Here is how to :change the default page size/orientation in Inkscape
: add your own customised page size

Default for Inkscape is portrait.
If you prefer to work in landscape mode this is how you set it up as default: Open Inkscape> new page ( click on the little arrow to the right of New) A4 landscape or letter landscape >File>save as
and call your file default.svg
now browse to
My computer>C:>programs>Inkscape>share>templates and click on Save- in the warning screen that pops up telling you that default already exists and asking if you wish to overwrite click on yes.
Now close Inkscape then reopen when you click on File>new your page should come up in landscape format.
In the top tool bar remember to specify the units you wish to work in ( points, pixels inches mm etc).
As SCAL is in inches the best thing to do if you work in metric is to make your template in Inkscape then before saving as .svg click on the units box on the tool bar and change the units to inches - this will show you what size to resize to in SCAL. ( I came up with this idea after a lot of head bashing doing metric to imperial in SCAL).

SCAL gives you the possibility of choosing your mat size ( Cutter>mat size ) so this is how you can add those measurements to the list of page sizes available in Inkscape:

Example of adding a 12x12 page size:

Open Inkscape > File > new page
File > document properties scroll down to the measurements box.
Change the units box to inches
insert width 12 height 12 . You will see that your page size changes.
Now File>save as 12x12.svg browse to find the folder where you'll save this file -
C.>programs>Inkscape>share>templates click on save
Close Inkscape
Open and you'll see that when you go to File>New 12 x 12 has been added to the list of templates available.
If you want 12x12 to be your default page follow the instructions above.
I used inches as SCAL is in inches and until that changes the less translating we have to do the better.
This way you can make and add any number of templates to your template menu.
Susibi

I actually figured that out on my own I made a 6x12 default page and a 12 x 12 -

I also added horizontal and vertical grid lines every inch so it looks just like a cricut mat.

although when you save and then import into SCA the size changes so I write down the size that I create it in (the height and width) and then when I import into SCA I just resize in the properties box.

good for you! There are instructions in the help manual but they are slightly different and this is the more direct route.
Files exported from Inkscape do tend to be smaller in SCAL - something to do with difference in resolution probably - Inkscape has resolution default at 300dpi - you can change this by going into File>Inkscape preferences> Misc and changing the export value but it only works when you are exporting bitmaps and hasd no effect on the file size for SCAL.
I design in metric so I've got round the problem by changing my units to inches in Inkscape before I save as .svg then adjusting them using the properties box in SCAL -
The user manual and the basic tutorials which you can get to by clicking on the Help button in the program will give you an idea of what can be done in Inkscape - unfortunately things like family, food, washing , shopping and knowing that the kids are bound to come home from school sometime do get in the way with experimenting, but that's life!!
The Object to path command will let you make scallops etc ..
Susibi

Thank you so much!!!! This is a great option!

Thank you so much for all of your information! I am liking this program more and more, everytime you share a tutorial!

I think I have the size changing thing figured out. Whatever you have as the default size in the fonts library for SCA - that's the size that it will import as... I tried changing the default size in SCA before I imported and it imports at whatever size I have it set at.... Maybe that's a fix we need - that the import files don't follow that default...

hey great find - must admit I've never really used the fonts library as I use my ROBO to cut any fonts I need, but could be an idea. So if I set my font to 150 in both SCAL and Inkscape and see what size the final word is technically it should accept it at the same size in SCAL, right ? Off to try!
Susibi

Yeah you cracked it, brilliant - if I set my font size to 2 inches in SCAL and use a font of default 144pts in Inkscape ( 72pts= approx 1inch) then I get roughly the same size of import.
So - by first setting the font size to be equal both in Inkscape and SCAL even a shape imported should have the same proportions ( theoretically that is ) off to try that as well!
Susibi
Nope that don't work , it comes in at half the size but it's great that anything font related will be the same size so long as the settings are the same in both programs.

what kind of shapes were you using - when I drew a star in Inkscape it stayed the same...

Excellent instructions (again!), Susibi!

Thank you!

Shari