SPE 0.8.4.c Python IDE editor released

As SPE was being developed for more than a year in subversion, I thought it is time for a release again. This is a major bugfix release. It ships updated plugins and also some new features, especially if you use Linux or Blender, for which Witold did a great job. Thanks to the big help of MOTU pochu, this is added to Ubuntu Hardy. I would also like to thank in particular the webhost Zindep.com for their support and patience.

New features:

• new versions of WinPdb debugger, PyChecker, wxGlade & XRCed gui designer
• clear output pane
• support for wxPython 2.8
• linux support for nautilus, gnome-terminal, konqueror, konsole, thunar
• improved blender support up to 2.45 (by Witold)
  

Fixes:

• sidebar sash more tolerant
• show path in title (linux)
• run with filename with spaces
• nicer debug dialog box
• kill process fix
• notebook
• insert signature
• numpad keys (by isolationism)
• find tab with nonexisting files
• add environment to SPE.py (linux)
• better warning for documentation for unsaved files
• better handling of new empty files
• many more...

Installing on Debian(unstable) and Ubuntu Hardy:

sudo apt-get install spe

Installing on all other platforms:

1. Download either the zip or tar ball from here
   
2. Unzip it where you want and do NOT rename the _spe folder
3. Start SPE from within the _spe folder with "python SPE.py"
   

Howto install sK1, a powerful alternative for Illustrator on Ubuntu

This post is deprecated as sk1 now has an official ubuntu installer:
http://sk1project.org/modules.php?na...ts&product=sk1

So this is for archival purposes only:

Igor, the icon king of Phatch, asked me if I could get sk1 to work on Ubuntu Gutsy. After playing around I found a way. Try this on your own risk.

I never heard about sk1 and looked it up on the website:
http://sk1project.org/

Why sk1project?

We think that sK1 is a powerful illustration program for the Linux platform that can substitute professional proprietary software like CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator and we hope the program and its derivatives will be helpful for you.

About sK1 vector graphics editor

sK1 is an open source vector graphics editor similar to CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, or Freehand.
First of all sK1 is oriented for PostScript processing.
The major sK1 features:

* CMYK colorspace support
* CMYK support in Postscript
* Cairo-based engine
* Color managment
* Universal CDR importer (7-X3 versions)
* Modern Ttk based (former Tile widgets) user interface

It looks quite impressive and in five steps you can have it up and running on your Ubuntu Gutsy. It is a KDE application.

1) Installing required modules
Type this at a terminal:

sudo apt-get install liblcms-utils python-liblcms python-imaging-tk kdebase-bin

2) Installing tcl/tk8.5
Download the tk8.5 and tcl8.5 packages of Gustavo A. Díaz for the amsn project:
http://download.tuxfamily.org/amsnskins/packages/ubuntu/tcl-tk/

Open and install these files in this order with gdebi:
tcl8.5_8.5.0-2_i386.deb
tk8.5_8.5.0-2_i386.deb

3) Installing sk1
Now download the latest version of sk1 from:
http://sk1project.org/modules.php?name=Products&product=sk1

And convert it to a debian installer:

sudo alien sK1-0.9.0-rev324-0.mdv2008.i586.rpm

4) Patching sk1
We need to patch this file:
sudo gedit /usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/sk1/app/managers/colormanager.py

Replace there on line 9:

from lcms import (...)

into

from lcms.lcms import (...)

5) Start sk1
Press Alt+F2 and type "sk1" at the terminal and sk1 is up and running! You can create a menu entry with alacarta or a desktop launcher with the command "sk1". I have not tested how well it works.

This is a screenshot, turned into perspective with Phatch: