Zoom and File Size Issue

[rspwater]

Hello - I started using Inkscape about 1 1/2 years ago, just downloaded newest version of Inkscape and now having an issue related to zoom, file size, display units, and scale. I have searched high and low - online, Inkscape forums, tutorials etc, to resolve the issue on my own, some previous posts in the forum and other information found touch on the same issue I'm having but what I working with still doesn't seem accurate.

I have reset the zoom correction factor a number of different times in the interface, have also ensured my px in display units is and set scale to 1.0 but still no luck. Two examples of the issue:

1. When display units set in inches, and I create a 12" x 16" square, the zoom is at 35% (which I know is the default), the highest level of zoom, where the 12" x 16" square is on my screen and I can work within, is 50%. If I go to 100% zoom, the square is then too big and absorbs my entire screen and I'm not able to work within.

2. When not working in inches, and I want to set a custom size page border at 4500 x 5400 px (which is the size of template I often work in for my designs), and with display units set to px, when I zoom to 100% the page border is way too big for my screen and I can't work within the page border as intended.

My questions:

1. For #1 example, should I be working at 35% zoom?

2. For #2 example, if I want to work with the page at 4500 x 5400 px, I have to be at 12% zoom. Is that correct or should I be at that zoom level? Doesn't seem accurate to me.   

3. Please let me know any other solutions you can offer for either example as I have searched for about five hours now and can't find a solution.


Tank you.

[Moini]

And how large is your screen?

[rspwater]

Moniter screen size is 24"

[Moini]

Please also indicate the px sizes, and indicate real world measurements of screen area measured with a tape or ruler (width, height).

[rspwater]

Thanks for your reply. Not sure what is meant by px sizes, but screen width is 20", height is 11 & 3/4".

[Moini]

How many pixels does your screen have? Mine is 1280x1024, for example - yours is probably larger. If you don't know, you can look it up in your screen's manual, or in your operating system's screen settings.

Thanks for doing the measurements!

[rspwater]

My screen is 1920 x 1080, which is the manufacturers recommendation.

[Moini]

So, 1920px (width) * 1080px (height), 20inch * 11.75inch.

100% zoom is for 96 dots per inch. Your 12inch * 16inch rectangle will then use 1152 * 1536 px (this is what it actually does for me).
On your screen, this means: it should fit in with the width, but not with the height. Is this the case?

The scale factor should not be touched if you do not know what it does. Make a new document for your tests, where you change nothing but the display unit.

The cause for 4500px at 100% zoom not fitting on your screen is that your screen is smaller than that.

The zoom correction factor only determines the zoom level that you get when you press the 5 on your num pad. Mine goes to 74% then, which is the zoom at which an A4 paper that I put in front of my screen is just as large as the A4 template in Inkscape.

You can work at any zoom level that is comfortable. Zoom in if you want to edit small details, zoom out if you want to see the whole picture. Zooming is dynamic. You can use Ctrl+mouse wheel to more quickly change zoom levels.

[rspwater]

Hello Moini - thanks for your reply and the information! To address your thought about the 12 inch * 16 inch rectangle, mine also translates to 1152 * 1536 px; and so yes to answer your question, the 12 " * 16" rectangle fits on my screen in width but not in height.

Regarding the zoom correction factor, when I press 5 on my num pad, mine goes to 74% as well. I realized after asking my question, I could simply work at 100% and scale my work to whatever size rectangle or image size needed. The challenge for me was that the latest version of Inkscape which I just downloaded this week presented a different look as described versus what I was used to working in the downloaded version of Inkscape from two years back. I have two other issues I need help with, one is related to the document properties dialog box, the other is a design related issue. Can I use this thread to ask my questions or should I start a new post?   

Thanks again.

[Moini]

The longer I re-read this, the more I get the impression that you might think that the zoom has an influence on the size of the image. However, it's only providing a magnifier glass you can use for working with the file. It has nothing to do with how the picture will be scaled when you print it or when you open it with another program.

It's true, though, that you can always resize everything you have there, to whichever size you need. If it's vector data (and not imported photos etc.), then you can use them at postage stamp size or at building size, and it's always going to look sharp.

Yes, please create new questions for those other two questions