I'm using a Genius Pentablet, and I've followed the tutorial on turning on pressure sensitivity, and nothing happens. I'm an illustrator (who used to use a pirated version of illustrator), and need a pen with variable thickness to keep my art consistent. Can anyone help me get it to work?

(also, why is it that every time I select a new color, my last-drawn line changes color too? That's irritating, can I turn that off?)

Hi unused_bagels,
I'm not sure what tutorial you're referring to? I don't use a tablet, but to my understanding (by reading messages) in Inkscape versions 0.48 and above (0.48.2 is the current stable release) all tablet issues have been solved, including pressure sensitivity. Here is a list I made, almost a year ago, of what seem to be the most relevant topics related to table use. Note that most of them are outdated, but you might pick up a tip somewhere that will help. Otherwise, I suspect a tablet user will be along pretty soon, who can help you sort it out. But meanwhile, you can peruse these topics:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4107
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3054
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4164
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5448
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4055
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1091
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=471
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3870
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1505
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1771

Oh, well I also know that there are some options in Inkscape Preferences that need to be selected, I think under Mouse. And that's about all I can say on this issue

If when you change the color of your pen, the last line you drew changes to that color, it means that the last line is still selected. You can deselect it quite simply by clicking on any blank area of the canvas, before clicking the color change. (Or I guess there's a keyboard shortcut.....maybe Esc?) I know that some artists have found this to be cumbersome, and I think that's opposite of how raster graphics programs usually work. But it's just the way Inkscape works. The typical process with Inkscape is to draw something first, then color it next or later.

brynn wrote:but to my understanding (by reading messages) in Inkscape versions 0.48 and above (0.48.2 is the current stable release) all tablet issues have been solved, including pressure sensitivity

A bold statement!
Sorry to be the one dissenter, Brynn, but 0.48.1 (and the first few development snapshots after it) was the last release to have good pressure support, although most tablets can be made to work as a pressureless pointer device simply by unchecking pressure-sensitivity in every release/snapshot for Windows that I have tried.

Naturally I can't speak for everyone else for whom the issue is resolved.

Ah!
Well as I said, I don't use a tablet myself.
My response is based on a private discussion I had with microUgly (forum admin). For a long time, I've wanted to create a new FAQ item and/or tutorial linked to the FAQ topic (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2037) for tablet issues, because to me, it's a very frequently posted topic. (And I always feel helpless to reply.) I compiled that list of topics as a starting point, but since I don't personally use a tablet, haven't felt really very qualified to write a tutorial. So I was hoping he, or someone, might write such a tutorial (or at least add a new message to the faq topic). But in my discussion with micro, he informed me that with 0.48, all the tablet issues have been resolved, and that a new faq item or tutorial would not be needed.

(I can't remember if the discussion was via PM, or in the Moderators forum. But if I can find it, I'll post a quote, in case I misinterpretted his comments. I'll go look for it now )

EDIT
Ok, found it. The discussion is a bit segmented, so would be hard to quote. But part of what he said (regarding frequently asked tablet-related questions) was

I remember there was an issue with 0.47, but I think 0.48 is works fine. Or am I wrong?

And again, I'm not in a position to offer specifics. (edit - specifics about whether he might be wrong)

Later in that discussion he commented that the tablet issues seems to change with different version releases, and would be hard to put in a single topic.

But anyway, that's where my comment came from (from where my comment came? )

Yes, I think all the tablet issues were resolved when there was sort of an upheaval within Inkscape's interface - windows, menus, rendering, etc., between 0.48.1 and 0.48.2, and it seems to me that's when pressure support became a casualty... It's unfortunate because now I have to keep 048.1, 0.48.2, and the most recent build on my machine in order to get all the features, new and old. Any time I want to use the calligraphy tool and draw with pressure I open 48.1.

brynn wrote:that's where my comment came from (from where my comment came? )

Wherefrom came my comment?

All the topics you listed confused me further. I'm sorry, I'm a bit Inkscape-illiterate, and to read dev topics is like eating a bowl of latin 305 for breakfast.
At any rate, the other topics are about Wacom pads, and mine is a different brand. Thanks for trying, though, I'll find the instructions, follow them again, and if they don't work, I'll post my results.

"wherefrom"
That's a new word for me (or is it "Old English" e.g. Shakespeare?)

unused_bagels, I'm sorry I'm not able to offer better suggestions. Most of the info in those topics are outdated. But there are replies at the end of some that are more current, and might be valid. For the most part, most graphics tablets will require the same setup from the Inkscape side. Although certainly the must operate differently. I suppose you could contact the tablet's tech support, but I suspect they will say to contact Inkscape support

If you look in File menu > Inkscape Preferencess > Mouse, there are 2 settings for tablets. If you haven't already, you could check that those are set properly. One more tip -- some tablet users have found that having a mouse sitting on the tablet will prevent them from drawing. But you seem to be able to draw, only without pressure sensitivity.

I don't know, maybe druban (or another tablet user) would be able to help you sort it out?

I'm really frustrated with inkscape. Is there any way I can get the pressure sensitivity to work? It's not the pen or the driver, but for some reason the sensitivity only works with MyPaint, not GIMP or Inkscape. Is there anything I can do, or is it "just incompatible"?
I should probably also point out I'm using Ubuntu 11.1