In order see how transparent an object is or e.g. to distinguish white objects from the (default) white background a checkerboard background is commonly used (GIMP or others).
Is there a possibility in Inkscape to set the background as a checker-board?
Changing the background color in the document properites (Shift+Ctrl+D) doesn't make a difference.

I searched this forum and there was a comment in 2012 that Inkscape doesn't do it. (Sorry, for asking again). In the web somewhere there was the same question in 2010.
A suggestion there basically was: "draw your own checker-board..."

Is this still the best way to go?

Well, yes and no. You might be referring to one of my messages, because I wrote something like that somewhere.

Yes, you'll need to draw it yourself. But you don't have to draw it every time. You can create either a custom template, or custom default template, so that checkerboard is re-created automatically, every time you open either the template or the default doc. Here's a good tutorial on creating custom templates: http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entr ... n-inkscape.

However, it's possible that I don't understand the question. Even on Inkscape's default transparent background, you can "see" the transparency. See attached screenshot. If I haven't answered your question, maybe you could clarify, with example screenshots?



Well, granted, if it's a white object, you can't "see" how transparent it is. But you can set the transparency with a number value, and trust that it's correct.

Edit
If I need to make a partially transparent white object, and there's nothing opaque "behind" or "underneath" it, I usually just draw a quick, temporary rectangle to place behind it. Or change the bg color, if I need to make several.

Irony 1: Inkscape uses a grey check in its color tools to indicate transparency.
Irony 2: If you make a grey check object for a background, it will not be transparent and it will need to be deleted/hidden/moved/etc. when outputting the work with transparency.

FWIW, in addition to making a custom template, you can make a custom checker pattern to fill a background object.



That pattern can be available to all documents by adding it to the patterns.svg file.
(Irony 2 will still apply.)

http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL ... s-Patterns

Other User Interface

General
Canvas background color can be set without exporting it (background transparency is only used for export but not the canvas).

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/0.91


irony 3: gnome's default image viewer displays svg-s on a checkerboard background.