Dear Inkscape community,

I created a text box. The box has several paragraphs with a blank line between the paragraphs.

I'm trying to decrease the space between paragraphs, while retaining the current line spacing within paragraphs.

I tried selecting the line in between paragraphs, but when I try to decrease the line spacing (the "A over A" button), the spacing of all lines in the text box decrease.

I prefer not to use this workaround:
[list=][*]Type a letter X into the line between paragraphs
[*]Highlight that letter
[*]Change line spacing
[*]Turn the letter into the same color as the background, making the letter invisible.
[/list]
Please help.

Actually that's a rather clever trick you described, with the X. The only other thing I can think of would be to use separate text boxes for each paragraph. Then each paragraph is a separate text object, which you could move closer to or further away from each other. You could Group the paragraphs, if necessary. Or you could use Guides, or maybe a grid, for accurate placement of the text boxes.

While there may be a way to do what you're asking, that I don't know about, Inkscape will never contain all the features you might find in a desktop publishing app, or word processor.

I just use a couple of spaces and then select them and change the size. It saves you having to change the colour.

However, there still seems to be a problem with this. When I copy the block, it resets the spacing again which is annoying if you are e.g. putting two A5 Flyer designs next to each other for A4 printing. I am using v0.91

Given that the original post was 2012, this is a serious omission for anyone using Inkscape for text layout. Paragraph spacing should be a basic control for text input.

AlienTravelle wrote:Given that the original post was 2012, this is a serious omission for anyone using Inkscape for text layout. Paragraph spacing should be a basic control for text input.

As Brynn commented, Inkscape will probably not have all the tools found in a dedicated desktop publishing program, since Inkscape is a native SVG editing program with many fine illustration tools. Scribus is an excellent open source DTP program than can import SVG illustrations made in Inkscape.

It might be possible for an extension to be created for paragraph styles in Inkscape, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

Related:
CSS Paragraphs: https://www.boutell.com/newfaq/creating ... acing.html

AlienTravelle wrote:Paragraph spacing should be a basic control for text input.

Agreed. OTOH, priorities.

I actually go the route of putting each paragraph in a separate text box, then selecting them all and using align/distribute. Trying to see the glass of missing features as half full, this helps keep my align/distribute skills sharp. Less flippantly, more than once it's made me realize I would like to "fill this space" with the paragraphs (usually in a box whose height I cannot change) rather than just center the block of paragraphs vertically in the space.

AlienTravelle wrote:When I copy the block, it resets the spacing again

I'm using 0.92 and could not immediately reproduce this behavior, FWIW.