Hello,
I'm very new to inkscape and some functionality I know is there I just can't figure out and I've tried searching.

1. I want to both snap and position objects (e.g. circles) using the centre point. It's always snapping to the edges or when I enable to snap using where I click this isn't always the exact centre and I want to specify x/y for shapes using the centre point. I found a post from a few years ago entitled 'enable Snap to Rotation Centers' but this is not available as an option in my version (0.48)?

2. I want to limit selecting objects by using the mouse in the same way as limiting by keyboard but I can't find an option to do this, e.g. enabling select only in current layer only works if I use the keyboard. I don't want to have to lock or hide every layer I need to fix every time I want to select using the mouse?

3. I can't pin-point what exactly I'm doing wrong but I after setting the gradient for an object fill, think when I change the border or other aspects of the shape then go back to the gradient fill tab, the fill is always reset to the way it was (horizontal). Is there a way to stop this?

Thanks.

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

One thing that's important in snapping, is to have the snap control bar set up only for your current situation. If all the buttons are engaged, your object will try to snap to every target that's available. So it's good to disengage all the buttons that you don't need.

If you're trying to center snap any object which doesn't have a fill, it won't work. I can't explain why this is. But without a fill color, all it can ever do is snap to the outer edges. So you have to give it some fill color to make the snap, then remove the fill later.

The only way I know to center snap to a certain (x,y) coordinate, is to use a Grid or Guides. Of course with grid, you'd have to set up some kind of custom grid, so that the grid intersections lie at the points you need. But if the coordinates you need can't be set into a grid, guides would be better. Although it's not much easier, because you'd have to use 2 guides and snap to the intersection.

In my version (0.48.1) I have 3 kinds of center snaps. In the bounding box section, I have "Snap to and from center of bounding box". Then in the Snap nodes and handles section, I have "Snap to and from center of objects" and "Snap to and from rotation center". I haven't heard about any of them being missing. But mine is a newer version, so maybe it just hadn't been added to the program yet, in your version.

I don't understand your question #2. The only way I know to select using the keyboard is (1) Tab to select objects one at a time, or (2) Ctrl + A to Select All. So the mouse already is capable of selecting one at a time. Are you asking to have the mouse be able to Select All, somehow? I guess the selection box/rubberband selection techniqe won't work for you?

Oh wait, I think I understand now. Sorry, I can be dense sometimes . Look here, in the section called "Select within group, Select under" http://inkscape.org/doc/keys048.html"smilies" src="images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy" />

Thanks. I didn't realise there was a snap toolbar, when I saw that option I found the snap to centre and I got it working by positioning guidelines, which also let me set the centre by the x/y.

I think I'm just used to using google sketch and visio which both allow me to simply enter the x/y into a text box. Maybe this is a feature worth requesting?

Hhmm....I'm not sure. Of course as an open source program, anyone is welcome to request new features. On the Selection tool control bar are X and Y values, which are the left and bottom edges of the bounding box (assuming you're using the visual bb) (which is the default). You can find out the size of the object by looking at the H and W values, which are right beside X and Y. So with some simple math, you can still place the objects precisely. It's just that instead of placing from the center, they're placed from the bottom left corner of the bounding box. (The tool control bar can be hidden, so since your snap bar was hidden, perhaps you might need to unhide the control bar. View menu > Show/Hide.)

I'm not sure this would be any more or less reasonable, but I wonder about an option to use measuring from the center. An option might be better than changing the whole program (pretty much everything depends on this current system of positioning). Although probably no less work for developers. I actually would be surprised is there isn't already a request for that.

But I guess when you start to use a different program than what you're used to, there could be many new things to get used to. Be sure not to miss the info in my forum signature -- excellent for learning how to use Inkscape!

Anyway, I'm glad you got the snapping to work