I'm trying to prepare a scientific figure. Here is the basis of the figure in text: http://pastebin.com/G1qUkHRN Note that it uses tabs to help align everything. The alignment is important. When I copy and paste the text into Inkscape 0.91, the tabs turn into spaces which is not helpful. Why do the tabs turn into spaces?

Hello,

seans_potato_biz wrote:I'm trying to prepare a scientific figure. Here is the basis of the figure in text: http://pastebin.com/G1qUkHRN Note that it uses tabs to help align everything. The alignment is important. When I copy and paste the text into Inkscape 0.91, the tabs turn into spaces which is not helpful. Why do the tabs turn into spaces?

why?... I don't know. I guess the developers didn't think it was needed, since Inkscape is a graphic editor and not a text editor ... I could be wrong.

I don't know in what system you are. But there are some text processors that can convert from "tabs" to "spacebars". I use Scite, that I "think" it can do that conversion.

On the other hand. Are you pasting your text in a Inkscape's text box?. I remember, some time ago, Inkscape was able to import an excel table as an array of text cells. Recently I tried with a Libre Office table, but the result was a bitmap of the table... totally bad.

There are some extensions that can deal with text objects.

Could you share your draft svg document, or some sample or screen shot of what you are trying to achieve?... I ask this because some designs are more easy to do in Inkscape than others. Or it's more easy to do in other software,... perhaps.

Wow, that looks like gene sequences, or maybe amino acids?

But to be more on topic. I agree with hulf. Inkscape just doesn't recognize the Tab in Text, probably because it's not meant to work as a text editor or desktop publisher. Although I'm sure there have been plenty of new feature requests for more text features

There are plenty of other ways to align things in Inkscape. Although it might put a kink in your workflow....

What about Scribus? Open source desktop publishing software. It's compatible with SVG. Maybe that would work, instead of Inkscape?

I suggest using a monospace font, left justified.

(@Brynn: it's chicken DNA )

I though Chicken DNA went

BAKBAKBAKBAKBRRRRRBAKBAKBAKBAK

OT
DNA! My poor old brain I knew what it was but couldn't find the right word.
end OT