My electronics hobby occasionally involves printing panels for the small cases that house my projects. For a current one I’m pondering how to prepare two types of what I’ve called ‘radial’ text. This photo (sorry about the poor quality) shows type #1: given the angle between each position, and the total number, I want to place the text outside the knob.

For type #2, not illustrated, to save space I want to try placing the text on the skirt of the knob itself. Text would have to point outwards at every position, so that each item was always readable.

Of course, I’d also have the challenge also of carefully cutting the hole in the printed paper - but that’s another matter.

I’ve had little experience with Inkscape and it’s been a a year or two since the last time, so I’d much appreciate any help please.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8pfdv6e6ik2sa93/ControlKnob-1.jpg?raw=1

I believe all you need is this extension: https://inkscape.org/~sincoon/★knob-scale-generator

For type #2 : do you mean :

• Like this one ?
• Or this one, with graduations ?

@David248

The first one, without graduations. However I hope to find a flexible method which would allow either, or a mixture.
 

BTW I’d prefer to have the chosen element viewed at the top (12 o‘clock), which would  require what I called ‘facing inward’, rather than viewed when it’s at the bottom.

@Polygon,

Thanks, that looks good, will install asap. Didn’t know Inkscape had extensions.

P.S Are replies here possible to individual respondents?

terrypin

P.S Are replies here possible to individual respondents?

What works here is to select and copy text from a reply and pasting into the editor will add user+quote. Hit "return" twice to add own text.

I believe all you need is this extension: https://inkscape.org/~sincoon/★knob-scale-generator

(Thanks for your reply to my side question BTW. But I don't see anything other than my paste above. maybe it will change after I send..._

I downloaded knob-scale-generator-master. Its readme.md simply says 
"Installation:
copy knob_scale.inx and knob_scale.py to your ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/ directory."

I don't appear to have such a directory on my PC.

So I opened Inkscape. Inkscape > Extensions shows me a list of existing (presumably built in) extensions.

Extensions > Manage Extensios gives me this obscure message.

lnkscape has received additional data from the script executed.
The script did not return an error, but this may indicate the results
will not be as expected.

frozen importlib._bootstrap>:671: ImportWarning: DynamicImporter.exec_module() not found; falling back to load_module()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\lib\python3.10\site-packages\gi\importer.py", line 142, in load_module
    introspection_module = get_introspection_module(namespace)
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\lib\python3.10\site-packages\gi\module.py", line 257, in get_introspection_module
    module = IntrospectionModule(namespace, version)
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\lib\python3.10\site-packages\gi\module.py", line 109, in __init__
    repository.require(namespace, version)
gi.RepositoryError: Typelib file for namespace 'freetype2', version '2.0' not found

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\inkscape\extensions\inkman\inkman\manage_extensions.py", line 29, in <module>
    from inkex import gui
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\inkscape\extensions\inkex\gui\__init__.py", line 47, in <module>
    from .app import GtkApp
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\inkscape\extensions\inkex\gui\app.py", line 27, in <module>
    from gi.repository import Gtk, GLib
  File "C:\Program Files\Inkscape\lib\python3.10\site-packages\gi\importer.py", line 144, in load_module
    raise ImportError(e)
ImportError: Typelib file for namespace 'freetype2', version '2.0' not found

The same happens if I use Extensions > Manage Extensions.

Googling gave me this advice:

To manually install a new extension, download and unpack the archive file. Copy the files into the directory listed at Edit > Preferences > System: User extensions. After a restart of Inkscape, the new extension will be available.
 

I did that but no joy.

How should I proceed please?

Comment #4  on the extension's page links to an updated version.  If using Inkscape 1.0 and above, I'd try that one.

• Ctrl + shift + P opens preference settings for inkscape (or Edit>Preferences)
• Then browse to "system"
• There you can open the extensions folder by clicking on the button next to User extensions
• copy knob_scale.inx and knob_scale.py there
• restart inkscape

Thanks @David248.

I first updated to Inkscape 1.22. I did then apparently succeed in installing the original Knob Scale Generator. I say 'apparently' because

- Three copies appear in the Extesions List

- A very brief attempt to use it failed.

- While using manage Extensions (even simply resizing a window) took me into 'not respondong' state and had to force cxlosure.

I'll show a few annotated screenshots. (I see I can add Video, but is there a button for an image? Meanwhile I'll use links.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ieqbi5ty3b81ikx/12Folders-IncludingKnobGen.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bf6i4ya9tidakav/10Extns-IncludingKnobGen.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tlgspviiqlq3jvt/Extensions-ActualList-ManyMore-3KInobGen.jpg?dl=0

TylerDurden

Comment #4  on the extension's page links to an updated version.  If using Inkscape 1.0 and above, I'd try that one.

Thanks. However it looks pretty daunting compared with the original! Sort of  'Bike to a Bentley'.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KR6M1_s8He04fjyAf2Q0zOZF6PMyT0YhIDNOI8MRJcQ/edit#heading=h.trowevvm842m

And I need to get a better grasp pf how to install extensions before I do much more. Meanwhile I wonder if anyone has any simple tools or scripts that will do the following please:

1. Take four numbers as input variables

* Radius (or Diameter) of a citrcle in mm

* Number of targets

*  Degrees (between positions);

* a binary variable Direction, either Inward or Outward (IOW whether object will face the centre of the circle or away from it)

2. Apply those 'instructions' successively, i.e.one by one, to a set of Number pre-drawn objects to get the desired graphic result, like the knob examples displayed up thread.

Polygon

What works here is to select and copy text from a reply and pasting into the editor will add user+quote. Hit "return" twice to add own text.

Now in version 1.2.2 and happy to say that works fine, thanks!

Edit: Although that's presumably not the reason on reflection!