Installation¶
Boxes.py is a pure Python project that does support the regular setuptools
method of shipping with setup.py. setup.py --help-commands and
setup.py CMD --help provide the necessary documentation for building,
installing or building binary formats.
Requirements¶
Python¶
Boxes.py is implemented in Python 3. For supported minor version see setup.py.
Python modules¶
Boxes.py need a set of Python modules:
affine>=2.0 markdown qrcode>=7.3.1 setuptools shapely>=1.8.2 sphinx
When using a distribution the packages will typically be name be python-MODULE or python3-MODULE
pstoedit¶
While not a hard requirement Boxes.py uses pstoedit (sometimes ps2edit) to offer formats
that are not supported by directly by the graphics backend: DXF, gcode, PLT. Currently the location
Boxes.py looks for pstoedit is hard coded to /usr/bin/pstoedit
in the boxes.formats.Formats class.
Python modules for development¶
For development (e.g. running the test suite and generating the documentation) the following modules are also needed:
lxml mypy pre-commit pytest>=8.1.1 types-Markdown
Sphinx¶
For building the documentation locally you need the Sphinx documentation generator (package name may be python-sphinx or python3-sphinx). It is not needed for anything else. Boxes.py can be run and changed just fine without.
Running from working dir¶
Due to lazy developer(s) Boxes.py can also run from the Git checkout.
The scripts in scripts/ are all supposed to just work right
after git clone. The Inkscape needs a bit manual work to get
running. See below.
Inkscape¶
As binary
Boxes.py can be used as a set of Inkscape plugins. The package does
install the necessary .inx files to /usr/share/inkscape/extensions
on unix operating systems. The .inx files assume that the boxes
executable is available in the path (which it is when installing the
binary package)
git repository easy way
After cloning it may be most convenient to generate the .inx files
right in place by executing scripts/boxes2inkscape with the target
path as only parameter.
global:
scripts/boxes2inkscape /usr/share/inkscape/extensions/userspace:
scripts/boxes2inkscape ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/
On non unix operating the target directories may differ. You can look up the directories “User extensions” and “Inkscape extensions” within the Inkscape preferences Edit -> Preferences… -> System.
git repository manual way
setup.py build creates the *.inx files in the inkex/ directory.
They then have to be copied in either the global or the per user
extension directory of Inkscape. These are
/usr/share/inkscape/extensions/ and
~/.config/inkscape/extensions/ on a unix operating system.
On non unix operating the target directories may differ. You can look
up the directories “User extensions” and “Inkscape extensions” within
the Inkscape preferences Edit -> Preferences… -> System.
As an alternative you can create a symlink to the inkex/ directory
within the desired inkscape extension directory.
