Updated for v0.46

Inkscape can be enhanced by Effects. These are scripts or programs that can be run from inside Inkscape. Most Effects require external programs, usually written in Perl or Python.

Many of the included Effects might be of marginal use to the average user. However, much can be learned by examining the code in order to write your own scripts. Look in the share/inkscape/extensions directory for the code. Note that on Windows, Effects written with Python will pop open an empty console window. This window will disappear when the Effect is finished.

A few Effects are built into Inkscape; they are located in the source directory src/extensions/internal. Often, an Effect can be used to quickly prototype a feature that may be included natively in a future version of Inkscape. Effects are also a good way to add a feature that may have limited use by the general Inkscape community and thus not warrant the long-term commitment of adding the feature to the main code base.

If an effect doesn't work, it may be that you are missing some external dependency. You can check if this is the case by looking at the log file extensions-errors.log in your Inkscape preferences directory (.inkscape on Linux, Documents and Settings\USER\Application Data\Inkscape on Windows).

As of v0.46, Effects can be run live, that is, the script code can be run automatically in the background, responding immediately to changes in parameters. This can both be good (see results of parameter changes immediately) or bad (updating before a parameter is fully modified). Each Effect dialog has a button to toggle on and off this Live Preview.

It is possible to assign keyboard shortcuts to effects. See la sezione chiamata «Custom Keyboard Shortcuts» in Capitolo 21, Customization.

Effects are grouped under several broad categories:

Two entries under the Effects menu allow one quick access to the previously used effect. The first, Effetti → Effetto Precedente, will run the effect with the same parameters. The second, Effetti → Impostazioni Effetto Precedente... , will pop up the parameters dialog.