To change the ruler units in Inkscape, select your desired unit of measurement (like Inches) from the Display Units drop-down menu within the Document Properties.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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Open Document Properties: Go to
File > Document Propertiesin the Inkscape menu. This will open the Document Properties dialog. -
Locate Display Units: Within the Document Properties dialog, look for the "Display units" drop-down menu. It's often found under the "General" tab or a similar section dealing with document-wide settings.
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Choose Your Unit: Click the drop-down menu to reveal a list of available units. This list typically includes options like:
- Millimeters (mm) - the default
- Inches (in)
- Pixels (px)
- Points (pt)
- Picas (pc)
- Centimeters (cm)
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Select and Apply: Choose your preferred unit of measurement (e.g., "Inches").
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Close the Dialog: After selecting your unit, close the Document Properties dialog. The rulers along the top and left edges of your Inkscape window should now display the units you selected.
Important Considerations:
- Document-Specific: This change affects the current document only. You'll need to repeat these steps for each new Inkscape document you create if you want the rulers to display a different unit by default.
- No Restart Required: The change should be immediate; you don't need to restart Inkscape for the new ruler units to appear.
- Underlying Units: Be aware that while the rulers display in your chosen unit, some internal measurements and settings might still be based on other units (like pixels). Pay attention to the units specified in various dialog boxes within Inkscape.
- Illustrator Analogy: Inkscape, like Adobe Illustrator, features a graphical interface that allows you to interact with and modify your artwork visually. Changing the ruler units is a simple way to customize your workspace to your preferred measurement system.
