sK1 (program)

{{Short description|Open source cross platform illustration program}}

{{Infobox software

| title =

| screenshot = Image:SK1_2_0.png

| screenshot_size = 250px

| name = sK1

| logo =

| logo caption =

| caption = A screenshot of sK1

| collapsible =

| author =

| developer = sK1 Team

| discontinued =

| latest release version = 2.0RC5{{cite web |url=https://sk1project.net/sk1/download/ |title=sK1 2.0 Release Candidate 5 (RC5) download |accessdate=2024-06-14}}

| latest release date = {{release date|2021|08|31|df=yes}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| programming language = Python, C, wxWidgets

| operating_system = Linux, Windows

| platform = IA-32 and x64

| size =

| language =

| language count =

| language footnote =

| genre = Vector graphics editor

| license = GPL-3.0-or-later

| alexa =

| website = {{URL|https://sk1project.net/sk1/}}

}}

{{Infobox software

| name = UniConvertor

| logo = File: Uc2-64.png

| screenshot =

| caption =

| developer = sK1 Team

| latest_release_version = 2.0RC4{{cite web |url=https://sk1project.net/news/2019-05-27/sk1-and-uniconvertor-2.0rc4-binaries/ |title=sK1 and UniConvertor 2.0RC4 release |accessdate=2019-05-27}}

| latest_release_date = {{release date|2019|05|27|df=yes}}

| programming language = Python, C

| operating_system = Linux, Windows, macOS

| platform = IA-32 and x64

| genre = Vector graphics translator

| license = AGPL-3.0-or-later

| website = {{url|https://sk1project.net/uc2/}}

}}

sK1 is an open-source, cross-platform illustration program that seeks to be a substitute for professional proprietary software like CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator. Unique project features are CorelDRAW formats importers, tabbed multiple document interface, Cairo-based engine, and color management.

History

A small team led by Igor Novikov started the project in 2003, based on the existing open source vector graphics editor Skencil. sK1 is a fork of the Skencil 0.6.x series which used Tk widgets for the user interface (this version had been dropped by the main Skencil developers who were working on a branch of the program based on GTK+).

In 2007 the sK1 team reverse-engineered the CorelDRAW (CDR) format.{{cite web |url=https://sk1project.net/sk1/ |title=sK1 illustration program - The history of sK1 |accessdate=2010-12-01}} The results and the first working snapshot of the CDR importer were presented at the Libre Graphics Meeting 2007 conference taking place in May 2007 in Montreal (Canada).{{cite web |url=https://www.libregraphicsmeeting.org/2007/program.html |title=Libre Graphics Meeting 2007 - Friday May 4 |accessdate=2010-12-01}} Later on the team parsed the structure of other Corel formats with the help of CDR Explorer.{{cite web |url=http://sk1project.net/modules.php?name=Products&product=cdrexplorer |title=CDR explorer |accessdate=2010-12-01}} Export into CDR and CMX file formats was presented at the Libre Graphics Meeting 2019 conference taking place in May 2019 in Saarbrücken (Germany).

Target audience

Since the project was started by a small team of Ukrainian professionals in prepress, it was unambiguously focused on full support for PostScript, PDF, CMYK color model and color management at the expense of developing some advanced functions for illustrators{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}. Informally the project is positioned as a free open source alternative to the commercial CorelDRAW{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}.

Functionality

Compared to Inkscape, sK1 has a limited feature set, adequate for simple sketching, while its user interface remains clean. Drawable objects include circles and ellipses, rectangles, text, Bézier curves, and straight lines. Those can be transformed in typical manners and aligned in multiple ways.{{Cite web |last=Kreußel |first=Peter |title=Quickly Sketched » Linux Magazine |url=http://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2015/178/Drawing-Programs |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Linux Magazine |language=en-US}}

Supported formats

; Import:

CorelDRAW v7-X4 (CDR/CDT/CCX/CDRX/CMX)
Adobe Illustrator up to version 9 (based on PostScript)
Postscript (PS) and Encapsulated Postscript (EPS)
Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM)
Windows Metafile (WMF)
XFIG
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
Skencil/Sketch/sK1 (SK, SK1, SK2)
Acorn Draw (AFF)
PLT - HPGL cutting plotter files
CorelDRAW palettes (CPL and XML)
Adobe Swatch Exchange palettes (ASE)
Adobe Photoshop palettes (ACO)
Xara Designer palettes (JCW)
GIMP/Inkscape palettes (GPL)
LibreOffice palettes (SOC)
Scribus palettes (XML)
sK1 palettes (SKP)
Adobe Photoshop files (PSD)
GIMP files (XCF)
Images BMP, PNG, JPG, JPEG2000, TIFF, GIF, PCX, PPM, WEBP, XBM, XPM

; Export:

AI - Adobe Illustrator 5.0 (based on PostScript)
PDF - Portable Document Format
PS - PostScript
SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics
SK/SK1/SK2 - Skencil/Sketch/sK1
CGM - Computer Graphics Metafile
WMF - Windows Metafile
PLT - HPGL cutting plotter files
CorelDRAW palettes (CPL and XML)
Adobe Swatch Exchange palettes (ASE)
Adobe Photoshop palettes (ACO)
Xara Designer palettes (JCW)
GIMP/Inkscape palettes (GPL)
LibreOffice palettes (SOC)
Scribus palettes (XML)
sK1 palettes (SKP)
PNG - Portable Network Graphics

Side projects

File:Skencil 1.0.0 alpha.png

;Skencil (revitalization)

On 19 November 2006, On 19 November 2006, Bernhard Reiter and Bernhard Herzog asked Ihor Novikov to join Skencil development, stalled since 2005.{{Cite web |last=Reiter |first=Bernhard |date=19 November 2006 |title=[Skencil-users] Join forces for skencil1/sK1? (was: sK1) |url=https://lists.wald.intevation.org/pipermail/skencil-users/2006-November/000084.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |quote=I have chatted a bit with Bernhard (Herzog) and my idea was: Why not join forces on a tcl/tk based Skencil1/sK1 development? Bernhard's initial reaction was quite positive.}}{{Cite web |title=Join forces for skencil1/sK1? |url=https://sk1project.net/news/2006-11-25/join-forces-for-skencil1-sk1/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=sK1 Project |language=en}}

On 31 October 2010, Skencil 1.0 alpha was released, as a result of revitalization work done by Ihor Novikov.{{Cite web |title=Skencil 1.0alpha: project revitalization |url=https://sk1project.net/news/2010-10-31/skencil-1.0alpha-project-revitalization/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=sK1 Project |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Skencil - vector graphics editor |url=https://sk1project.net/others/skencil/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=sK1 Project |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Skencil / News |url=http://www.skencil.org/news.html#newsID21}}

On 4 November 2016, Skencil 1.0 rc1 was released, and the last code changes committed on 7 February 2020.{{Citation |last=sK1 Project |title=sk1project/skencil |date=2023-08-27 |url=https://github.com/sk1project/skencil |access-date=2023-11-03}}

;UniConvertor

: an application for conversion of files from one vector format into another one. In fact it is a part of sK1, rewritten as a standalone code and being developed by the same team. UniConvertor is also used by Inkscape for opening CorelDRAW, WMF and Sketch/Skencil files.{{cite web |url=http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/FAQ#Can_I_open.2Fimport_.2A.cdr_.28Corel_Draw_Vector_drawing_file.29_files_in_Inkscape.3F |title=Can I open/import *.cdr (Corel Draw Vector drawing file) files in Inkscape? |accessdate=2010-12-01}}{{cite web |url=https://github.com/sk1project/uniconvertor |title=UniConvertor at GitHub |website=GitHub |accessdate=2019-11-13}}{{cite web |url=https://sk1project.net/uc2/ |title=UniConvertor - universal vector graphics translator |accessdate=2019-11-13}}

;Color Palette Collection

: a set of free palettes provided in different native file formats for sK1, Inkscape, GIMP, Scribus, LibreOffice, CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, Xara Designer etc. For sK1 2.0 the palette collection is available as a web service.{{Cite web |title=Free Color Palette Collection |url=https://sk1project.net/palettes/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=sK1 Project |language=en}}

;CDR Explorer

: a program that simplifies the reverse-engineering of CorelDRAW formats.

; LinCutter

: an application for interactive work with cutting machines (PLT format).{{Citation |last=Project |first=sK1 |title=sk1project/lincutter |date=2021-11-01 |url=https://github.com/sk1project/lincutter |access-date=2022-04-28}}

Awards

In 2007 the project was awarded the second place in the Trophées du Libre open source project contest in the "Multimedia and games" category.{{cite web | title = The 2007 edition winners | url = http://www.tropheesdulibre2007.org/-Les-resultats-.html?lang=en | work = Les Trophées du Libre | accessdate = 2009-06-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090902232554/http://www.tropheesdulibre2007.org/-Les-resultats-.html?lang=en | archive-date = 2009-09-02 | url-status = dead }}
In 2008 the project was awarded the third place in the contest Hackontest, organized by the Swiss Open Systems User Groupd /ch/open and sponsored by Google.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}
In 2009 the project was awarded the second place in the contest "The best free project of Russia", conducted by Linux Format magazine. Among the group projects.{{Cite news |date=March 2010 |title=Russia's Best OSS Software |pages=12 |work=LINUX WORLD NEWS |url=https://www.linux-magazine.com/index.php/content/download/61894/483185/version/1/file/012-012_worldnews.pdf |access-date=28 April 2022}}
In 2009 the UniConvertor project was awarded the first place in the Trophées du Libre open source project contest in the "Multimedia" category.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

sK1 versions

class="wikitable" ! Version !! Date !! OS !! Description
{{Version \|o\| 0.9.0}}	9 May 2009	Linux	First public release
{{Version \|o\| 0.9.1}}	10 November 2010	Linux	Release "Made in Brazil"
{{Version \|o\| 0.9.2}}	5 December 2014	Linux	Backport release with branch 2.0 changes
{{Version \|o\| 0.9.3}}	19 February 2015	Linux	Bugfix release
{{Version \|co\| 2.0RC1}}	6 May 2016	Linux, Windows	First public release for branch 2.0 based on wxWidgets
{{Version \|co\| 2.0RC2}}	20 October 2016	Linux, Windows	Completed vector graphics editor, but there is not import/export functionality
{{Version \|co\| 2.0RC3}}	13 April 2018	Linux, Windows	Bitmap graphics import (more than 100 file formats), import filters for GPL, SOC, JCW, CPL, ASE, XML palettes, SVG, PDF, WMF.
{{Version \|c\| 2.0RC4}}	27 May 2019	Linux, Windows	Import filters for CGM, FIG, CDR(CDRX), CMX, CCX, SVGZ. Export functionality for CGM, CMX, CDR.
{{Version \|cp\| 2.0RC5}}	---	Linux, Windows	Under active development.
{{Version \|p\| 2.0}}	---	Linux, Windows	Future final release
colspan="4"\| {{Version \|l \|show=111111}}

UniConvertor versions

class="wikitable" ! Version !! Date !! OS !! Description
{{Version \|o\| 1.0.0}}	15 November 2007	Linux	First public release
{{Version \|o\| 1.1.0}}	21 December 2007	Linux, Windows, MacOS X	Win32 and MacOS X support
{{Version \|o\| 1.1.1}}	1 February 2008	Linux, Windows	CorelDRAW X4 file format support
{{Version \|o\| 1.1.2}}	24 March 2008	Linux, Windows	Bugfix release
{{Version \|o\| 1.1.3}}	25 July 2008	Linux, Windows	PDF and PostScript support
{{Version \|o\| 1.1.4}}	5 June 2009	Linux, Windows	PLT import/export
{{Version \|co\| 1.1.5}}	26 June 2010	Linux, Windows	DXF, DST, PES, EXP, PCS import. MSI installer. GUI frontend.
{{Version \|co\| 1.1.6}}	25 February 2014	Linux, Windows	Bugfix release
{{Version \|c\| 2.0RC4}}	27 May 2019	Linux, Windows	First public release for branch 2.0; export for CDR and CMX, import/export for GPL, SOC, ASE, CPL, JCW, ACO, SKP
{{Version \|cp\| 2.0RC5}}	---	Linux, Windows, macOS	Under active development
{{Version \|p\| 2.0}}	---	Linux, Windows, macOS	Future final release
colspan="4"\| {{Version \|l \|show=111111}}