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  ╞════ pen plotter control for Inkscape ════╡

Plotter Studio

Pen plotter control for Inkscape with a local web UI. Built for the UUNA TEK iDraw; AxiDraw and plain GRBL plotters are supported but untested. Five steps: Connect, Paper, Pen, Speed, Plot. Runs without a device in a simulator, and on an iPad in the same network.

Alpha. Everything runs in the simulator, nothing has run on a real plotter yet. Have a plotter? Try it and tell us how it went in issue #1; a note like "homing went to the wrong corner" already helps. Bug reports, pull requests and other plotters are welcome.

How to use it: MANUAL.md, online at tlausz.github.io/plotter-studio/MANUAL.html.

Running

Without a device:

cd extensions
/usr/local/bin/python3 idraw_server.py idraw_demo.svg --sim

The browser opens at http://127.0.0.1:8765/. Other options are --port N, --no-browser and --lan for the iPad. Needs Python 3.8 or newer with lxml. With --lan anyone on the network can move the plotter, there is no login.

In Inkscape, copy the five files into the extension folder:

cp extensions/idraw_core.py extensions/idraw_server.py extensions/idraw_web.html \
   extensions/idraw_interactive.py extensions/idraw_interactive.inx \
   ~/Library/Application\ Support/org.inkscape.Inkscape/config/inkscape/extensions/

Restart Inkscape, then Extensions > Plotter > Plotter Studio. After changing the drawing, close the browser tab and run the extension again.

Tests: python3 test_idraw_core.py, test_idraw_server.py and test_idraw_e2e.py in extensions/, each prints ok. More in TESTING.md.

Files

MANUAL.md, DESIGN.md, TESTING.md, TODO.md
iDraw Extension Analysis 2026-09-02.md   the original plugin and the firmware commands
docs/                        pictures for the manual; make_screenshots.py makes them again
extensions/
  idraw_core.py              plotter logic: transport, state, plot run, SVG loading
  idraw_server.py            local HTTP server
  idraw_web.html             the web UI in one file
  idraw_interactive.py/.inx  Inkscape entry point and menu entry
  idraw_demo.svg             example with three layers
  tests/                     test drawings for the Speed step
  test_idraw_*.py            tests
  idraw2_0*, idraw_deps/     the original iDraw 2.0 plugin by UUNA TEK, unchanged, and its dependencies

Architecture

browser (idraw_web.html)  <-- HTTP/SSE -->  idraw_server.Session  -->  idraw_core.Plotter  -->  Transport (Serial, Sim)

Plotter holds the machine state and writes all G-code in two methods: _move_abs (XY, with the axis mapping) and _z (pen). Session adds the drawing, paper, placement and profiles. The server has three routes: GET /api/snapshot, GET /api/events and POST /api/cmd; the commands are listed at the top of idraw_server.py. Another UI only has to speak these three routes.

Other plotters

MODELS in idraw_core.py lists the models, dialect() picks the command set: drawcore for the iDraw, grbl for GRBL 1.1 with Z as the pen, ebb for the AxiDraw. The AxiDraw and GRBL code is written from the vendors' code and has never run on a device, so start with small moves.

Adding features

• Test drawings: drop an SVG into extensions/tests/, it shows up in the Speed step.
• Placement: preset() builds the transform for the buttons in step 5, place() applies it, align() moves the drawing's box.
• Path sorting: run plot_optimizations.reorder from idraw_deps/idraw2_0internal on the digest before load_svg builds the layers.

Status

As of 2 October 2026. Working in the simulator:

• all five steps, jog, pen, profiles, mm and inch
• test drawings, including a stress test with 31'550 paths
• plot with layer pause, stop and progress
• resume from path N, or plot a single path picked on the board
• free placement: position, scale, rotation, align, drag on the board
• plot time estimate that learns from the last real plot
• preview with rulers and title block
• hidden-line removal
• transport timeouts
• a reload keeps the view
• LAN access

Not verified on a device yet, the iDraw H A1 comes first:

• homing and the direction of the axes
• realtime commands; until then stop waits for the current G-code line
• behaviour after $SLP
• G92 after releasing the motors

Not built: copies, laser, multiple devices, webhook, path sorting.

License

GPL-3.0-or-later, see LICENSE. The bundled original code in extensions/idraw_deps/ keeps its own licenses: idraw2_0internal and ink_extensions are GPL-2.0-or-later, drawcore_plotink and serial are MIT/BSD. The Hershey font has its own license in extensions/HersheySans1-LICENSE.txt.