Skip to content

8.5 Transform

Transform applies visual changes to the object itself after it has already been placed.

Use it when you want to alter the final appearance of an object without changing the placeholder logic of Fit or Fit-Anchor.

Transform is not about the placeholder. It is about the object itself once placement is already solved.

8.5.1 Transform vs Fit

Use:

  • Fit / Fit-Anchor for anything relative to the placeholder
  • Transform for anything applied to the object itself

Examples of Fit concerns:

  • Fit-Anchor mode
  • anchor
  • border
  • clipping to the placeholder
  • placement inside the placeholder

Examples of Transform concerns:

  • rotate
  • mirror
  • opacity
  • scale
  • soft edges
  • later, other visual effects such as blur, color adjustments or shadows

8.5.2 Syntax
object_id.T{rotate=15 mirror=h}
object_id.T{opacity=50% scale=110%}
object_id.T{o=50% s=110%}
object_id.T{f=myFilter}
object_id.T{f=image1-9-1 e=8%}
@{source}.T{o=70%}

Transform can be written as:

  • Transform{...}
  • T{...}

8.5.3 Parameters

Current parameters are:

  • rotate or r
  • mirror or m
  • opacity or o
  • scale or s
  • edge or e
  • filter or f
  • text or t
  • inside or i

8.5.4 Rotate and Mirror
.T{rotate=15}
.T{r=-42.4}
.T{mirror=h}
.T{mirror=v}

Compact ~ can still carry the same operations:
object_id~^15
object_id~^^
object_id~|
object_id~||

In compact form, ^ means rotate and | / || mean horizontal / vertical mirror. See Compact Notation (Fit-Anchor and Transform) for the complete token order and combined examples.

8.5.5 Opacity
.T{o=50%}
.T{opacity=80%}

This changes the final opacity of the placed object.

8.5.6 Scale
.T{s=1}
.T{s=110%}
.T{s=110%+2}
.T{s=[1+120% -3+90%]}

scale resizes the already placed object around its current center.

Accepted forms:

  • one value: same scale in width and height
  • two values: [width height]
  • absolute values are millimeters when no unit is provided
  • percentages are relative to the current placed size
  • absolute and percentage parts can be combined

Examples:

  • s=1 makes the object 1 mm wider and 1 mm taller
  • s=110% makes it 10% larger
  • s=110%+2 makes it 110% of current size plus 2 mm

8.5.7 Soft Edges
.T{e=12%}
.T{edge=[12% 4%]}
.T{e=[5% 10% 15% 20%]}

edge creates a soft fade towards the edges of the object.

Accepted forms:

  • one value: same fade on all sides
  • two values: [horizontal vertical]
  • four values: [top right bottom left]

Values are percentages.

8.5.8 Filter Copy
.T{f=myFilter}
.T{filter=myFilter}
.T{f=image1-9-1}

filter applies an existing SVG filter to the final placed object.

Accepted references:

  • the id of a <filter> element, for example f=myFilter
  • the id of another element that already has a filter applied, for example f=image1-9-1

When an element id is used, PnPInk copies that element's current filter reference. This is useful for reusing Inkscape-made effects such as color shifts, brightness tweaks or glows without rewriting the filter in the DSL.

8.5.9 Text Replacement
icon.T{text=+1}
icon.T{t=-2}
icon.T{t=[+1 -2 +5]}

text replaces plain text inside the placed object. With a list, values are applied to the first text node, second text node, and so on.

This is intended for reusable icons or groups that contain small labels. When text is used, PnPInk places a real copy instead of a shared clone, so each instance can have its own text. The original template object is not modified.

8.5.10 Dynamic Shape-Inside Frames

inside trims a rectangular frame to the text linked to it through Inkscape's shape-inside property:
frame.T{i=x}
frame.T{i=y}
frame.T{i=a}
  • i=x trims horizontally. Left-aligned text keeps the left edge, right-aligned text keeps the right edge, and centered text trims both sides.
  • i=y keeps the top edge and trims the bottom.
  • i=a applies both rules.

PnPInk places the frame and linked text together, lets Inkscape flow the final content, removes empty frames and repacks arrays after their final dimensions are known. Text-level compression and stretching are preserved safely while the visible frame is trimmed. See Text for the complete Inkscape setup, virtual property syntax, padding behavior and layout examples.

The hidden frame can be addressed through the visible text ID with the virtual shape-inside property. PnPInk resolves it automatically and creates a private frame only for instances that modify it:

placeholder description
description[shape-inside]~[90%]i.T{i=a} Text for this instance

Property-only headers inherit the previous target ID, so the same operation can be split into two columns:

description [shape-inside]
Text for this instance .T{i=a}

8.5.11 Typical Use
photo.T{o=85%}
photo.T{e=10%}
photo.T{f=myWarmTint}
photo.T{f=image1-9-1 e=7%}
photo.T{o=75% e=[8% 3%]}
counter_icon.T{t=+3}

This is useful for:

  • fading photos or textures
  • softening cutout edges
  • blending placed art into a tile or card background