Hi forum.

On a Windows computer, I've Inkscape 1.1.2 installed (this version have always worked best for schematic like drawings) but also the latest 1.3.2 (the 7z file unpacked to a directory).

However, it turns out those two versions both point to the same user settings folder (C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\inkscape\preferences.xml) and thus probably cause issues (i.e. can't use a clean good user profile while switching between versions).

In windows OS, one solution is to use Inkscape from portableapps.com because this version preserve all user data within the program directory, somewhere inside this common folder structure.

In Linux, I found there should be possible to run a command, possible appimage also but not tested while redirecting the home folder for the current session
Source: <perplexity-search> <Linux export command>
The cons about this method is it require an extra bash script file to launch the appimage file. And since this is not tested, I suspect this may mess up on the behavior when trying to open svg files from the actual home directory.

You guys have any other ideas on how to use two or more separate versions of Inkscape on a computer without Inkscape using the same profile folder ?

[Edit 1]

I've found by searching on the net that Inkscape supposedly support the environment variable INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR.

However, by setting this in a terminal session before launcing Inkscape doesn't seems to work.

I tested by setting one single setting in a different way when launching Inkscape normally (use preferences.xml file in default folder). This is because if Inkscape is opened and the environment variable INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR actually works, then I'll see that the setting has being reset when opening Inkscape settings dialog.

However, I never get this to ever work - here is from terminal window, all the attempts to format the parameter slightly different each time in case specific format of path is required:

$ INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR='/home/geir/Documents/inkscapeTemporarySettings/'
$ inkscape
$ INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR='/home/geir/Documents/inkscapeTemporarySettings'
$ inkscape
$ INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR="/home/geir/Documents/inkscapeTemporarySettings"
$ inkscape
$ INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR="/home/geir/Documents/inkscapeTemporarySettings/"
$ inkscape
 

Turns out none of the above was working, every attempt to open Inkscape resulted in Inkscape used the default path of preferences.xml

[Edit 2 - Solution for Linux]

I just found from an earlier example the correct way to use those environment variables is to use the env command.

For a version of Inkscape that is installed by the distribution package manager (i.e. "# dnf install inkscape" on Fedora) - the command that works for me looks like this (tested):

$ env INKSCAPE_PROFILE_DIR=/home/grobe/Documents/inkscapeTemporarySettings inkscape
 

On Windows, I'm not aware of similar way, maybe the environment variable simply can be set prior to executing inkscape, need to test this tomorrow.

Update - Here is a working solution on Windows using a batch script.

• Desktop shortcut must point to this bat file.
• The bat file must be located in the same folder as where the folder "bin" are located (i.e. not into the bin folder but the level above) 

The script check if the folder exist, Inkscape won't start if folder doesn't exist - this is to prevent a situation where newer version of Inkscape write over existing settings and cause trouble in previous version - And block this version (that the link/batch file are pointing to) to change any setting to whatever current version of Inkscape being installed.

Content of bat file

@Echo off

IF exist C:\inkscapesettings
ul Goto RUNINKSCAPE
Echo ISSUE : Folder doesn't seem to exists
Pause
Exit

:RUNINKSCAPE
set USERPROFILE=C:\inkscapesettings
cd bin
start inkscape.exe %1