Integrated Automation/Scripting

Inkscape 0.46 currently has a scripting console and the ability to run Python scripts but these must be either entered manually or copied and pasted from an external source. There is no way to save and re-use such scripts directly within Inkscape. This wishlist suggestion is about improving this. Below is a possible way this might work:

CONSOLE ENHANCEMENTS
A full script manager could be added to the menus on the Scripts console. Such a manage would enabler creating, editing, loading, saving, renaming and deleting of scripts to a file format. The manager would list which script file was currently loaded (or that it is an unnamed/unsaved), and whether or not that script was modified, and ask to save (or save a copy) the script if Inkscape was closed. Scripts saved to files would be available to be loaded and run from any Inkscape application window. An additional pane under the Inkscape Preferences dialog would allow the user to add, edit and delete directories (and set one as a default for saves) from which script files could be used (with each directory having a "shorthand" name). That way, scripts could be kept in a common location (over a server?) for access by more than user, or e-mails as attachments to friends and co-workers.

RECORDING NEW SCRIPTS
In addition to writing scripts from scratch, or modifying existing scripts, each user could create new scripts based on their actions within Inkscape. One way to do this would be a "record macro" action/command which record each action taken by the user until another "record macro", at which point it's saved as a script file or discarded. Another way would be to be to copy the actions from a "History list" of actions taken so far. I know that Inkscape has an "Undo History" but do not know if this is equivalent or just a series of ordered snapshots that one can revert to. Either way, the recorded actions would then be in a script file that could be further examined, edited and re-used.

MENU ACCESS
A final addition would be a new SCRIPTS menu on the menu bar (perhaps next to EFFECTS). The items on this menu would include an entry to open the Scripts console, an entry that opens to the Script Directory pane of Preferences, and a sub-menu for each directory listed on that pane (with each using the "shorthand" name of that directory as a title) - and one entry for each script file found in a directory. A user could simply run a script by selecting from the appropriate sub-menu, rather than having to open the Scripts Console.