Inkscape plugin: Get data from stdout

Don't use a temp file for the out put of the boxes utiltty bur read it
from its stdout. Remove no longer used Inkscape related code.

boxes/__init__.py

@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 from boxes import gears
 from boxes import parts
 from boxes import pulley
-from boxes import svgutil
 from boxes.Color import *
 from boxes.vectors import kerf
 
@@ -298,7 +297,6 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
             description += "\n\n" + self.description
         self.argparser = ArgumentParser(description=description)
         self.edgesettings: dict[Any, Any] = {}
-        self.inkscapefile = None
         self.non_default_args: dict[Any, Any] = {}
         self.translations = gettext.NullTranslations()
 
@@ -536,10 +534,6 @@ def parseArgs(self, args=None):
         """
         if args is None:
             args = sys.argv[1:]
-        if len(args) > 1 and args[-1][0] != "-":
-            self.inkscapefile = args[-1]
-            del args[-1]
-        args = [a for a in args if not a.startswith('--tab=')]
 
         def cliquote(s):
             s = s.replace('\r', '')

scripts/boxes

@@ -67,13 +67,6 @@ def run_generator(name, args):
     else:
         msg = f'Unknown generator \'{name}\'. Use boxes --list to get a list of available commands.\n'
         sys.stderr.write(msg)
-        if box.inkscapefile:
-            try:
-                out = sys.stdout.buffer
-            except AttributeError:
-                out= sys.stdout
-            svgutil.svgMerge(box.output, box.inkscapefile, out)
-
 
 def generator_groups():
     generators = generators_by_name()

scripts/boxes_proxy.py

@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 import inkex
 import sys
 import os
+import subprocess
 from lxml import etree
-import tempfile
 from shlex import quote
 
 
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ def add_arguments(self, pars):
                 pars.add_argument(key, default=key)
 
     def generate(self):
-        f, box_file = tempfile.mkstemp(".svg", "boxes.py-inkscape")
-
         cmd = "boxes"  # boxes.exe in this local dir (or if present in %PATH%), or boxes from $PATH in linux
         for arg in vars(self.options):
             if arg in (
@@ -46,30 +44,23 @@ def generate(self):
             if arg == "original" and str(getattr(self.options, arg)) == "false":
                 continue
             cmd += f" --{arg} {quote(str(getattr(self.options, arg)))}"
-        cmd += f" --output {box_file} {box_file}"  # we need to add box_file string twice in a row. Otherwise program executable throws an error
+        cmd += f" --output -"
         cmd = cmd.replace("boxes --generator", "boxes")
 
         # run boxes with the parameters provided
-        with os.popen(cmd, "r") as boxes:
-            result = boxes.read()
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd.split(), capture_output=True)
 
-        # check output existence
-        try:
-            stream = open(box_file)
-        except FileNotFoundError as e:
-            inkex.utils.debug("There was no " + box_file + " output generated. Cannot continue. Command was:")
+        if result.returncode:
+            inkex.utils.debug("Generating box svg failed.  Cannot continue. Command was:")
             inkex.utils.debug(str(cmd))
+            inkex.utils.debug(str(result.stderr))
             exit(1)
 
         # write the generated SVG into Inkscape's canvas
         p = etree.XMLParser(huge_tree=True)
-        doc = etree.parse(stream, parser=etree.XMLParser(huge_tree=True))
-        stream.close()
-        if os.path.exists(box_file):
-            os.remove(box_file)  # remove previously generated box file at the end too
-
+        doc = etree.fromstring(result.stdout, parser=etree.XMLParser(huge_tree=True))
         group = inkex.Group(id="boxes.py")
-        for element in doc.getroot():
+        for element in doc:
             group.append(element)
         return group