I am using Inkscape 1.0.1 and a Mac computer. When I want to quickly delete parts of a vector illustration using the "Edit paths by nodes" tool to select them, I cannot delete the elements selected using the "Delete" key of my keyboard.
It looks like a bug, since in the Edit menu, "Delete" is symbolized by the delete key symbol. But pressing the key doesn't delete anything.
So I've had to go to the Edit menu every time I have to delete an element, which is very tedious.
When you want to get rid of parts of a compound path: select one node with the node-tool hit cmd+A to select all nodes of that portion - hit backspace or delete.
No - you dont have selected any nodes - you just activated the outline - either select as I told you or use the select tool and hit del then or hit "S" which select as object afterwards and hit del/backspace. No bug.
Funny-wise the right-click->del works on just activated objects with the node-tool.
PixelPest - can you be more precise? What is the difference between "activating the outline" and "selecting nodes"? In my filmed screenshot, I am using the second tool in the toolbar, "Edit Paths by Nodes(N)" and I click on an element of the drawing I want to delete.
Thanks for your input. But that is not what I am trying to do. I am trying to click on a shape and delete it quickly, if possible using the keyboard. Clicking each node one by one seems like an extremely long and inaccurate process. Can this be done?
If you want to delete entire objects use the select and transform objects tool. (S) key
You can also activate this tool using F1 or toggle back and forth between the current tool and the select tool by tapping the space bar (my recommended approach).
The node tool is used for editing the individual nodes of an object, not really for working with the object as a whole. But PixelPest's suggestion of pressing Cmd-A to select all the nodes before hitting delete should also work (since deleting all the nodes effectively deletes the object anyway).
If I select text, or an object, or a path (using the select and transform objects tool so that the entire thing gets selected), the delete button or back-space button doesn't do anything. The only way I can delete is to right-click and click delete (or edit--> delete).
I have seen several tutorials where the delete button seems to work fine, for example when they quickly want to delete the entire object.
I also tried to delete using the delete button on the Virtual keyboard app in Windows but that also did not work.
Any suggestions would be fantastic! Thanks!
p.s. I am using Inkscape 1.0.2-2 on a Windows 10 Enterprise, Swedish keyboard.
Unfortunately, I can confirm this bug on a few different Windows computers. The delete keys stop working along with some other keyboard shortcuts, like [#] to show/hide the grid, [home] and [end] to change object stacking, and others that I can't recall right now. (Next time I'll do some testing, if I remember.) Menu selections for the same functions continue to work. When delete stops working, I can still use [ctl+x] to remove objects. Normal operation resumes after closing every Inkscape window.
This has been a persistent annoyance over a few Inkscape versions, but for me it's infrequent and seemingly random. I didn't file a bug report because I can't reproduce this behaviour deliberately. I don't often use Inkscape on my Mac laptop and I don't think I've seen this problem on that machine.
On Mac "Backspace" and "Forward delete" (del-key?) works for deleting selected objects - just highlighted objects with the Node-tool won´t be affected - as long nothing particularly is selected.
Beginners' Questions How do I quickly delete a shape using my keyboard?
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I am using Inkscape 1.0.1 and a Mac computer. When I want to quickly delete parts of a vector illustration using the "Edit paths by nodes" tool to select them, I cannot delete the elements selected using the "Delete" key of my keyboard.
It looks like a bug, since in the Edit menu, "Delete" is symbolized by the delete key symbol. But pressing the key doesn't delete anything.
So I've had to go to the Edit menu every time I have to delete an element, which is very tedious.
Am I not doing something correctly?
When you want to get rid of parts of a compound path: select one node with the node-tool hit cmd+A to select all nodes of that portion - hit backspace or delete.
If you want do delete nodes in a path it should be working fine the way you are doing things already.
If you want to delete entire objects use the select and transform objects tool. (S) key
The backspace / delete key does not delete the selected element...
I made a screenshot video of the issue.
Maybe it's a bug and I am not reporting it in the right place?
No - you dont have selected any nodes - you just activated the outline - either select as I told you or use the select tool and hit del then or hit "S" which select as object afterwards and hit del/backspace. No bug.
Funny-wise the right-click->del works on just activated objects with the node-tool.
PixelPest - can you be more precise? What is the difference between "activating the outline" and "selecting nodes"?
In my filmed screenshot, I am using the second tool in the toolbar, "Edit Paths by Nodes(N)" and I click on an element of the drawing I want to delete.
What other tool exists that I should be using? If I go in the Edit menu and click "Delete ⌦" it deletes the outline I selected. But not if I use "⌦" on my keyboard (but it's supposed to be the keyboard shortcut to delete, and it works from the menu... right?)
In node editing mode, nodes must be selected to perform a delete operation.
Thanks for your input. But that is not what I am trying to do. I am trying to click on a shape and delete it quickly, if possible using the keyboard.
Clicking each node one by one seems like an extremely long and inaccurate process.
Can this be done?
The answer has already been posted:
You can also activate this tool using F1 or toggle back and forth between the current tool and the select tool by tapping the space bar (my recommended approach).
The node tool is used for editing the individual nodes of an object, not really for working with the object as a whole. But PixelPest's suggestion of pressing Cmd-A to select all the nodes before hitting delete should also work (since deleting all the nodes effectively deletes the object anyway).
Hi, I have a similar problem:
If I select text, or an object, or a path (using the select and transform objects tool so that the entire thing gets selected), the delete button or back-space button doesn't do anything. The only way I can delete is to right-click and click delete (or edit--> delete).
I have seen several tutorials where the delete button seems to work fine, for example when they quickly want to delete the entire object.
I also tried to delete using the delete button on the Virtual keyboard app in Windows but that also did not work.
Any suggestions would be fantastic! Thanks!
p.s. I am using Inkscape 1.0.2-2 on a Windows 10 Enterprise, Swedish keyboard.
I have the same bug and it's very frustrating
Unfortunately, I can confirm this bug on a few different Windows computers. The delete keys stop working along with some other keyboard shortcuts, like [#] to show/hide the grid, [home] and [end] to change object stacking, and others that I can't recall right now. (Next time I'll do some testing, if I remember.) Menu selections for the same functions continue to work. When delete stops working, I can still use [ctl+x] to remove objects. Normal operation resumes after closing every Inkscape window.
This has been a persistent annoyance over a few Inkscape versions, but for me it's infrequent and seemingly random. I didn't file a bug report because I can't reproduce this behaviour deliberately. I don't often use Inkscape on my Mac laptop and I don't think I've seen this problem on that machine.
On Mac "Backspace" and "Forward delete" (del-key?) works for deleting selected objects - just highlighted objects with the Node-tool won´t be affected - as long nothing particularly is selected.
Messages #10, #11 and #12 refer to a bug where some keyboard shortcuts stop working in all the drawing tools, not just node editing.
Admins: Should these move to a new thread?
Messages #10, #11 and #12 refer to a bug where some keyboard shortcuts stop working in all the drawing tools, not just node editing.
Admins: Should these move to a new thread?
the backspace and delete key won't work if you have caps lock on
Rurikstander! Thank you! I can't believe I never realised this. Now that I know what to look for, I found a bug report and it's already closed.
https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/issues/2496
Not sure why it´s closed while it is still alive on macOS for instance.
I presume closing a bug means that the correction has been submitted and will be included in the next release. (I'm not a programmer!)