When I add a "linked offset" to a clone, the clone is no longer a clone of the original object, i.e. the linked offset seems to remove to first convert the clone into an independent object. Is there a way to avoid this?
Here is a simple example on how to create that situation
1. draw a triangle
2. create a clone of the triangle and move it somewhere else. The two are linked: if one moves a node in the original, the shape of the clone changes
3. select the clone and chose "linked offset" (Ctrl-Alt-J). Now there is a path around the clone, with a distance that can be chosen using the handle. The offset path follows the shape of the clone
4. however, the clone is no longer linked to the original triangle.
Update: I've just noticed that the request was about a linked offset from a clone, which is not the specific issue I'm talking about below. My apologies for any confusion. I've left my original reply below in case it helps anyone else, or provides any clues as to a fix or workaround for clones. Unfortunately I don't have the time to investigate that specific issue at present.
Unfortunately this was broken in v1.0, but does appear to have been fixed in v1.1. If you can, therefore, I suggest updating to the newer version.
Edit: So much for the 'Embed YouTube video' button in the forum post editor. Looked fine in preview, then nothing once posted. I've put the link in, instead.
After some quick testing, I've come to a few conclusions:
Linked offsets to clones don't work, and likely can't work without a significant redesign of the code. A linked offset contains a reference to the original 'parent' object from which it gets its path data; a clone doesn't have any path data of its own, just a reference to its own 'parent'. In that regard linked offsets and clones are very similar - they both expect to reference something else for the actual path data.
In the case of a clone this referencing can pass through several levels (i.e. you can have a clone of a clone of a clone). Linked offsets don't work like that, and appear to expect to get the path data directly from the parent object. As such, even if you manually set the parent ID to that of a clone, it won't work.
Be aware that clones are supported as a native SVG element (<use>), so their behaviour is defined in the SVG spec. Linked offsets are a creation of the Inkscape developers, so are basically defined as whatever they chose to implement.
Linked offsets carry a copy of the parent's path data, which is present to allow them to display (without the live linkage to the parent) in non-Inkscape software. Inkscape doesn't use this data itself, but I suspect its presence is partly what allows you to create a linked offset of a linked offset of a linked offset.
In 0.92 you simply could not create a linked offset from a clone. In 1.0 and later, as you've found, the clone will be unlinked and turned into a copy of the parent automatically. Although this gives the immediate appearance of the linked offset working, it could be misleading if you think you still have a clone and only find out some time later. I prefer the old behaviour, personally, as there's less room for mistakes.
In the case of something as simple as a triangle, I would just create the linked offset from the parent, rather than trying to do it from the clone. You can move and transform linked offsets independently of the parent, so they act like a clone in that respect. They have their own styling, though, so you can think of them as being like a semi-clone.
Beginners' Questions linked offset on clone
Inkscape.org
When I add a "linked offset" to a clone, the clone is no longer a clone of the original object, i.e. the linked offset seems to remove to first convert the clone into an independent object. Is there a way to avoid this?
Here is a simple example on how to create that situation
1. draw a triangle
2. create a clone of the triangle and move it somewhere else. The two are linked: if one moves a node in the original, the shape of the clone changes
3. select the clone and chose "linked offset" (Ctrl-Alt-J). Now there is a path around the clone, with a distance that can be chosen using the handle. The offset path follows the shape of the clone
4. however, the clone is no longer linked to the original triangle.
Update: I've just noticed that the request was about a linked offset from a clone, which is not the specific issue I'm talking about below. My apologies for any confusion. I've left my original reply below in case it helps anyone else, or provides any clues as to a fix or workaround for clones. Unfortunately I don't have the time to investigate that specific issue at present.
Unfortunately this was broken in v1.0, but does appear to have been fixed in v1.1. If you can, therefore, I suggest updating to the newer version.
If you can't update, however, there is a workaround - but it involves wading in to the XML editor. I explain it in part 100 of my tutorial series in Full Circle Magazine (free download, see this topic for more details and a link to the full index of articles: https://inkscape.org/forums/tutorials/inkscape-tutorials-in-full-circle-magazine/). I also included it in a YouTube video about various regressions in 1.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx5nRCu7AKk
Edit: So much for the 'Embed YouTube video' button in the forum post editor. Looked fine in preview, then nothing once posted. I've put the link in, instead.
After some quick testing, I've come to a few conclusions:
Linked offsets to clones don't work, and likely can't work without a significant redesign of the code. A linked offset contains a reference to the original 'parent' object from which it gets its path data; a clone doesn't have any path data of its own, just a reference to its own 'parent'. In that regard linked offsets and clones are very similar - they both expect to reference something else for the actual path data.
In the case of a clone this referencing can pass through several levels (i.e. you can have a clone of a clone of a clone). Linked offsets don't work like that, and appear to expect to get the path data directly from the parent object. As such, even if you manually set the parent ID to that of a clone, it won't work.
Be aware that clones are supported as a native SVG element (<use>), so their behaviour is defined in the SVG spec. Linked offsets are a creation of the Inkscape developers, so are basically defined as whatever they chose to implement.
Linked offsets carry a copy of the parent's path data, which is present to allow them to display (without the live linkage to the parent) in non-Inkscape software. Inkscape doesn't use this data itself, but I suspect its presence is partly what allows you to create a linked offset of a linked offset of a linked offset.
In 0.92 you simply could not create a linked offset from a clone. In 1.0 and later, as you've found, the clone will be unlinked and turned into a copy of the parent automatically. Although this gives the immediate appearance of the linked offset working, it could be misleading if you think you still have a clone and only find out some time later. I prefer the old behaviour, personally, as there's less room for mistakes.
In the case of something as simple as a triangle, I would just create the linked offset from the parent, rather than trying to do it from the clone. You can move and transform linked offsets independently of the parent, so they act like a clone in that respect. They have their own styling, though, so you can think of them as being like a semi-clone.