Hi, new to Inkscape and all that. I've been working for days on a project that is making me question every decision I've ever made in my entire life. So I did some searching and found this great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XbIsw48vTk . Bonus! I actually want to make my son's name into a baseball bat. Sweet!
I watched it and tried to follow along on my own project. Long story short it's four days later and I finally got to the part where my name is shaped (almost) perfectly into the bat. At this point, it's close enough for a first (30th) draft.
At 7:30 he begins the final step. Makes a rectangle to cover the name, selects that, Shift+Select the bat and then Path-->Difference and voilà ! Name is cut out of the middle of the bat, fix the opacity and design is done, ready to send to Design Space.
Meanwhile, on my computer, I managed the rectangle around the name, selected it, hit Shift+Select on the bat, went to Path-->Difference and .... WTF? Nothing happened. So I lathered, rinsed, repeated several times and I still cannot get the cut-out to work. I merged the bat and the rectangle, but that's it.
Can anyone help? I'm about to Hulk SMASH my computer. Thanks!
Also, when you say rectangle, that could mean a selection box (to select one or more objects), or it might mean a rectangle object... the two are significantly different.
Is it to make your name (or your son's name) fit within the shape of a baseball bat?
Or is it a series of steps to cut out a text (name, or any other text) out of another shape?
Is your desired outcome - (1) fill a shape with a given text, (2) cut out/remove a text from a specific shape, (3) figure out how to do certain steps witin a video, or (4) something entirely different?
And if have a picture of something similar to your goal, can you please share that?
It seems like you are frustrated. I want to know more in order o help you towards your goal.
And Path > Difference removes the top path from the bottom path. But they both have to he paths, first. Neither can be an image for such an operation to work.
(For instance, if you are using a rectangle, it has to first be converted to a path (Path > Object To Path) before apply a Path > Difference step.)
Hi. My comments above was for the original poster. Only a path can cut into a path. A path cannot cut into an image (not in Inkscape.) I did not think about clipping, which is another possibility.
I do not want to bicker, only offer some words to the previous offerings, in order to help.
For many versions of Inkscape, objects such as ellipses, polygons, stars, rectangles ... the recommended and needed steps to do path operations, was to first convert them to paths, and then do the path operations.
Within some version of Inkscape, when working with shapes, such as circles and rectangles, that "conversion" was handled within Inkscape "internally" as the path operation (union, difference, exclusion, etc.) occured - thus eliminating the manual step by the user (Path > Object to Path).
I have just formed that habit over the years of using Inkscape, of including that simple pre-step.
In fact, I believe in some Inkscape version upgrades, that internal object to path conversion has been (or had been broken), thus requiring the Inkscape user to manually do that step for the objects used, so that the path operation between them can work.
I do not know what version of Inkscape the original poster has, nor those who may be viewing this topic, which is why I shared as I did.
The main thought is a path can only cut into a path.
For those who view this topic, read all that has been shared, and hopefully, find your solution as you work through the material.
Thou I never used any conversion when Boolean come into play as far as I remember me using Inkscape since 2004. Even with text - which isn´t working that way any more.
But while we´re here how do you find the "new" habit when converting any shape via Stroke-to-Path and receiving a "Group" of 2 objects? That drives me nuts - and no other SVG editor (and I have+use at least 10 on macOS) works that way.
As you know, Inkscape is a great collection of tools made and shared freely. When I use any software, I have to be adaptive, and not hung up on one method, as the tools in it can and do change. And my learning and strategies in getting to my goals has to grow also. I think Inkscape is great and is moving in a great direction. Not every "step" or change may suit my fancy.
Inkscape is not "tailor made" just for me. (How could it he?) So, I have to be adaptive, use what I have, explore some more, and communicate simply my desires and wishes to the creators of Inkscape for the future.
(And I definitely keep on hand previous versions, just in case.)
I suppose we are waiting on the original poster to give more details so we will know how to help.
But while we´re here how do you find the "new" habit when converting any shape via Stroke-to-Path and receiving a "Group" of 2 objects?
I can certainly see the logic behind the change: what stroke-to-path actually does isn't at all obvious to a lot of new users. What they see is that they clicked the option someone told them to, and all that visibly happened is that the shape lost its fill. The nuances of the shape now being a filled path is often lost on them. At least with this change there's no visible "loss" of anything. But that reasoning hasn't been carried through to its logical conclusion by the developers, otherwise "Object to Path" would also preserve the stroke!
Note, however, that you only get a group if the object has a fill. Objects with only a stroke will be converted as before.
I think this could be better handled in the menu though, perhaps with three options:
Fill to path (current Object to Path behaviour)
Stroke to path (previous Stroke to Path behaviour)
Fill & Stroke to path (current Stroke to Path behaviour)
Or with a single "Object to path(s)" entry that creates a single path if the object has either a stroke or a fill, and creates a group when it has both.
Note, however, that you only get a group if the object has a fill. Objects with only a stroke will be converted as before.
Sorry - but that´s not the case here at least on macOS; draw a circle with stroke no fill - go Stroke to Path= Group with 2 objects. And it still gets deselected.
Maren told me it was a changed "behaviour" (https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/1.0#Changed_behavior_of_Stroke_to_Path)
Note the second line on that link: "In the case of applying it to a path that only has a stroke, the behavior is unchanged."
Reading that section has clarified that the presence of markers will also cause a group to be created.
As I happen to have a Mac next to me right now, I tested this on the version of Inkscape I had installed (1.0rc1). It worked as described above, so I downloaded the final v1.0 - and it still works as described. So I'm not sure what's happening for you Pixel, but best to double-check that there's definitely no fill or markers.
Beginners' Questions Text into Shape
Inkscape.org
Hi, new to Inkscape and all that. I've been working for days on a project that is making me question every decision I've ever made in my entire life. So I did some searching and found this great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XbIsw48vTk . Bonus! I actually want to make my son's name into a baseball bat. Sweet!
I watched it and tried to follow along on my own project. Long story short it's four days later and I finally got to the part where my name is shaped (almost) perfectly into the bat. At this point, it's close enough for a first (30th) draft.
At 7:30 he begins the final step. Makes a rectangle to cover the name, selects that, Shift+Select the bat and then Path-->Difference and voilà ! Name is cut out of the middle of the bat, fix the opacity and design is done, ready to send to Design Space.
Meanwhile, on my computer, I managed the rectangle around the name, selected it, hit Shift+Select on the bat, went to Path-->Difference and .... WTF? Nothing happened. So I lathered, rinsed, repeated several times and I still cannot get the cut-out to work. I merged the bat and the rectangle, but that's it.
Can anyone help? I'm about to Hulk SMASH my computer. Thanks!
You´re absolut sure the bat is already a vector shape? What does status bar at the bottom of the Inkscape window tells you when the bat is selected?
I downloaded the image as an .svg, and when it's selected it's just one layer.
Also, when you say rectangle, that could mean a selection box (to select one or more objects), or it might mean a rectangle object... the two are significantly different.
What´s wrong with that?
Hello. What specifically is your goal?
Is it to make your name (or your son's name) fit within the shape of a baseball bat?
Or is it a series of steps to cut out a text (name, or any other text) out of another shape?
Is your desired outcome - (1) fill a shape with a given text, (2) cut out/remove a text from a specific shape, (3) figure out how to do certain steps witin a video, or (4) something entirely different?
And if have a picture of something similar to your goal, can you please share that?
It seems like you are frustrated. I want to know more in order o help you towards your goal.
Thanks.
I believe it´s about the last step where it needs to cut a rectangle from the bat - which is hopefully a path and not just a jpg:
And Path > Difference removes the top path from the bottom path. But they both have to he paths, first. Neither can be an image for such an operation to work.
(For instance, if you are using a rectangle, it has to first be converted to a path (Path > Object To Path) before apply a Path > Difference step.)
No . it don´t has to what you can see in the gif above.
And in case of an Image you can draw 2 rectangles from left and right - union and go Object->Clip->Set:
https://i.postimg.cc/Y0PpzSHw/Clip-Image.gif
Hi. My comments above was for the original poster. Only a path can cut into a path. A path cannot cut into an image (not in Inkscape.) I did not think about clipping, which is another possibility.
I do not want to bicker, only offer some words to the previous offerings, in order to help.
... and a rectangle can cut a rectangle - just saying. 😊
I believe we both want to help.
For many versions of Inkscape, objects such as ellipses, polygons, stars, rectangles ... the recommended and needed steps to do path operations, was to first convert them to paths, and then do the path operations.
Within some version of Inkscape, when working with shapes, such as circles and rectangles, that "conversion" was handled within Inkscape "internally" as the path operation (union, difference, exclusion, etc.) occured - thus eliminating the manual step by the user (Path > Object to Path).
I have just formed that habit over the years of using Inkscape, of including that simple pre-step.
In fact, I believe in some Inkscape version upgrades, that internal object to path conversion has been (or had been broken), thus requiring the Inkscape user to manually do that step for the objects used, so that the path operation between them can work.
I do not know what version of Inkscape the original poster has, nor those who may be viewing this topic, which is why I shared as I did.
The main thought is a path can only cut into a path.
For those who view this topic, read all that has been shared, and hopefully, find your solution as you work through the material.
Sure we want to help.
Thou I never used any conversion when Boolean come into play as far as I remember me using Inkscape since 2004. Even with text - which isn´t working that way any more.
But while we´re here how do you find the "new" habit when converting any shape via Stroke-to-Path and receiving a "Group" of 2 objects? That drives me nuts - and no other SVG editor (and I have+use at least 10 on macOS) works that way.
Back to the OP...
I'm gonna guess the bat object is locked or it's on a locked layer.
@DamYankee, please share the svg file that has the issue.
Thank you, PixelPest.
As you know, Inkscape is a great collection of tools made and shared freely. When I use any software, I have to be adaptive, and not hung up on one method, as the tools in it can and do change. And my learning and strategies in getting to my goals has to grow also. I think Inkscape is great and is moving in a great direction. Not every "step" or change may suit my fancy.
Inkscape is not "tailor made" just for me. (How could it he?) So, I have to be adaptive, use what I have, explore some more, and communicate simply my desires and wishes to the creators of Inkscape for the future.
(And I definitely keep on hand previous versions, just in case.)
I suppose we are waiting on the original poster to give more details so we will know how to help.
I can certainly see the logic behind the change: what stroke-to-path actually does isn't at all obvious to a lot of new users. What they see is that they clicked the option someone told them to, and all that visibly happened is that the shape lost its fill. The nuances of the shape now being a filled path is often lost on them. At least with this change there's no visible "loss" of anything. But that reasoning hasn't been carried through to its logical conclusion by the developers, otherwise "Object to Path" would also preserve the stroke!
Note, however, that you only get a group if the object has a fill. Objects with only a stroke will be converted as before.
I think this could be better handled in the menu though, perhaps with three options:
Or with a single "Object to path(s)" entry that creates a single path if the object has either a stroke or a fill, and creates a group when it has both.
Sorry - but that´s not the case here at least on macOS; draw a circle with stroke no fill - go Stroke to Path= Group with 2 objects. And it still gets deselected.
Mac is special! 😁
Win and Ubuntu/Mint do not create a group from a stroked object with no fill.
Now you´re kidding: Maren told me it was a changed "behaviour" (https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Release_notes/1.0#Changed_behavior_of_Stroke_to_Path)
Note the second line on that link: "In the case of applying it to a path that only has a stroke, the behavior is unchanged."
Reading that section has clarified that the presence of markers will also cause a group to be created.
As I happen to have a Mac next to me right now, I tested this on the version of Inkscape I had installed (1.0rc1). It worked as described above, so I downloaded the final v1.0 - and it still works as described. So I'm not sure what's happening for you Pixel, but best to double-check that there's definitely no fill or markers.