My apologies for what is probably a monumentally ignorant question.
The attached image is of a two-year-old file. I don't remember what version of Inkscape I made it in. I am now using Inkscape for Mac 1.2.2 (b0a8486, 2022-12-01), running under macOS 10.15.7 (Catalina), and I've only been using it a couple days.
The dashed outline is around the path I have selected (leaf in lower left corner). What is with all the blue outlined things? They don't seem to parts of the path. They don't seem to be clones.
Can anyone tell me what's going on? I'm sorry, but I don't remember any reason that more than the dashed area should seem to be selected when I select that leaf in the Layers and Objects list.
The blue outline identifies objects linked to the selected object with the dashed outline. In your case these seem to be clones of the selected parent object. Editing the parent will change the linked clones.
I unlinked the leaf from its clones. When I changed the color of the leaf the former clones did not change with it, but I'm still getting the blue boxes around them.
Is it supposed to do that? Perhaps so I can relink them if I want to?
When you unlink a clone, the information is lost. You can't turn it on again and relink the shapes.
Cloning is not the only way that shapes might be linked. Some path effects will calculate nodes in one shape based on the nodes of another. For example, [Pattern Along Path] can copy and stretch and bend path along another. Try selecting those blue-outline shapes and then [Path > Remove Path Effects] and see what happens.
Another way that shapes might be linked is by clipping and masking. Try [Object > Clip > Release Clip] or [Object > Mask > Release Mask]
Regardless of their origin, these blue outlines are a drawing aid that only appears in Inkscape. They will not be printed and won't appear in a browser or any other application where you use your image.
Beginners' Questions What do all the blue boxes mean?
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My apologies for what is probably a monumentally ignorant question.
The attached image is of a two-year-old file. I don't remember what version of Inkscape I made it in. I am now using Inkscape for Mac 1.2.2 (b0a8486, 2022-12-01), running under macOS 10.15.7 (Catalina), and I've only been using it a couple days.
The dashed outline is around the path I have selected (leaf in lower left corner). What is with all the blue outlined things? They don't seem to parts of the path. They don't seem to be clones.
Can anyone tell me what's going on? I'm sorry, but I don't remember any reason that more than the dashed area should seem to be selected when I select that leaf in the Layers and Objects list.
Thank you!
I'd check that the View: display mode is set to "normal"
... and check Layers and Objects for clipped or masked objects/content.
The blue outline identifies objects linked to the selected object with the dashed outline. In your case these seem to be clones of the selected parent object. Editing the parent will change the linked clones.
Thanks, everyone!
I'll try it all this weekend. Today is too busy for me to try all this great advice.
I'll report back as soon as I've checked all this.
Something seems odd.
I unlinked the leaf from its clones. When I changed the color of the leaf the former clones did not change with it, but I'm still getting the blue boxes around them.
Is it supposed to do that? Perhaps so I can relink them if I want to?
Thank you!
When you unlink a clone, the information is lost. You can't turn it on again and relink the shapes.
Cloning is not the only way that shapes might be linked. Some path effects will calculate nodes in one shape based on the nodes of another. For example, [Pattern Along Path] can copy and stretch and bend path along another. Try selecting those blue-outline shapes and then [Path > Remove Path Effects] and see what happens.
Another way that shapes might be linked is by clipping and masking. Try [Object > Clip > Release Clip] or [Object > Mask > Release Mask]
Regardless of their origin, these blue outlines are a drawing aid that only appears in Inkscape. They will not be printed and won't appear in a browser or any other application where you use your image.