Hi, I have a vector file with a few bars of music, and I'd like to have the image follow a curved path. I have set the curve as object to path and copied the image to clipboard, but it looks very strange on the path (essentially a second line).
The frustrating part is that it worked yesterday, but I didn't save it. :-/
The file is attached. Any suggestions as to how to make it work?
To be used as a pattern with a pattern along path LPE, your design must be one unique path. That means doing object to path with all texts, at least, and combining all in one path. It must be doable, but needs a little work.
Another way is, provided text as undergone object to path (there it is the case) group all (it's done in g1) and use bend LPE : it works generally fine for the shape you seem to want.
Thank you @David248, I didn't know the bend command. Bend with bezel (shape bend from clipboard) works very well. I can't use combine as it loses parts of the design, but bend from bezel gets it all.
A follow-on question: I actually wanted it to trace along a sine curve. I can draw one with the bezel pen, but a generated one is more precise. Is there a way to use the bezel shape bend from clipboard on an existing line?
So, let's get started to put your pattern along a sine curve !
As mentioned before, your pattern must be a single path, let's say we'll name it pattern_path. This pattern will be put on another path that we will name sine_path.
WhenLPEwill be applied, sine_path fill and stroke color will modify the visual aspect of the pattern.
If you inspect the file you've attached, the visual aspect of the thing is a mix of shapes (the notes, for example) with an unset fill (displayed as a black fill but actually the fill is unset) and unset stroke (which isn't displayed), and true lines with no path, a black stroke and varied stroke widths. You must unify all theses elements in order that they all have the same fill and stroke properties, keeping the visual aspect. We will transform trues lines into shapes. First, open objects panel and delete path1, ungroup g1.
Select one line (they all are named polyline## in object's panel), right-clic and choose select same > stroke color : this selects all the lines.
Now do path > stroke to path (ctrl+alt+C). Your black-stroked lines have become shapes with unset fill and unset stroke.
Now you can draw a selection rectangle and do path > combine. Now there is a single path in object's panel, ie the 'pattern_path' : select it and copy it. Draw the sine_path as wanted, so that it's lenght is a little bit longer than the width (you can click on measure tool and hover sine_path to see it's lenght. Leave sine_path selected, open LPE panel and add a pattern along path LPE. Click on Link to path in clipboard icon and enable Single, stretched if not already done.
Remember that the pattern takes the fill and stroke caracteristics of the sine_path. So : remove stroke and apply a black fill to sine_path.
Add-on :
I misunderstood your answer (confused by bezel instead of bezier). If you draw a bezier path with :
Bend from clipboard option, this creates an object (a duplicate from the one that is in clipboard) with a bend LPE (that is the path you draw with bezier tool) : if you go back to your attached file, copy g1 and draw a path with this option, this recreates the first method described : the result is a duplicate of g1 with a bend LPE applied : the bend path is the path you've drawn. In object panel you can click on edit on canvas icon next Bend path : to play with the handles to match your needs as you would do with node tool. You can also use the align and distribute panel to align nodes of this bend path.
From clipboard, this creates a path with a pattern along path LPE : consider it's a shortcut for the pattern along path method described above : this creates a path you can edit with node tool as any other path, with the pattern that is in clipboard.
Thank you David, that was very helpful. This really explains a lot of the behavior I was seeing. I'm going to play with it a bit, but in any case I have what I needed for my project.
Beginners' Questions Vector image as pattern along path
Inkscape.org
Hi,
I have a vector file with a few bars of music, and I'd like to have the image follow a curved path. I have set the curve as object to path and copied the image to clipboard, but it looks very strange on the path (essentially a second line).
The frustrating part is that it worked yesterday, but I didn't save it. :-/
The file is attached. Any suggestions as to how to make it work?
Thanks,
Sean
To be used as a pattern with a pattern along path LPE, your design must be one unique path. That means doing object to path with all texts, at least, and combining all in one path. It must be doable, but needs a little work.
Another way is, provided text as undergone object to path (there it is the case) group all (it's done in g1) and use bend LPE : it works generally fine for the shape you seem to want.
I duplicated g1 and used a bend LPE.
Thank you @David248, I didn't know the bend command. Bend with bezel (shape bend from clipboard) works very well. I can't use combine as it loses parts of the design, but bend from bezel gets it all.
A follow-on question: I actually wanted it to trace along a sine curve. I can draw one with the bezel pen, but a generated one is more precise. Is there a way to use the bezel shape bend from clipboard on an existing line?
Thanks,
Sean
So, let's get started to put your pattern along a sine curve !
As mentioned before, your pattern must be a single path, let's say we'll name it pattern_path. This pattern will be put on another path that we will name sine_path.
When LPE will be applied, sine_path fill and stroke color will modify the visual aspect of the pattern.
If you inspect the file you've attached, the visual aspect of the thing is a mix of shapes (the notes, for example) with an unset fill (displayed as a black fill but actually the fill is unset) and unset stroke (which isn't displayed), and true lines with no path, a black stroke and varied stroke widths. You must unify all theses elements in order that they all have the same fill and stroke properties, keeping the visual aspect. We will transform trues lines into shapes. First, open objects panel and delete path1, ungroup g1.
Now you can draw a selection rectangle and do path > combine. Now there is a single path in object's panel, ie the 'pattern_path' : select it and copy it. Draw the sine_path as wanted, so that it's lenght is a little bit longer than the width (you can click on measure tool and hover sine_path to see it's lenght. Leave sine_path selected, open LPE panel and add a pattern along path LPE. Click on Link to path in clipboard icon and enable Single, stretched if not already done.
Remember that the pattern takes the fill and stroke caracteristics of the sine_path. So : remove stroke and apply a black fill to sine_path.
Add-on :
I misunderstood your answer (confused by bezel instead of bezier). If you draw a bezier path with :
Ooops! Sorry about "bezel."
Thank you David, that was very helpful. This really explains a lot of the behavior I was seeing. I'm going to play with it a bit, but in any case I have what I needed for my project.
Best,
Sean