Path:intersect doesn't do what is expected

[4vanger]

I'm having some weird problem when trying to apply a path->intersection to my pathes. It works as expected when I have 2 simple objects like rectangles or circles but when I try to cut a path that consist of lines - it behaves not as expected.
So I have

And when I select them both and do Path -> Intersect I expect result to be

But instead it results to having an empty page.
Object->Clip->Set does what I want but then outline is showing the whole thing - I'm not sure how laser cutter will cut the clip so just want to generate the new path which is a subset of original path.
Attaching my SVG file.

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Most of the path operations work on the area inside paths, rather than on the paths themselves.  Since the 2-node path has no area, the math formula which makes the intersection work doesn't give the expected result.

Also, most of the path operations can only work with 2 objects.  Union can be done with more than one selected object.  And sometimes intersection can (for the proper kind of paths).  But I think all the rest can only work with 2 selected objects -- Unless!  We have some extensions now which will perform multiple booleans in one step, for Cut Path, Division and Difference.

Anyway, in this case, I would suggest performing the intersection on only the outer rectangle.  Then the single path remains where it is, and the cutter will recognize everything as paths.

I'm also not sure how a cutter would recognize a clipping path.  Might be interesting to experiment, although I don't have any cutter.

[Moini]

Just do Path -> Cut path instead, then remove the parts you do not need (it will cut the object below into pieces)

[4vanger]

Yeah, I thought about smth line doing a Cut and then do the Pat->difference again with a copy of the shape

[brynn]

In many cases it's a matter of personal preference, as to which way you decide to accomplish a particular goal.