Help Using Inkscape => Inkscape Beginners' Questions => Topic started by: jim cubie on September 14, 2017, 03:34:54 PM
Title: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 14, 2017, 03:34:54 PM
I have a lot of time invested in Inkscape -- and it works well with Cricut cutting machine -- but there are aspects of the program which stymie me. You all have been very helpful in answering my posts, but I find that often the communication just does not work. By queries are not clear or you don't get what I am trying to ask or something. Is there any possibility of doing some tech support over the phone where we are looking at the same drawing? I am willing to pay.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: brynn on September 14, 2017, 05:05:01 PM
Hi Jim, I would help without payment, if we could set up a time for using IRC or the chat window on this site. If we use the chat window on this site, the discussions would be public. Although likely the discussion will move so fast, most people will only see the last 10 or 15 messages. On IRC, it's possible to set up a private chat. I've never set one up before, but it can't be that hard. Or we could email privately as well.
However, we would not be looking at the same screen. You would be looking at your screen, and you would give me links to your files, which would allow me to look at your screen (in effect). Email would be good because we can attach files to messages.
There is a way for both people to look at the same screen, but I probably would not participate in that. I just don't understand it well enough to make sure we were both secure from malware. One of those ways would be one of us giving control of our computer to the other. I'm sure there is at least one other way, and probably a few other ways. Video chat, or something like Skype. Then it seems like I heard about something called whiteboard, although I don't know if Inkscape can be loaded onto it. Maybe someone else knows about those things, and can help?
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 15, 2017, 05:14:51 AM
I very much appreciate the offer. I suggest IRC -- though it works very slowly compared to phone. Public is fine. What times are available to you? I have a lot of flexibility in my schedule. I am in the US EST. BY the way your Horace Mann quote is right on.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 16, 2017, 05:32:08 AM
I would like to move forward with this.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: Lazur on September 16, 2017, 05:33:35 AM
Ok. How about irc now? I'm free at the moment -@freenode #inkscape.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 16, 2017, 05:37:13 AM
I only have a 1/2 hour now so by the time we set it up we would not get much done. How about anytime this PM or anytime tomorrow?
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: Lazur on September 16, 2017, 05:39:34 AM
Well ok, we can figure something out. I'm in gmt+1 time zone (already pm here) and usually up at midight.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 16, 2017, 05:49:18 AM
How about 5 pm GMT+1 which would be 1 pm here? If not please suggest other options.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: Lazur on September 16, 2017, 08:36:12 AM
It's 5 pm here, will be around at 6.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: jim cubie on September 16, 2017, 08:57:48 AM
Can we do it in one hour? That will be 1 PM here>
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: Lazur on September 16, 2017, 10:24:28 AM
Ok, seen you there you just left.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: Lazur on September 16, 2017, 03:17:28 PM
For anyone checking in, question is related to (https://inkscapecommunity.com/ic_gallery/displayimage.php?album=12&pid=549#top_display_media).
Probably not in the right section at the moment. Will have to edit this post if the file is moved to another gallery folder.
In this video I'm tracing the shape over, using the pen tool. Action starts from 2:50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFGf9oW6Qhs
First setting the pen tool to linear segments only mode, and to shape-none. Next, drawing a quarter of the object, and creating mirrored duplicants; combining them together at the finish.
Using key combinations wherever possible/familiar with, as it results in a more efficient drawing process. Those are Ctrl+Z for undoing, holding Ctrl to lay down horizontal and vertical path segments with the pen tool, holding Ctrl to move nodes horizontally with the node tool, End for moving object to the bottom Ctrl+A for selecting all ! for inverting selection Ctrl+D for Duplicating Shift+Clicking to deselect object H for Horizontal and V for vertical mirroring, Ctrl+mouse wheel scrolling for zooming.
Pretty much you can't go wrong if you hold Ctrl most of the time.
At 3:19 the first part of the object is drawn, then needed to adjust its size to the original. As there were more objects in the position, was checking which one to use, which one to snap to. Ended up moving all nodes selected and snapping to the corner node. Was holding Ctrl to move selected nodes horizontally/vertically.
From 4:40, moved the path so it got easier to make duplicants without dealing with objects below.
Duplicating object (Ctrl+D), mirroring object (H), moving it aside (holding Ctrl while dragging with the select tool). At 5:10, selecting two end nodes and connecting them with a new segment. Then duplicating this object, mirroring vertically (V), moving the duplicant until it snaps with the end node. At 5:30 rectangle selecting the two end nodes and merging them to one.
From 5:40, to adjust the width, moving the right half to position -again, to prevent misplacement, used snapping to guide line intersection instead of the original nodes below, even moving them away a bit. To delete the guide lines, held Del while hovering them over with the node tool.
From 7:00, was trying to select all except the new path and the dashed one in the middle. As the new path was at the top, had to move it to the bottom (End) for easier selecting. Selecting all (Ctrl+A), and deselecting the two objects to be kept by Shift+Clicking, and deleting the rest (Del).
This process could be done also by selecting the two object first by Shift+Clicking, then inverting the selection (!).
Also Alt+Click can be used to select objects under instead of moving the top object to the bottom.
At 7:45, snapping the dashed line's end nodes to the midpoints below. There is an issue with the snapping there, snapping to smooth nodes needs to be allowed when the nodes are aligned perfectly in a line.
At 7:57 moving the rectangle selection box handles while holding Shift. That results in scaling from the selection boxes origin.
After that copying object and pasting the style (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Shift+V) to ensure the same strokes are used, and removing the dashing at the end.
Not sure what you wanted to scale. For proportional scaling you need to toggle in -close- the padlock icon between the spinboxes at the top.
Attaching the result of the drawing in the video.
Title: Re: Tech support
Post by: brynn on September 17, 2017, 10:30:46 AM
Sorry I haven't been around. But I'm here now, if needed.