I'm not sure what is happening to my inkscape, but it keeps distorting my images whenever I move anything. I thought at first it was because I had an old version, so I upgraded to the newest stable version and it still does this. I even open a new file thinking I had just too many assets in one file, but when I copy from one inkscape file to another the image distorts just like the second image as well.

Any help is much appreciated

This is usually caused by transforms applied to objects and groups or even layers (layers are basically groups). It's difficult to say without looking at your code. Can you upload the SVG?

What do you have set under Preferences (Ctrl + Shift + P) > Behavior > Transforms > Store transformation?

I'm not allowed to give the SVG away (since it's for work) BUT I can make a dummy file and send it over! I have it set to Optimized under that setting.

Thank you! Dummy file is all it takes, even easier to track down bugs.

But I don't have any problems with moving objects in that file, or copying them into a new file.

Do you have problems moving the objects in the dummy file? What exactly happens?

prkos wrote:Thank you! Dummy file is all it takes, even easier to track down bugs.

But I don't have any problems with moving objects in that file, or copying them into a new file.

Do you have problems moving the objects in the dummy file? What exactly happens?

Yeah I have problems for sure with moving objects in the dummy file.
So all I'm doing right now is moving this object to the right (I moved some nodes around so you can see what it's doing more) and it changes the shape of the whole object just with moving

EDIT: Something might be wrong with my surface entirely.....I'm using a surface pro 4.

If this is the windows app store version of inkscape, there might be issues. There may be extra hoops to jump through, but the version directly from inkscape.org is reputedly better.

tylerdurden wrote:If this is the windows app store version of inkscape, there might be issues. There may be extra hoops to jump through, but the version directly from inkscape.org is reputedly better.

Yeah I got this from the inkscape site itself, so I don't know what's up

I've seen this problem before, but I can't remember exactly where the problem is. (I don't remember, because it's something that's too far over my head.)

Just having a vague recollection, and low confidence, it might be the setting for Inkscape Preferences > Input/Output > SVG Output > Path Data > Path String Format. I don't see this problem, and mine is set for Optimized.

Or just below that, in Inkscape Preferences, Numbers. Mine's set for 8 (Numeric Precision) and -8 (Minimum Exponent). I think having those set for something like 1 and -1 or 2 and -2, could be a problem.

And again, stressing that I have very low confidence those might solve the problem. But since no other solution has been found, worth mentioning.

Maybe there is some setting on your Surface pro that is affecting things inside Inkscape. I can't think of anything else, if we are on the same page with the file you sent. What kind of a stylus? Maybe it has movement connected with transform?

Brynn you are correct with the precision, but it only affects position, if I lower precision and move the object around it seems to jump around, like snapping, not where you dropped it exactly. But it doesn't transform the object in terms of scale.

tiffa_cakes try backing up your preferences file (just rename it) while Inkscape is closed, then open Inkscape, it will create a new preferences.xml with all the default values, then open the dummy file and see if you still get the same behaviour. If it's fixed, then you know it was something with your Inkscape settings. If it isn't fixed, it's probably something outside.

You can see the location of your preferences.xml file in Preferences (Shift + Ctrl + P) > System.

prkos wrote:Maybe there is some setting on your Surface pro that is affecting things inside Inkscape. I can't think of anything else, if we are on the same page with the file you sent. What kind of a stylus? Maybe it has movement connected with transform?

Brynn you are correct with the precision, but it only affects position, if I lower precision and move the object around it seems to jump around, like snapping, not where you dropped it exactly. But it doesn't transform the object in terms of scale.

tiffa_cakes try backing up your preferences file (just rename it) while Inkscape is closed, then open Inkscape, it will create a new preferences.xml with all the default values, then open the dummy file and see if you still get the same behaviour. If it's fixed, then you know it was something with your Inkscape settings. If it isn't fixed, it's probably something outside.

You can see the location of your preferences.xml file in Preferences (Shift + Ctrl + P) > System.

I think it does have something to do with my Surface....I installed it on my friend's computer and am able to work with no problems. Maybe I have a virus or something that is affecting everything because it was working just fine for a year until now. I'm going to try what you suggested and hopefully something will give. If not, I'm going to wipe my computer clean and start fresh

A vector graphics opinionated virus I hope it's nothing like that. What happens with a new preferences.xml?

Are you sure you just haven't changed any settings lately? Plugged in different devices that may have changed anything?

prkos wrote:A vector graphics opinionated virus I hope it's nothing like that. What happens with a new preferences.xml?

Are you sure you just haven't changed any settings lately? Plugged in different devices that may have changed anything?

Haha! Right!? I'm really not sure at all....I know I accidentally press some keys thinking that they are hotkeys (from my old jobs shortcuts). So, even if I did press something.....why would it do all that crazy stuff??? I do I completely wipe out all information regarding inkscape? I uninstalled and reinstalled it, but my shortcuts and whatever preferences that I made stay and get passed onto the new one.

EDIT: Oh gosh I completely forgot you already told me how to change the preferences.xml! Sorry about that!

The preferences will survive a reinstall. Look up their location in Edit > Preferences > System : User preferences, close Inkscape and rename that file to preferences.xml.bak. Then start Inkscape again.

Moini wrote:The preferences will survive a reinstall. Look up their location in Edit > Preferences > System : User preferences, close Inkscape and rename that file to preferences.xml.bak. Then start Inkscape again.

SUCCESS!!!! Deleting the file solved the entire problem!!! Now....I have to make all the icons bigger, haha! They are so tiny!

THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME/HELP! Hopefully this doesn't happen again, but if it does. I know how to fix the problem without reformatting my entire system.

Make icons bigger:
https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/667050

This will be saved in the preferences. If you need to delete them again, you'll need to reapply the changes.

Can you share your old preferences.xml? It might be useful for developers to take a look and see what might have caused problems, or for future reference if this problem pops up again. I once had a situation when Inkscape behaved a bit odd that went away with clean preferences, and devs found that it was precision set to too low.

Change personal information inside it (if there is any) before you share it publically, like your default folders for saving files (just change it to something generic), for privacy reasons. You can open and edit the file with any Text editor.

prkos wrote:Can you share your old preferences.xml? It might be useful for developers to take a look and see what might have caused problems, or for future reference if this problem pops up again. I once had a situation when Inkscape behaved a bit odd that went away with clean preferences, and devs found that it was precision set to too low.

Change personal information inside it (if there is any) before you share it publically, like your default folders for saving files (just change it to something generic), for privacy reasons. You can open and edit the file with any Text editor.

Muffins....I deleted it :/ hmmm if it happens again I'll send it! > n >) Didn't think about that, I was just so frustrated with it I flipped it to the trash!