cutting off part of an object...

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 7:52 am

Before anything, I need to mention that I'm visually impaired and severely dyslexic plus a lot of other fun stuff. So I may be missing something obvious. Sorry if my question seems silly.

If I can't get Inkscape to work for some reason, I usually devise a work-around involving brute-force. But this time I'm at a loss. I made what looks like some lines of different thickness but is really rectangles. But the "lines" are of different lengths.

----------------------------------
---------------------------------------
--------------------------------
----------------------------------

In other programs I was able to easily crop the lines at both ends with a rectangle selection tool, and delete what I selected so all the lines end up the same length. But that doesn't work here. I Googled the problem and was told to choose "Clip"... and then "Set" from the Object menu but when I did, nothing happened. Can anybody help me with this.

I'm sorry but there's one more disability I have to bring up.

If you have a solution, your answer has to be very literal if at all possible. I'm an Aspergers person and I have a hard time getting implied meanings or handling many things most people consider to be very simple. An answer should look something like the following. (if possible):

1. Do this...
2. Then do this...
3. Do this...
.......etc. ...

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Aspergers is mild autism. I'm an artist, musician, singer-songwriter but I have problems with many ordinary everyday tasks.

tylerdurden · Postby **tylerdurden** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:30 am

The svg below can be downloaded and opened in Inkscape.
Manipulate the objects in the section "Try".
SVG Image

Postby **brynn** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:34 am

Very much about how you do this, depends on what your goal is for these lines/rectangles. But without knowing more info, there is a very simple way. You don't have to cut them off. You can just change their length.

1 -- Create a Guide:
1a - With either Selection tool or Node tool (Selection tool is 1st button at the top on the left side of the window. Node tool right under it.)
1b - Position mouse over the left vertical ruler
1c - Press mouse button and hold it down, while you drag to the right
1d - You'll see a vertical line appear, and it will follow your mouse, until you release the button

2 -- Drag it to where you want the lines to end, and release the button. Or if this needs to be very precise, you can set its position like this:
2a - Position the mouse over the Guide
2b - When it changes from blue to red, double-click the mouse
2c - A little dialog box will open, where you only need to set the X value
2d - Set it at the place where you want all your lines to end

3 -- Enable snapping:
3a - The snap toolbar lies vertically along the right side of the window (usually, unless you moved it)
3b - Engage the top button (Enable snapping), the one below it (Snap bounding box corners), and the very bottom button (Snap to guides), and make sure all the rest are disengaged.

4 -- Scale (resize) the rectangle/lines:
4a - With Selection tool, select each line
4b - Position you mouse over the middle arrow on the right side of the rectangle/lines (assuming it's the right side you need adjusted)
4c - Press the mouse button and hold it down while you drag the mouse. You'll see the right side of the rectangle/line move with your mouse
4d - When you get close enough to the guide, the arrow will sort of jump over to the guide, and it will stick there. You have to be kind of quick, when it jumps, to release the mouse. It might take some practice to release the mouse at the right time.

I won't write out instructions, but there's another very simple way, that you may prefer. Have you become aware of the tool control bar (

Off topic:

I don't participate here very much lately, since starting my own Inkscape forum. But I'd like to create a series of tutorials for people with learning disabilities -- most often I see people asking for tutorials to help people with ADD/ADHD. And I don't know if that group of learning disabilities is in any way similar or related to yours. But if they 1) have any overlaps with your learning issues, and 2) you have time or interest in helping, I'm looking for more info about the best way to approach writing tutorials for people with learning disabilities. http://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/inde ... opic=116.0

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 3:23 am

OK, I didn't read all of your post yet... I'm a bit overloaded right now. I just tried what I thought you said. I put a shape over what I wanted to clip, chose OBJECT> CLIP> SET. Nothing happened. I'll deal with that later. I wanted to tell you that if I can find the time, (I'm very slow and I have lots to do), I WOULD like to help you on the matter of learning disabled people needing help on the forums.

OFF TOPIC...
I'll read your post much more carefully soon but on first glance, I thought it said to do something but it didn't say where to find that option. My own notes are color-coded in some cases... and everything within reason is written down there. As I learn the routine, the colored text enables me to read less and less of the information until finally I'm only reading the first few words for each step, (printed in red). I have to be realistic though. Will I find the time to help with this? I can't say.

Technically homeless, severe heart problems, and all the other stuff... I'm working "wall to wall" and moving too slowly. Gotta make some repairs to the logo I'm creating for someone. I'm about to post a new thread called, "Repairing in Image"... I need to know how to repair a very important image.

Postby **brynn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:55 am

I edited my message, and added some color and bold. This message editor doesn't provide indenting, otherwise I'd write in outline form (formatted). Or the message editor does let you make larger and smaller text....although that gets to be kind of tricky sometimes.

Lazur · Postby **Lazur** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:19 am

Off topic:

Not indenting as it is, but a way for a more organised listing is available here, if anyone interested:

Code: Select all

[list=a][*]
[*]
[*]
[*][/list]

[list=1][*]
[*]
[*]
[*][/list]

[list=1][*][list=a][*]
[*]
[*]
[*][/list]

[*][list=a][*]
[*]
[*]
[*]
[/list]

[*][list=a][*]
[*]
[*]
[*][/list]
[/list]

Postby **brynn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 12:36 pm

Off topic:

Yes, I'm aware of lists. But still not possible to put

1.
____a.
____b.
____c.

using underline for spaces.

But thanks for the code! I'll keep it handy.

tylerdurden · Postby **tylerdurden** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:51 am

1. Category

Code: Select all

[b]1. Category[/b]
[list]a. Subcatagory
b. Subcategory
c. Subcategory
[list]X. sub-subcategory
Y. sub-subcategory
z. sub-subcategory[/list][/list]

Postby **brynn** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:38 pm

Off topic:

Oh, not bad tylerdurden! You'd have to repeat that set of code for each Category number. So it still wouldn't be automatic. But that should work very well, considering the available tools!

Thank you and Lazur both

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:26 am

Even I, don't understand how my brain actually works. I did make progress because of your help...but now I'm in need of different information. I looked up info on how to match the color of one object with another. When I used the EyeDropper, "(pick colors from image (F7)," tool, things didn't seem to work properly.

Someone answered another person's question online, and said to use the XML Editor. I understood the beginning of his/her answer but soon after that, I think things weren't literal enough, and I just donno WHAT was being said.

I understood, (or I think I did),
the following:

You open the XML Editor (under Edit) and look for the color used (select the object on the canvas, and it gets highlighted in the XML Editor), copy the color

After that, I could go no further...

(it is one of the values in "Style" e.g.
fill:#ffff00 and insert it into the Style Box in the Search Dialog (Strg F)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I used the EyeDropper, here's what happened.

*With the EyeDropper, I clicked on the object that had the color I wanted...
*Immediately, the top opacity field went from 255 to 101...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHEN I TRIED TO DUPLICATE WHAT HAPPENED so I could tell you, DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENED.

*In another part of the swish, when I selected it, (and I don't remember if I just selected it or clicked on it with the EyeDropper), the opacity field on the bottom of the Fill and Stroke dialogue box dropped!

I guess at this point it may look to you that I can't do much of anything if even my memory isn't working right, but I've done lots. As long as I can find clear instructions, I can easily learn something.

Anyway, when I first drew the swish, I don't think the opacity was turned down... and at first, I was able to fill in some of the holes just by drawing with the Calligraphy tool. But then, suddenly, when I drew on the object again, the color was darker... and I had to adjust the color after returning the opacities to the highest value. I adjusted the lightness of the color. One direction made the new stroke lighter than the swish shape, and the other direction made it darker. I did my best to manually match the color of the new stroke with its background. When I got close enough, the new stroke, (or shape), seemed to disappear. After that, any new markings I made, in an effort to repair the swish, worked perfectly... until I changed the color to white so I could shape the swish from the outside. Then the whole routine started over again.

Jeeeeez! I have to get this done! I'm glad you're here helping me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this point, try not to change my direction. If I'm barking up the wrong tree, I'll deal with it further down the line. Certain situations cause the data in by head to explode and turn to confetti. I usually have to take a very well defined path to the final answer. Even if sometimes I'm going in the wrong direction for a bit.
*

*

Lazur · Postby **Lazur** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:03 am

At the second part of your description it comes clear that the object you wanted to get the colour from had some opacity and it looked good only because it was over the white backgroud.

For example, in the document's properties setting (Shift+Ctrl+D) you can choose a different colour.
By default it has an alpha value, so if you ever want to change the background colour, for example to grey, then remember to raise the alpha value from 0 to 255.

To overcome the problem and get to the shade you want with no transparency, the xml editor won't help.
Either the original object with the good looking colour had an opacity below 100% or a fill with an alpha value below 255, the dropper tool would preserve the resulting transparency and add it to the colour's alpha channel.
Thus, both the original coloured and the second object would be transparent, and, appear darker if they are intersecting.

What you would need is a copy of what's displayed on screen, and use the dropper tool on that.

It could be done more ways.
One option would be to make a screenshot of the window with Printscreen, then importing that as a raster image.

Second solution: draw a white rectangle, and place it below the path with the right colour, then
export it, and import the raster image back.

Other way would be to change the background colour's alpha value to 255, then export the transparent part with the right colour, and import that raster image.

Remember to raise opacity to 100% of the objects before giving them a fill next time.

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:54 am

Please forgive me.... I still don't really understand what's going on. To help me get closer, could you answer this for me?

In the fill and stroke box, I used the color wheel to generate a color the matches exactly that of the object I'm trying to repair. Both the alpha opacity and the opacity % are up all the way. If the swish object has lower opacity, isn't there a way for me to change the color of that object to that of the mark I just made that matches the swish but has full alpha opacity and full opacity %?

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:40 am

I would follow your directions if I understood them. I donno what to do at this point!

I've only recently been diagnosed with all those stoopid brain problems... and I'm on my own as far as figuring out how my brain actually works. I think most of the time, I only see and understand things coming from ME.

So maybe if I fiddle around with things, and things happen, one at a time, I can ask you why something happened.

I AM able to make the swish object LOOK like it's repaired... by drawing a line with the calligraphy tool and using the color wheel to manually match the color to the swish. Then I just fill in the holes. And if I generate an oval that's colored white, I can shape the swish from the outside. I select "Difference," and the white oval seems to've done its job properly. But I'm worried about the way I filled in the holes from the inside of the swish object.

I fear that the finished product might not work correctly when it's used for a logo... (printed on paper or used at the website).

Now I bet you're beginning to understand why I get yelled at a lot! I'm not trying to convince you that I'm right when I tell you what I did and found. I'm only saying that my brain doesn't seem to see things properly.

Lazur · Postby **Lazur** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:05 am

I think your ideas are turning an infinite loop here and you should restart doing things.

It's not THAT complicated as you describe, though it would be much clearer if you could provide the svg file with your descriptions.

So.
I can only repeat myself:
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17191&p=63156#p63158

Follow those and chime back if some steps are unclear.

Postby **brynn** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:55 am

stoopidhead wrote:Please forgive me.... I still don't really understand what's going on. To help me get closer, could you answer this for me?

In the fill and stroke box, I used the color wheel to generate a color the matches exactly that of the object I'm trying to repair. Both the alpha opacity and the opacity % are up all the way. If the swish object has lower opacity, isn't there a way for me to change the color of that object to that of the mark I just made that matches the swish but has full alpha opacity and full opacity %?

Short answer: Yes. Here's how:

1 - Select an object (with Selection tool :tool_selector:

) that has the color and opacity that you want. Or adjust it to whatever color you want, if it's not quite right. (using Fill and Stroke dialog, color wheel, etc))
2 - When it's just like you want, copy the 8 characters in the "RGBA:" box (which is in Fill and Stroke dialog) (Here's how to copy it: Highlight with mouse, then Ctrl + C)
3 - With Selection tool :tool_selector:

, select the object which color you want to change.
4 - While it's still selected, go to Object menu > Fill and Stroke > Fill tab
5 - Delete the 8 characters in the RGBA box, and paste what you copied (Ctrl + V)

If the key shortcuts (Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V) and copy/paste are too overwhelming, you could just write down the 8 characters (from the object with the correct color/opacity) on a piece of paper, and type them into the RGBA box (of the object which color you want to change).

Longer answer:

I would suggest NOT using the dropper tool, since there seems to be an issue with opacity somewhere. And since we can't see the SVG file, it's hard to know exactly where. (And definitely, you don't need to use the XML Editor at this point!)

Since it sounds like you've learned to use the Fill and Stroke dialog (with the color wheel), maybe it would work better to do this:

1 -- Select all the objects that need to be the same color. Use 1 of the following methods to select them:

If there are no other objects nearby which need to be a different color, drag a selection box around all the pieces (with Selection tool press the mouse button and hold it down, while dragging across the pieces - you'll see the selection box being drawn out as you drag)
If there are other objects nearby which need to be a different color, the only way to select them is one by one (with Selection tool click once on each piece while holding down the Shift key)

2 -- Or if it's only 1 or 2 objects which color you need to change, just select those. (Hold Shift key to select more than 1 object.)

3 -- If you have grouped them, you might need to ungroup (Object menu > Ungroup). First try #4 before you ungroup. If it does't work, go back to #3 and ungroup.

4 -- While they are still selected, Object menu > Fill and Stroke > Fill tab

5 -- Adjust the color wheel or type in the 8 characters into RGBA box

If all the objects aren't the same color after that, it probably means you missed selecting one of them. But easy fix, just select it, open Fill and Stroke dialog, and change the color.

PS - I know you might not want to do this, at the moment. But if I give you some settings for the Calligraphy tool, so that you can draw the swishes without any gaps, it seems like it might be faster to just swish them brand new? Just in case, here are the settings:

1 -- Engage the Calligraphy tool :tool_calligraphic:

2 -- On the far left of the control bar (just under the bar with the Undo button) make sure the dropdown menu says "No Preset"
3 -- On the right side of the control bar, make sure "Tremor" and "Wiggle" are zero (0)
4 -- On the far right, the very last setting, set "Mass" to something between 8 and 12. This will cause a slight lag time between moving the mouse and the drawing on the canvas. But it also prevents the jerky drawing that you're probably trying to fix with patching
5 -- Draw the new swishes

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:28 am

I will provide the svg file in my next post.

I did solve the color problem I think. But "Union," "Difference," and all the other commands of that type on the "Path" menu, won't work on the swish. But they work in other situations. So I'm thinking the swish has settings that are keeping the commands from working.

I'll upload the svg file.

Sorry, I didn't even remember. I actually thought I did it already.

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:52 pm

Surrounding the swish are various markings, either broken of the swish or just experiments to see if commands will work when it doesn't involve the swish.

ACCENT.svg: Surrounding the swish are various markings, either broken of the swish or just experiments to see if commands will work when it doesn't involve the swish.[attachment=0]ACCENT.svg[/attachment]; (233.54 KiB) Downloaded 173 times

Postby **brynn** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:43 pm

I know you want to keep patching it, but once you see how easy this is, maybe you will want to try it.

1 -- Select that swish with the Node tool, to see the nodes.
2 -- Click once on the node in the pink circle.
3 -- Hold Ctrl key down, then press Delete key.

What you've done is delete that node so that the path continues without that empty wedge space in it.

Now the path in that area might not quite be following a smooth line, as you might like. You can smooth it out like this:

..

1 -- Click on a node
2 -- Hold the mouse button down, while you drag the node. See how the path changes as you move the node around?
3 -- Adjust it to the smooth curve that you might need. (not a smooth curve in my illustration -- just showing you how the nodes can move)

1 -- Do you see the lines that come out of some of the nodes, with tiny circle on the end of it, when the node is selected? That's the node handle.
2 -- Place your mouse pointer over the tiny circle (it will turn red when you're in the proper position)
3 -- Click, hold the mouse button, and drag the handle around. See how you can adjust the path with the handles? (I didn't make a smooth curve in my illustration -- just showing how the handles can adjust the path.)

I only see 2 or 3 other places where you need to delete nodes. You might even be able to get by without moving any nodes, because once you zoom back out, the un-smooth area might not be noticeable. It depends on the final size that you need. And you're done!

(I would just fix the file for you, but something tells me you want the satisfaction of finishing it yourself

)

Lazur · Postby **Lazur** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:00 pm

Now with the original file uploaded, let's get through those mentioned steps.

It's an svg file too, you can download and zoom in to the details.

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:04 am

ACCENT.svg: (233.4 KiB) Downloaded 164 times

I'm going to fix the swish the way you described. But what I didn't tell you, (because I'm such a confused person), is the file I sent you isn't the original swish. It's a version that I already tried to repair with scotch tape and bubble gum. Maybe the original file will be easier to fix. There are no extraneous invisible shapes and what-not in there as far as I remember. Just a clean swish that probably can be fixed with the node tool more easily.

When you said there were 22 objects with various fills, are they the extraneous markings visible in the file that are not touching the swish? Or are they invisible objects, either inside the swish segments or touching the segments? I know I created a lot of objects, (some visible and some invisible), to try and reshape the swish segments and get the fill right, but I didn't see them when I clicked on and around the swish with the NodeTool.

I'm sending you the original file. Just tell me if it would be better if I worked on that file with the node tool instead of the one I sent you first.

I'm sorry for all the confusion. I guess this is just the case of an old time brick & mortar artist confronted with BraveNewWorld technology. And the dyslexia doesn't help matters, to say the least.

I have to thank you for putting up with me and my damaged brain without blowing your top.

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:23 am

The file is attached...

Postby **brynn** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:56 am

Lazur, I'm not sure why you are suggesting that he re-draw the image. It just needs a few node tweaks, and would be good to go!

The pieces of the main swish are all 100% opacity. Someone of your patches somehow got to have some transparency. But again, they can all just be deleted. It will only take editing on maybe 5 or 6 nodes altogether, to fix the image. I don't understand the suggestion to redraw the whole thing??

Edit
Although, of course, even though stoopidhead might not end up using it, Lazur's excellent little tutorial will still help him to learn about paths!!

stoopidhead wrote:I'm sending you the original file. Just tell me if it would be better if I worked on that file with the node tool instead of the one I sent you first.

Both files have several "patch" objects. If you will be following my suggestions, node editing on either file will be the same. In that way, they are identical.

Note that Lazur understands Inkscape more than me. He may have some reason for wanting to redraw the image, that I just haven't realized yet. Maybe it's just to have the best possible file for later use. A nice clean file would be better, if you're going to do professional printing of the image, or laser cutting, or whatever. But if you just need to get the image finished, it can be done very quickly with just a few node edits.

Lazur · Postby **Lazur** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:15 am

That is the exact same file attached as before.
(Opened with a notepad both have 998 lines of code, and they are identical.)
Anyway.

The calligraphy pen tool won't give you a nice result, no matter the settings.
That tool is not working in my opinion because the concept is wrong behind it.
It seems to add the pen shape in a live way to the places where the cursor is at, and not taking consideration of the actual path you tend to draw a stroke.
This results in "jagged" shapes of small move imperfections -for example try to draw a small dot with a non-fixed angle.

On the other hand, for the logo you better have the cleanest paths possible.
With the pen tool you can draw with 8 nodes the bottom shape, which is in the attached file 116 nodes.
There is an option of simplify path, that results in 12 nodes, but that again would need editing.
So basically it is much easier to retrace the sketch than to edit it.

Maybe the reason for the retracing -to have the cleanest outlines possible- is just my personal taste.
More nodes could mean a more precise geometry, but with the callygraphy tool I'm not sure, how those nodes were generated, thus I wouldn't rely on them.
The imperfections of hand movements may not come out that much, but they are preserved anyway in the shape.

So the real benefit would be smaller file size, and, more importantly it takes less time to edit nodes.

Postby **brynn** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:39 am

Off topic:

Lazur URH wrote:The calligraphy pen tool won't give you a nice result, no matter the settings.
That tool is not working in my opinion because the concept is wrong behind it.
It seems to add the pen shape in a live way to the places where the cursor is at, and not taking consideration of the actual path you tend to draw a stroke.
This results in "jagged" shapes of small move imperfections -for example try to draw a small dot with a non-fixed angle.

"The calligraphy pen tool won't give you a nice result, no matter the settings."

Not true. I disagree! Try using the settings I posted somewhere above. And the higher you put the Mass, the smoother it gets, although admitedly, the delay is annoying, after a certain point.

I certainly don't have any idea about the concept behind the Calligraphy tool, or how it's made or how it does what it does. Of course, drawing a dot with that tool isn't appropriate. Neither can you draw much of a dot with a real calligraphy pen!

stoopidhead · Postby **stoopidhead** » Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:50 am

OK, I'm almost at my wit's end here! I'm trying to do a real project for a real company when both me and the computer software aren't playin' with a full deck!

This logo will be printed... on business cards, various other hard copies... and it'll be on their website as well. I doubt if it will be made into a solid real-world object and put up in Time Square NYC! But it shouldn't be "iffy."

The program won't show me the... path. A red line blinks on for a split second. And I wish Inkscape would show me with arrows, some direction of a path so maybe I could untangle it. Or if the image LOOKS OK, can I just leave it alone?

I think I could learn all the ins and outs of node editing if I could find complete and clear documentation. But there's much more to this method than just moving nodes. "Autosmooth" for instance, enabled me to move a node without disrupting the curve it was connected to.

But my biggest problem is untangling the path in a few different places. Is there a way for me to SEE the path?

Drawing the image over can't happen. I can't trace the image! My eyesight sucks! And also, it seems there's a lot about the behavior of the nodes that I just don't know.

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