using version Inkscape 0.92.2 5c3e80d, 2017-08-06 and on OSX so no access to a later version

What I'm trying to do is have 2 grouped objects, one using a screen blending mode set via the Objects menu, with the blend isolated from objects below the group without creating a separate layer.

I'm doing this because importing one Inkscape document into another reverts layers to regular grouping and any isolation provided by layers will disappear.
What I'm getting is not what I expected -

Masking isn't working as I thought it would so how do I isolate blends without using layers?

Can you append the file, that will make it easier to test (for our filter expert, I hope).

Sure thing

Filters can have basically 2 inputs: the object's filled area or a "raster double" of the background objects.

A third "option" is, to use the image filter primitive to pull in one object from the svg file at a time.
If you are after custom blending between two separate objects only -without interfering with the background-, that's the only option.
You need to use the filter editor for that.
Also, the image filter primitive is a bit buggy, it pulls in the object from the top left corner of the page and not from the origin of the object.
That means you need to put every object accordingly to the top left corner of the page, and tweak the filtered area settings too.

Another warning. On top of these, if you by accident apply the filter which pulls in thesame selected object, creating a loop in the cross reference, inkscape crashes immediately with no error message or emergency save.

Lazur wrote:the image filter primitive is a bit buggy, it pulls in the object from the top left corner of the page and not from the origin of the object.

Ah that explains why objects will disappear if you move them after applying something.


Thanks for the pointers.

You are welcome!

As a workaround you can move those objects onto a new layer and hide the layer visinility.
Then it will render in the filter but not on their original layer. Which is a bit unexpected but at the moment it works.