I'm working with multiple copies of the same object, a logo.

I've found that in some cases, once I've finished working with one copy of the object, I will select and move another copy and as I move it around the workspace it disappears "under" certain regions and is visible only in some small areas of the workspace.

What is causing this and how can I assure that all objects are visibile in all regions?

Thanks.

In general, for a logo like you described (in this and the other topic) you probably don't want to move things around, if possible. There are a few reasons why things seem to disappear under other things. (a likely culprit would be a clipped object and/or clipping path) (transparency can create some weird effects sometimes, too) It will just take some experience working with Inkscape, to learn what those are. Absolutely the best tip I can give anyone who is struggling to learn Inkscape, is to look at the status bar all the time. Every move you make and every step you take (wait, did I hear Sting? ) there will be info in the status bar to help you along. If you select something with the Selection tool, the status bar will tell you what kind of object it is, and if it's a path, how many nodes it has. If you switch to the Node tool, or select something else with the Node tool, it will give you different info. Sometimes just hovering the mouse pointer over things will cause info to be displayed in the status bar. If you try to run a command and nothing seems to be happening, look at the status bar. It often will tell you what the problem is, and/or how to fix it.

To avoid moving things around, there are some special tricks for selecting things. Alt + click will select the next object below the one on top. Alt + click + click will select the next one down, and so on. Holding Shift at the same time will make a multiple selection of all those things. In the beginning, I remember that I would often make things partially transparent while I was working, so I could have some visual clues. But after gaining some experience, I find I just need to keep track of the z-order and count clicks. Also, you can look at the Fill and Stroke indications in the bottom left corner of the window. If it shows, for example, a gold fill, like in the logo from your other topic, then you know you've got the bottom object. And you'll also have the bounding box (dotted line) and F/S info, to help you know what's selected.

If I have Groups, I often find it easier to use the Selection tool to select everying. Then if I need functionality from the Selectoin too, I select with Node tool, then switch to Selection tool. Plus the Node tool pointer is more precise in tight areas. In tight areas, the Selection tool is actually pretty worthless, in my opinion.

And finally, I often use layers, if I need to select something that's tricky. Then it's really a simple matter to hide the layer temporarily.

Brynn,

I am either dragging the object (logo) from a folder into the Inkscape window or using the Import function. So first I imported a copy that was the original brown colour. I changed fill and stroke colours and centred it on the page in the centre of the workspace.
Now I am importing another copy of the brown logo so that I can fill it with white and stroke it as well. As I import the object I see it only as it is defined by the bounding box because the logo itself is not visible. With it selected, I can only move it with the arrow keys, not by dragging with the mouse. If I happen to nudge it into an area where it's visible I can then grab it and drag it around the screen. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to where the areas of visibility are. I.e. it doesn't seem related to the position of the page or of any other objects on the screen.

Hhhmmm.....I'm not sure I understand. Instead of importing multiple copies of the logo, couldn't you just duplicate or copy the logo that's already on the canvas, as many times as you need? And also, I'm not clear why you're importing in the first place. Is this a raster image (PNG, GIF, JPG, etc.) that you're importing? If so, you won't be able to change the color with Inkscape. And also, as you import images, each is imported automatically on top, meaning that it should not be hidden below anything else.

Ok, now I'm thoroughly confused. Would you be able to show us the SVG file?

Hey Brynn,

It's a vector file. And sure I could just make copies of the object within the doc, and will do that in order to finish the work, but at this point I'd like to understand what's going on with this file.

So nobody ever encounters this kind of thing? It's happened to me a few times under different conditions, all of which I don't remember. But it's just as though there are large patches of the workspace where I can't see the object as I drag it around. As if there are openings in the workspace through which it's visible and other areas where it's covered by something on a higher plane. At this point to voind confusion I guess I should confirm I'm only working with one layer.

Even though the file has an SVG extension, meaning that it's a vector image, there could still be raster images imported, and unless you use Trace Bitmap to convert, they will remain raster.

Yes, this is something that other people encounter. It's just that there could be a few different situations which would cause it. Sometimes it's easier for us to open the file and have a look around, than to type out every possiblity.

Gotta go, sudden lightning storm. Back shortly....

Edit
Ok lightning has passed, just rain now. Anyway, there isn't much more I can say. We could look at the file and know for sure. Briefly, this could be related to a clipped object and/or a clipping path, or mask, or possibly somehow related to some transparency (as I've said), there could be some solid white objects, or objects the same color as the background. For example, if you imported a raster image with a white background, you would have to have it selected to see where all its white background extends (or whatever color of the background). And there are some other less likely circumstances, which don't all come to mind, at the moment.

If it's an object covering something, you should be able, by moving things around, to see where it is, then click on it. (click on what looks like empty canvas, but apparently is an object of some kind) You''ll see the bounding box, and info in the status bar telling you what it is.