I'm very new to Inkscape. I have a small segment or rope that I drew. I have read that I am able to take that small segment and place it on a path that will take the shape and extend it. I have tried several times to do this by selecting the shape and the path and placing it on the path. I have been unable to get it done. I am using version 0.48.1. If anybody can help me I would greatly appreciate it.

there are a few different ways...not all produce what i think you want. try this.
select your rope path and copy to clipboard (control-C). select your second path and choose from menu Path->Path Effect Editor. In the dialog that comes up select Pattern Along Path from the effects dropdown, and click the add button. And now click on the clipboard icon to paste the copied path into Pattern source.
Cool thing is you can still edit your path (using the node editing tool), and the pattern will move accordingly.
Let us know how it goes.

I tried that several times and it did not work. The shape of my second path just changed slightly. Perhaps my rope is not actually a "pattern" as it were. I am really just learning Inkscape and have to search here and there for tips. I drew the rope by using the to create a line then using the to curve the line. I then duplicated the curved line repeatedly and relocated the duplicated line to create the rope shape. Then I selected all of the individual shapes and Grouped them. That is my "rope." Would you have done it that way?

I just realized something. The rope piece is not converting to a path. When I select the rope segment and click Object to Path, at the bottom of the page I see "no objects to convert to path in the selection."

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

Would we have done it like you -- who knows? Everyone has a slightly different idea of "rope". But it sounds like a reasonable approach to me

That message can mean a few different things. But since you've said you Grouped the shapes, that's probably it. If you'll ungroup them, then you can select them individually. But it sounds like they are already paths, by your description of how you drew it/them. Typically only one instance of the pattern is used for Pattern Along Path. But I can think of situations where you might need several "units" to function as the pattern. In this case, you can Group them, just as you have.

With Pattern Along Path, whether you're using the extension or the LPE, you must select the pattern first, then the path, before performing the function. Could that be where you're stumbling here?

can you share the file with us perhaps?..to take a look and see what's going on.
when using LPE you don't need to create a "pattern" by going through menu object convert to pattern or whatever. just have the "rope" path selected first, as Brynn pointed out. Pattern along path will typically yield weird looking deformed object if the destination path contains good bends or zig zags etc.
Maybe i should finally get the courage to do a tutorial

k.jackson wrote:I tried that several times and it did not work. The shape of my second path just changed slightly. Perhaps my rope is not actually a "pattern" as it were. I am really just learning Inkscape and have to search here and there for tips. I drew the rope by using the :tool_pen: to create a line then using the :tool_node: to curve the line. I then duplicated the curved line repeatedly and relocated the duplicated line to create the rope shape. Then I selected all of the individual shapes and Grouped them. That is my "rope." Would you have done it that way?

No. The last part I'd do differently:

The pattern for the 'Pattern Along Path' path effect can't really be a group, it needs to be a single path. If you pasted a group as pattern, only the first path inside the group is used as pattern, the rest is ignored.

If the paths in the "pattern group" share the same fill&stroke attributes, ungroup and combine them into a single path. Then use that path as pattern for the path effect:


Note: it is different when using the extension 'Generate from Path > Pattern along Path' (which does work with groups as pattern): for the extension, the stack order of the objects is essential - the pattern has to be on top of the path before selecting both and applying the extension (it doesn't matter which one of the two you select first).

The pattern for the 'Pattern Along Path' path effect can't really be a group, it needs to be a single path.

Oh, my bad. A group can only be used for the pattern when using the extension.

and if you can't paste path in the LPE dialog because you're on OSX...whenever apple software update touches XQuartz, the options reset...and the options stuff up inkscape pasting sometimes (like in LPE dialog.) Change X11 preferences not to synch X11 clipboard with OSX pasteboard. no need to restart. You can see that this is a problem if you copy your initial path and click paste in LPE dialog, and inkscape status bar says Nothing to paste.

ok, made my first screencast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSMgZJNPCkY
used calligraphic pen and different orientation for the pattern source path to Suv.
note to self: get a microphone pop filter and prepare better to a screencast

Fantastic all! With everybody's input I have been able to make this rope. Thank you everybody for your help.