I am totally new to Inkscape as of this week. I have used Adobe Illustrator off an on for years so I have some working knowledge of vector programs. I tried to use the Pattern Along Path effect for the last hour looking at YouTube videos and searching for answers as to why I can not get it to work. I have followed two videos and a written tutorial to a T but for some reason when I got to got to Path Effect Editor>Pattern Along Path>Add>Paste Path no effect is applied. I was wondering if there is something I need to change in the preferences to allow these effects to be used? I am using the most current version of Inkscape if anyone could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it.

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

There's nothing in the preferences that I can think of, that should be addressed. But Inkscape has both the Pattern Along Path LPE (path effect), as well as a Pattern Along Path extension. So first I suggest that you make sure the tutorials you're working with are indeed for the path effect.
Here's how to do it with the Path Effect Editor. Hopefully another description will help. Often I find that tutorials leave out steps that the author assumes would be already known to the user
1 - draw the path to which you want to apply a pattern
2 - open Path Effect Editor, choose Pattern along Path, then click Add (notice that new content and settings now appear below Add, called Current Effect)
3 - next select the pattern that you've drawn, and Copy (Ctrl + C, or use toolbar button) [Note - do NOT use Object menu > Pattern > Object to Pattern]
4 - select the path to which you have applied the effect, and in the Current Effect area click Paste
5 - if you haven't already, now you can choose whether you want the pattern to be Single, Repeated, Stretched, etc., and define spacing offset, etc.

I hope that helps

a_dejesus wrote:for some reason when I got to got to Path Effect Editor>Pattern Along Path>Add>Paste Path no effect is applied.

In case you happen to use Inkscape on a Mac: read this earlier comment from “"Nothing on the clipboard" error” (or this one from the topic “Path along pattern problem or a bug?”).

Hint: if a command fails, usually there's an error message displayed in the status line giving the reason and allowing to narrow down the problem.

Thank you both for such a quick respond, I will be using both of you suggestions later today and will update my progress. Thanks again I turly appreciate it!

~suv- Thanks for the links I am using a Mac, I just switched from PC to MacBook Pro a month ago for the first time. This is the reason I have Inkscape my PC has the whole Adobe suite on it but after buying a new Mac there was no extra cash from Adobe products for it lol. Also the more that I have been looking into open-source apps the more they make sense for me to use. They seem just as powerful as the $600+ apps and after I get use to the learn curve I feel I will be good to go. As of now my main focus is Inkscape and Gimp.

Thank you for the Mac link ~suv I had to make an adjustment in the X11 preferences to allow copying to the clipboard I am now back on track!