painperdu

Can Inkscape Separate a Vector Into Layers Like SCALP?

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Yes but ( I guess you know) Inkscape is not cutting software.

Your question is a little vague as well. What is it you wish to do?

 

Are you talking about using auto trace and it automatically creating different layers according to color?  Yes.

 

Are you talking about importing a vector file and having it see the original color layers? Yes.

 

(svg format is where you'll have better results as Inkscape has issues with eps, ai, pfd, & others)

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Most cutting software can "Cut by Color" and thereby will separate out the work by color. In design software like inkscape and Illustrator you can select all objects with a certain color fill or other attribute etc. So if you want to separate it out in layers you can just perform a select all items with a given color and then save or move them to a layer. It's not a common thing to need to do but I guess I have done similar when wanting to consolidate a smaller internal item in a layered design.

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Select the object, MENU>OBJECT>UNGROUP

 

Click outside the object then back on it to select the individual layers.

 

 

QUOTE> "It's not a common thing to need..."

 

For creating multi-layer (color) files and selecting them by color (or other attribute) it's a Very common thing to need.

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It would be great if this was done automatically in Inkscape but what I have to do is cut each individual section then paste each in place on a separate layer.

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Doesn't sound like you are utilizing Inkscape fully.

Are you talking about the auto trace (vectoring) feature

or bringing in a previously created vector file ?

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If you create multiple layers you can then just move items from one to another without the need to copy and paste. Select the object you want to move then hit Shift+Page Up or Shift+Page Down to move the object to the next layer above or below.

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QUOTE> "It's not a common thing to need..."

 

For creating multi-layer (color) files and selecting them by color (or other attribute) it's a Very common thing to need.

I must be spoiled with SignCut Pro because I spend zero time worrying about color layers. The program sorts it out perfectly every time. The only time I have needed to do it was when I had some large shirt designs that also had very small second color add-ons and I wanted to save vinyl by stacking them special. I could have skipped the work then too but I wanted to rotate the second color so they would stack better than just singling them out with a tile. I don't even bother with more than one actual layer in Illustrator anymore. Of course it has all it's own set of sub-layers so it is still layered but technically my stuff is in just one main layer unless specifically requested by someone. 

 

I thought SCALP was supposed to be similarly capable but maybe I'm giving it too much credit and I just assumed that if SignCut can do it Flexi surely can too. 

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I just rediscovered this post and people seem confused at what I'm talking about.

 

Open a layered SVG file from off the net in both SCALP and Inkscape.

 

Open the layers properties box in each program. Unless my setup is unique you should see that in SCALP the layers are seperated whereas in Inkscape they are not. In the SCALP layers box you can click on the eye icon and the individual layer will disappear, in Inkscape there is no such eye icon becuase the layers are not seperated.

 

To clarify, the layers are sperated in Inkscape but they are not on individual line-items as they are in SCALP.

 

Is there a way to get this functionality in Inkscape automatically?

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Inkscape has the ability to layer, but if it doesn't happen when you open the file then that would mean the file was not saved in the svg format Inkscape likes. (note, not all svg files are they same, there is actually several different types)

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darcshadow, if the file has layers and you open it up in SCALP then it will display these separate layers as seperate elements in the layers tool box. Inkspae does not do this for the exact same file.

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Right, like I said, not all svg files are created the equally and different programs handle them differently. The big problem with open source stuff. Can you post one of these files though, I'd be curious to see exactly what it does when I open it.

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In SCALP, notice the line-item layers:

 

scalp-layers.png

 

In Inkscape, notice no line-item layers:

 

inkscape-layers.png

 

Line-item layering happens automatically when I open a layered image in SCALP, not so in Inkscape.

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I must be spoiled with SignCut Pro because I spend zero time worrying about color layers. 

 

SignCut Pro does spoil one to the point of causing bad habits.  It separates colors, it also takes text as text without having to convert to curves.  Other cutting software you can't just throw things at it, you have to plan more carefully.

 

As to the Inkscape colors to layers thing, I can't think of a way to do it, but I will recommend the official IRC Inkscape chat channel.  You may have to hang out for a bit to find a knowledgeable person.  If you just ask a question wait five minutes and pop out, you are probably not going to get answers.  Wait a few hours.  

 

Point your irc client to irc://irc.freenode.org/#inkscape

 

They have a webchat interface, but using you own client is best.  https://inkscape.org/en/community/discussion/

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It would be such a useful feature and I don't think it would be too hard to implement in Inkscape.

 

Inkscape is a great vector program but other more specialized programs make things a bit easier. I just started checking out SignBlazer and it has a few neat features but it's not an Inkscape killer. One of the things I dislike about SCALP is it's shabby handling of text on a curve. Inkscape does this perfectly.

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Inkscape does have a Find option that can find objects with a given color.   Shouldn't be too hard to do a Find, and move the results to a new layer.

 

Inkscape is a general purpose vector graphics design software.  SCALP and SCP are specialty cutting software.  It is not surprising given the need to cut colors, that such a separating colors to layers feature would come to being.

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