Inkscape Tweak Shrink/Grow not working?

[Girltron]

I've got the latest version of Inkscape. I don't see this issue in the list of known problems with the Tweak tool, so maybe it's something I'm doing. Anyway Tweak works in all other respects EXCEPT the Shrink and Grow functions. They don't actually shrink or grow anything, they just boggle the shape of the path. Has anyone else noticed this?

I was hoping to use it to modify my continent outlines so they'd look more like hand drawn lines. It's not the end of the world, but I was curious if this is a problem I could solve.

[RobA]

Girltron-

I believe you misunderstand what shrink and grow do. they shrink and grow path shapes. Here is a demo. I cloned an array of squares, unlinked the clones, then converted them all to paths (tweek tool only works on path objects).

For each, I stoked with my mouse around the outside and clicked a few times in the middle.

It has the same effect as insetting & outsetting, but localized in the area of the tool's "brush":

sg.png

I am speculating you want something like this:

fj.png

In either case, you will have to use Modify Paths->Add Nodes. Here I used a maximum of 15 px between pixels.

-Rob A>

[RobA]

(Thinks some more, and tried for another interpretation...)

... now, if you are trying to vary the width of the stroke, you CAN use the shrink grow tweek tool IF you convert the stroke to a path first:

stp_cr.png

EDIT: But this is REAL SLOW.

If you are using a recent build, try the "sketch" path effect (bottom entry in the paths menu).

Here is a sample, with my settings (you can get many things, from real rough to very smooth. Careful with the tremble frequency parameter, it seems to slow down a lot when set higher...):

2009-04-21_091940.jpg

The beauty of path effects is they do not change the actual path, only the way it looks, so you can go back and edit the path (add, delete, move nodes, etc) to your heart's content.

-Rob A>

[Girltron]

I'm trying to vary the width of the path I'm working on. Help files indicate this is what the tool is for. The other functions within the tool work fine (jitter, etc) but ONLY the shrink-grow functions aren't working. Your first red example is exactly what I'm trying to do.

All that happens is the path bends out of the way of the tool, similar to how the other distort options work.

[Girltron]

Maybe I need clarification. I want my path to become narrower in places as I paint. I know the tool currently only works on closed paths; does this mean it sort of shrinks the whole shape in on itself? Or does it thin out the width of the path without distorting its shape?

[Naeddyr]

It is not possible to change the width of paths, because they are constant through the whole line: this is called the stroke. You would have to convert your stroke into a path (which will create "two" new paths instead of one in the middle of the stroke) using Turn Stroke Into a Path in the Object Menu.

[Girltron]

Lightbulb! Thanks, Naeddyr! That's so obvious. It's been awhile since I've done any vector editing. Ten years, maybe. Great! I guess I was assuming it automated that part of the process, too.

[RobA]

It is not possible to change the width of paths, because they are constant through the whole line: this is called the stroke. You would have to convert your stroke into a path (which will create "two" new paths instead of one in the middle of the stroke) using Turn Stroke Into a Path in the Object Menu.

Hey! That's what I said in post 3:

now, if you are trying to vary the width of the stroke, you CAN use the shrink grow tweek tool IF you convert the stroke to a path first

Maybe it was too subtle

-Rob A>

[Naeddyr]

Maybe it was too subtle

nah i just skipped everything and read at most the first and last post of the thread.

side-note, I've never used the tweaking tools in inkscape. probably because the whole vector paradigm is associated with ORDER LAW ABSOLUDITY and EXACTNESS, while those are kinda sorta kinda sorta