cannot change width of marker preset when using calligraphy tool

Asked by Merry Vasterling

When trying to use the preset marker when using the calligraphy tool, I cannot change the width. Also cannot find the Inconify button

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#1

Hi,

what happens when you try to change the width?
Can you post a screenshot of your settings for the calligraphy tool?

What is the Iconify button? What do you want to do?

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Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#2

I am a high school teacher trying to teach Inkscape. The directions for an assignment instruct students to use the calligraphy tool with a marker preset. When they draw a line, the text indicates that it should be have a black stroke and white fill. We are supposed to change the width of the stroke and practice changing fill and stroke colors. However, I (and some of my students) can't get the same starting stroke/fill and can't change the width while in the marker preset. Here is a screen capture:

[cid:32566471-ba58-47aa-b220-b34090ee5d43]

Merry Vasterling
Art
Florida Cyber Charter Academy
904.247.3268 ext. 5077 – Office
<email address hidden><mailto:<email address hidden>>

[FLCCA_Logo] [cid:image002.gif@01D190CA.EA8B3440] <https://mail.k12.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=81sW5tIXEOl6mtRD6fOJuQp6RzK7sbquFyyqyl7VDVoSxsrFshzVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.facebook.com%2fK12inc>
________________________________
From: <email address hidden> <email address hidden> on behalf of Hachmann <email address hidden>
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2018 4:22:34 PM
To: Vasterling, Merry
Subject: Re: [Question #675266]: cannot change width of marker preset when using calligraphy tool

Your question #675266 on Inkscape changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/675266

    Status: Open => Needs information

Hachmann requested more information:
Hi,

what happens when you try to change the width?
Can you post a screenshot of your settings for the calligraphy tool?

What is the Iconify button? What do you want to do?

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To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
this email or enter your reply at the following page:
https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/675266

You received this question notification because you asked the question.

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#3

Thank you for explaining a bit more.

Unfortunately, the screenshot cannot be appended as an attachment here, but needs to be uploaded to an image hosting website, and linked in your post (e.g. upload to imgh.us).

I would also need your Inkscape version (see Help > About, copy-paste full version info) and operating system info.

As for the starting stroke/fill, please check the options for the calligraphy tool. Double-click on the tool's icon to get there quickly.

About changing the stroke width, I think I need to see the screenshot to understand what's going on. It might be that there is no stroke, that it is invisible, that the color is the same as the background color, etc.

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Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#4

Ok - I am trying to figure out how to do the photo thing. I just don't have a lot of time available to research. From what I can tell, the problem may be stemming from the operating system version - I am using Windows 10 Pro 64 bit and I just updated to the latest version of Inkscape today which did not resolve the problem. I am able to make the tool work on my home computer which is a Windows 10 Home version 64bit.

I really appreciate your attempts to help me and I will continue to figure out how to post the screen captures but it may be a day or so before I can post.

Thanks so much!!!!!

Merry Vasterling
Art
Florida Cyber Charter Academy
904.247.3268 ext. 5077 – Office
<email address hidden><mailto:<email address hidden>>

[FLCCA_Logo] [cid:image002.gif@01D190CA.EA8B3440] <https://mail.k12.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=81sW5tIXEOl6mtRD6fOJuQp6RzK7sbquFyyqyl7VDVoSxsrFshzVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.facebook.com%2fK12inc>
________________________________
From: <email address hidden> <email address hidden> on behalf of Hachmann <email address hidden>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 8:42:37 AM
To: Vasterling, Merry
Subject: Re: [Question #675266]: cannot change width of marker preset when using calligraphy tool

Your question #675266 on Inkscape changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/inkscape/+question/675266

Hachmann posted a new comment:
Thank you for explaining a bit more.

Unfortunately, the screenshot cannot be appended as an attachment here,
but needs to be uploaded to an image hosting website, and linked in your
post (e.g. upload to imgh.us).

I would also need your Inkscape version (see Help > About, copy-paste
full version info) and operating system info.

As for the starting stroke/fill, please check the options for the
calligraphy tool. Double-click on the tool's icon to get there quickly.

About changing the stroke width, I think I need to see the screenshot to
understand what's going on. It might be that there is no stroke, that it
is invisible, that the color is the same as the background color, etc.

--
You received this question notification because you asked the question.

Revision history for this message
Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#5
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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#6

Thanks, that worked.

Check the status bar.

You don't have anything selected. When you have something selected, you'll see a description of the object there. On the canvas, the selected object has a 'box' around it, that shows it's selected.

Select an object to be able to modify it.

Maybe you'd like to follow one or two tutorials - a couple are included in Inkscape, in Help > Tutorials.

Then there's a beginners' manual (currently available at
https://inkscape-manuals.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

(it's not finished yet - what is missing is mainly cosmetic, though)

Or a quick-start tutorial:
http://vektorrascheln.de/posts/2015/Dec/inkscape-fuer-einsteiger-teil-ii-praxis-en.html

And a list of many more:
forum.inkscapecommunity.com

Revision history for this message
Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#7

Thanks again for all this info! I have selected the lines MANY times but still cannot get the Fill/Stroke to function properly. It is almost like they are backwards. I will check out the tutorials though in the event they can shed some light on this. I really believe the entire problem stems from a compatibility issue with various operating systems; but I will continue to dig until I resolve this.

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#8

You can post another screenshot with the object selected, then I can take a look. I do not believe this has to do with the operating system.

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#9

(unless there's lots of other things that also do not work - like: no button reacts to your mouse)

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Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#10

https://www.flickr.com/photos/161562351@N05/
Here is a screen cap with item selected. You can see that I have chosen black stroke and red fill but I only see the faintest hint of a line in fill. I have played with my Alpha setting and all the color sliders.

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#11

The stroke is too wide, it covers the fill.

If you look into the bottom left corner, you will see that:

- the fill is orange
- the stroke is black

I think the cause of your confusion is a misunderstanding about how the calligraphy tool works.
It draws closed paths, that is: filled shapes. You cannot change the shape of the path afterwards.

Changing its stroke will only result in the contour of the thing you drew with the calligraphy tool becoming fatter, but not its fill to change in any way.

If you want to create a 'dynamic stroke', where you can adjust the width of the line afterwards, and the line width is not the same along the whole path, you need to look into drawing paths with the PowerStroke LPE.

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#12

> You cannot change the shape of the path afterwards.

That is, you can, but not by adding a stroke. This requires node editing.

Revision history for this message
Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#13

Thanks for all your help!

 Perhaps I am not able to adequately explain the problem. I am able to accomplish this task when I attempt from my home computer which has Windows 10 Home version and some of my students are able to as well. I cannot identity what is preventing me and other students from completing the task successfully.

Do you know of any resource where someone could share screens with me and chat live? Or, are there more in-depth resources for troubleshooting in Inkscape?

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#14

Ha, I see now, I have totally misunderstood your previous post. Sorry about that :/ Don't know what I have read, but not what you wrote, that's for sure...

There's no such thing as a screensharing live chat for Inkscape (well, there is, but it's restricted to project members currently, and screensharing isn't activated, as far as I know...).

You can visit one of the forums, though, which make image sharing a bit easier.

You can also use a screen recorder to demo the issue in a short video (however, there are restrictions on upload size on the forums, so you might need to use something like youtube or dropbox etc. to share a video).

Try http://www.inkscapeforum.com/

Also, how do you go about changing the stroke width?

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#15

And what does it look like with a stroke width of 1?

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Merry Vasterling (merryv) said :
#16

Screen capture of calligraphy tool in marker preset working according to our text:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/161562351@N05/45537062271/in/dateposted-public/

Top line is width of 1, lines 2-4 are widths of 4 and line 5 has a width of 11. While I wasn't able to change the stroke color, I was able to change the fill color on all of them. (This was done on my personal computer.)

Revision history for this message
Hachmann (marenhachmann) said :
#17

Okay, so you obviously do not mean stroke width, but tool width.

How did you try to change the stroke color?

And others cannot change the tool width? Or the stroke width?

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask Merry Vasterling for more information if necessary.

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