Extension: Bezier Envelope error

[sbrochew]

Sorry, I know this says not for support but I did not know exactly where to post it. I am having this issue: after creating the text and hitting combine then ungroup I create a seperate 4 node box and use path effects and envelope deformation to adjust the box how I want. Then I click on the text first then the 4 node box, go to extensions then modify path and as soon as I hit Bezier envelope I get the following error....

Inkscape has received additional data from the script executed.  The script did not return an error, but this may indicate the results will not be as expected.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "bezierenvelope.py", line 381, in <module>
    e.affect()
  File "inkex.py", line 283, in affect
    self.effect()
  File "bezierenvelope.py", line 90, in effect
    raise Exception, "Both letter and envelope must be SVG paths."
Exception: Both letter and envelope must be SVG paths.

Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

[Moini]

The text seems to still be grouped after Combine > Ungroup, but Inkscape doesn't show that correctly in the status line. Looks like a bug to me...

@Brynn: do you see that, too?

@sbrochew: Either ungroup a second time, or just use Path>Union instead of Combine+Ungroup.

Btw. this extension is not part of Inkscape, it's from https://github.com/shlomif/Bezier-Envelope-for-Inkscape/ - next time, please provide a link if you're asking about a custom extension.

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

No worries, I'll move this to Beyond the Basics board.

To answer, I'll be glad to test, but I'm a little confused about the steps to reproduce.

-- type text
-- "combine"  Does that mean Path menu > Combine?  Or maybe Path menu > Union?

The only way Ungroup could be the next step, is if "combine" means Path menu > Object to Path.  Not unless "combine" means "group".  But then why group then ungroup?

Sorry, I know it sounds like I'm being picky about terminology.  But I'm honestly not sure what steps are happening to create the problem.

Omg!  Since when does using Path menu > Combine, convert the text to paths?  I would tend to think it was a bug that Combine converts text to path in the first place.  That's what Path menu > Object to Path is intended for.  Or Path menu > Union is a special shortcut.

However, if that's intended (by developers) then

1 - using Combine on text results in "Path (number of nodes) in group text1234"  in the status bar.  So if using Combine on text is supposed to create a group, it's not identified as such, in the status bar. The status bar should say "Group of whatever...."   It seems as if the focus is being inside the group.

2 - using Ungroup on that path/group, the status bar says "No groups to ungroup" and nothing is ungrouped.

3 - If I deselect the path/group, and reselect, the status bar then identifies it as a Group of 1.  (I would have no idea why it does this, or what the intended purpose is.)  And then it does get ungrouped.

If you ask me, there are 3 or 4 places here, where any potential bug might be, including the fact that Combine does this at all.  I have no way of knowing what's suppposed to be expected, or where it's going wrong.  If this is a new feature, I would question what it does, that was not already available by Object to Path.  It would seem unnecessary to me.  Or maybe it's been around a long time, and I just never stumbled on it.  But it seems superfluous to me!  If I were considering to make a bug report, I would suggest to disable the ability for Combine to convert anything to paths.

For my own suggestions for sbrochew, I would avoid using Path menu > Combine, directly on text.  As far as I know, Combine is supposed to only work on paths, not on text or anything else.  It's meant to combine more than one selected path into a compound path (made of more than one subpath).  And since text isn't already a path, it should not be working on text.

Instead, you would be better off using Path menu > Union on the text.  Then the resulting paths will be ready for the extension (without needing to ungroup or anything else), and not give any error.

[Moini]

Combine means combine, as in Path > Combine.

Can you try that and tell us how often you need to ungroup the result before it really is a path and the extension works (in the XML editor, preferably)?

[brynn]

1 - using Combine on text results in "Path (number of nodes) in group text1234"  in the status bar.  So if using Combine on text is supposed to create a group, it's not identified as such, in the status bar. The status bar should say "Group of whatever...."   It seems as if the focus is being inside the group.

2 - using Ungroup on that path/group, the status bar says "No groups to ungroup" and nothing is ungrouped.

3 - If I deselect the path/group, and reselect, the status bar then identifies it as a Group of 1.  (I would have no idea why it does this, or what the intended purpose is.)  And then it does get ungrouped.

No amount of ungrouping will work, since the effect is as if we are inside the group.

Only deselecting and re-selecting, will allow us to ungroup.  Then only one attempt is needed.

[Moini]

Ah, great observations, Brynn! Yes, this is how Inkscape does it - which is probably not how it should work. Do you want to make the report?

[brynn]

I'll be glad to make the report, once I understand it clearly.

Are you agreeing that Combine should  not be converting text to paths?  Or are you saying the focus being inside the group, after Combine/convert to path, is the problem?

[Moini]

I think there's no need for a group at all. There isn't one for Union, for example.

[brynn]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1773861

I left the door open for interpretation as to what exactly is the bug.  We'll let the experts sort it out 

[Moini]

Thank you, brynn! That's a really good report!