Layers unlocking

[medic112]

hello,

a long time ago a designed a logo for our Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service. The name of our post has been changed, but I can't find the original file. Is it possible to change the text in an SVG file? I can change the text colour, but than the same colour in the whole logo changes.

PS: the file is a personal design and I would not like everyone uses it. [ Invalid Attachment ]

Anyone?

Cheers,

[brynn]

Welcome to Inkscape Community!

Without being able to see the SVG, we can still make some guesses.  Or if worst comes to worst, and we can't find the problem by guessing, you could attach the SVG file, with some strongly worded copyright, and then delete it immediately after the problem is solved.

When you selected the text, how did you select it?  If all the same color changed, that gives me a clue that you might have used the Find dialog, which will select everything of a certain element.

If that's the case,  you can  use the Selection tool to select only the text.

If you did not use Edit menu > Find/Replace, then perhaps each color of the design is residing on its own layer (a common practice for screenprinting (printing designs on fabric)) and grouped together.  And indeed by the title, that must be what you think has happened.

First, to make it easier to control what you're doing, open the Layers menu > Layers (the Layers dialog) and hide all the layers except the one with the text.  It's tiny eye icon.  If you click it, the eye will be closed, and the layer is hidden.

Now select the text, and I'm guessing you'll see the bounding box (dashed line rectangle) around everything that's still showing.  Next Object menu > Ungroup (or there's a button on the command bar, or use a key shortcut (Help menu > Key and Mouse Ref)). 

It might be that all the individual objects of that color are just grouped once.  Or there may be nested groups.  So watch the canvas when you ungroup, and also watch the status bar.  When you click on the text, and only the text is selected, you might be ready to change the color.  Try it, and just Undo, if we don't have it right yet.

If it's not right yet, this is where we might either need to see the SVG file, or need more info from you.

If you are able to do what you want, then afterwards, do Ctrl + a (select all) and then Object menu > Group (or button on the command bar, or key shortcut).  Then make all the layers visible once again, and the file is ready to go back to the printers (or whatever).

Did you want to change the text itself, or just the color of the text?  If the name of your post changed, then I guess you'll want to change the text itself?

While it's ungrouped, and either before or after you change the color, look at the status bar while the text is selected.  If the status bar says "Group of...." you'll need to ungroup some more.  If it says "Text...." then you can engage the Text tool and change it.  But if it says "Path...." you won't be able to edit the text at all (well, not edit as text).  You will only be able to type new text.

Ok, that's a lot of info, so let us know how it goes, and we'll pick up wherever you might be stuck 

[medic112]

Hoi Brynn, 

thanks a lot for this reply, you've put a lot of effort in it I see.
Unfortunately it does not work. Can I sent the file to you so you can put your finger on the problem? I indeed want to change the text.

thanks a lot!

[brynn]

You can send it via Private Message if you like.  That way, only I will see it.  Use the attachment feature in private messages.  Do you know how to send a PM?  (My Messages tab near the top of the page)

In that message, tell me if you want me to just fix the problem, or tell you how.  I'm happy either way....assuming I can find the answer.  If not, I'm sure other of our members can figure it out. 

[Pilosopong Tasyo]

I can change the text colour, but than the same colour in the whole logo changes.

Sounds like either the "text" is part of a compound group or it has been converted into a compound path.  The only way of knowing this is to look at the object's properties in the status line.  If it says "text" then you can edit both content and colors.

If you can't find the original file (assuming you created it in Inkscape in the first place), you will have to recreate everything from scratch.

PS: the file is a personal design and I would not like everyone uses it.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Effective answers will be severely limited to if-this-then-that, probably-this-or-that, maybe-it's-this-or-that and guesswork for people who are trying to help you.  Just sayin'.

[medic112]

hello,

I worked my way around the problem. I overdrew the letters with symbols in the same backgrond colours, and then added the new text.

I hope this doesn't give any reducation in sharpness.

[brynn]

What are you planning to do with the file?  In some ways of using it, that might not matter.  But it's really not a very good way to do it, and most ways you might use the file, it's going to cause problems.

If the background is solid and flat (no gradient or transparency) it would probably be better to block out the old letters with a rectangle over the whole thing.  But again, for most ways you might use the file, that could be troublesome.

The last thing I could suggest that you try....well the end result would be deleting the text and typing new text.  If the text has been converted to path, that's what you'll have to do.  There will be no way to edit the text, as text, only as paths.  So typing new text would be the only optioin.

Try this.  Select whatever it is that's being selected, when you try to select the text.  Then do Path menu > Break Apart.  If it's a large file or object, it might take a few seconds for it to finish.  It also might turn the whole thing a solid block of that color, but that's "fixable" and it will give us a clue what's happening.  Or it might just break all the pieces apart.  Try it, and let us know what happens.

I'm running out of guesses, so sending one of us the file is becoming more and more important or necessary.

When you select this object with all the pieces of this color, look at the status bar and tell us what it says.  Is it a Group, Path, or what?

[medic112]

Your probally right.

I'll sent you the file thru PM.

AALST is the Original, HULPVERL ... is wat is must be. I can follow you perfectly when you say I will have problems with this file in the future.

[brynn]

Ok, sorry it took me so long.  The site went down while I was trying to reply, and then things got a little crazy.  Here's the reply I was trying to post.

Ok yes, I've received the files. 

Ooooohhh!!  You used Trace Bitmap to convert the PNG to SVG.  I did not realize that at all!  No wonder you're having so much trouble -- this is not so easy to do.

I see that you've made a great start with adding new text though!  All that's left (aside from dealing with the original text) is to rotate the new text (on path) around to the "front".

This is the point where we need to know what kinds of things you're thinking about doing with it.  Print on fabric, print on paper, upload to the internet (website/webpage), etc. ???  It may need a good deal of work (which I will be able to explain, when I know what you need)   

For printing on paper, I might need someone else's advice about how the file should be made.  This is a whole lot like something I worked on for someone else, a few years ago.  http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12087  Consider that original image, and imagine it's been processed through Trace Bitmap.  Except for the usual minor tweaks here and there, would a file like that be ready for printing?  Or would the print store have to do some more work on it, before they could print?  (completely leaving out the issue of cmyk, for now)  Lazur, PT, Esper, whoever's around?

I already know for printing on fabric, it's not right.  And I know exactly how to fix it.  I'm just not sure if printing on paper is similar or different.

medic112, do you need the file to be all SVG (vector)?  Because just to "change" the text, making the whole thing SVG might not be necessary.

[medic112]

hoi Brynn,

it took you so long ... ??? LOL, I my terms this is fast response ;-) And I'm in a different timezone (Belgium).

The use of this file (must be vectorized) is to print it thru a professional plotter (prints stickers of a max of 2 meters on ...) on small and large scale in . I use these prints to label our material for fire and medical purpose.

So, vectorizing is necessary.

Thanks a lot.

[Lazur]

hello,

I worked my way around the problem. I overdrew the letters with symbols in the same backgrond colours, and then added the new text.

I hope this doesn't give any reducation in sharpness.

Hi.

Sounds that you have used trace bitmap on a raster copy of the logo for the base.
That itself reduces the "sharpness". If it was a multi-coloured one, it is worse.
Personally I would redraw it manually if possible (a decent large raster image is available).

[brynn]

Yes, I agree.  The print shop where you might eventually take the SVG file might have certain preferences about how the image is made.  Possibly they could use the image that resulted from Trace Bitmap (or other auto trace you might have used), but the better you can make the file you submit to them, the less likely they will charge extra fees for their artists to fix it how they like it.

Unless you were planning to print up those labels, etc yourself, at home, or maybe to a self-service copy shop?  In that case, the auto-traced image would work, and fixing the text is all that's needed (although still not so easy).  However, we can achieve a better result by recreating the vector drawing in a different way than auto trace.  It will be much sharper and more attractive.  And it's a little like converting all your old snapshots over to cd - it's a permanent fix that you'll never have to do again (unless you lose the file).

Actually I think this would make a nice tutorial -- "how to take a color logo in raster file and convert to print-ready vector".  Maybe I will work on that, after everything else settles down a bit.  Or maybe Lazur would take up the challenge, if he has time?

Anyway, I'll work with you via PM, to do whatever you want.  Just tell me if you want to stick with the auto traced version, or make spectacular using other techniques?