How to Select an Individual Object
If you're trying to select an individual object, but you can only select the whole image, there are a few reasons why that might be happening, and few ways to fix it.
- First, make sure that the image is a vector image. If it's a raster image, you will have to convert it to vector, to be able to select an individual object. To find out what it is, select it with Selection tool
 , then look at the status bar. For a raster image, the status bar will start with "Image....."
There are 2 ways to convert a raster image to vector, trace "manually" using Pen or Pencil tool, or auto trace using Path menu > Trace Bitmap. It depends on the specific image which one would be best. Please post a message in the forum, and show us the image, if you are not sure. Then we can give you our opinion about which might work best.
- The most common reason for not being able to select an individual object, is that the entire image has been Grouped. This is very common when there has been a format conversioin (such as opening any non-SVG file in Inkscape). To ungroup, do Object menu > Ungroup, or use this button on the command bar
 , or there's a key shortcut which you can find in Help menu > Key and Mouse Reference.
Sometimes everything is in one group. But sometimes there will be many groups in an image. As you click Ungroup, keep an eye on the status bar. If you see the word "Group" anywhere in the status bar, click Ungroup again. When you click Ungroup and it says "No groups to Ungroup", then you have found them all.
- Less common, but still quite possible, is that the entire image is one compound path, made of many subpaths. It's hard to give instructions to cover all the possible consequences, if this is the problem. You can start by selecting it, then do Path menu > Break Apart. That might be all you need to do. But there's also a chance everything will go black (or some solid color). If that happens, you can add a stroke (if there isn't one) (add it to everything all at once, while everything is still selected), and remove the fill. That way, you can see the individual paths, and decide what to do. But if your needs are more complicated, please feel free to post a message in the forum, and we can help.
I think that covers everything. If you're still not having any success, please feel free to post a message in the forum, and show us the file, and we can have a look.
Happy Inkscaping 
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