scaling/resizing multiple items causes some to shift relative position

[punugear]

Hello All,

Total Inkscape newbie here, working on my first project (a board for a simple children's board game), and I've run into something weird.

I've finished my project (lots of objects and paths on multiple layers), but have discovered that I made it too big, so I need to resize everything smaller.

I've done it three different ways, and in all cases get a weird result: some of the bits (which are perfectly aligned at "full size") end up misaligned when I down-size everything.

The first method I used was:
* Select All in All Layers (Ctrl + Alt+ A)
* Open Transform Dialog (Shift + Ctrl + M)
* Select Scale tab
* Select Scale Proportionally
* Type in scale percentage
* Click Apply

The second Method I used was:
* Select All in All Layers (Ctrl + Alt+ A)
* Click the lock in the Tool Controls bar
* Type in the new width in the appropriate box (which changes the height as well, since I checked the lock)

The third method I used was:
* Select All in All Layers (Ctrl + Alt+ A)
* Ctrl-Drag a corner resize handle to change the size

In all three cases, the same result: misalignment.

I have noticed, however, that if I group everything together and THEN resize, everything finishes up aligned perfectly!

This seems like the perfect solution, except that I noticed that I needed to make a change after that, and when I un-grouped everything (so I could make the change), the misalignment returned! Very frustrating and weird.

Does anyone have any insight into what is going on? Or, am I stuck with this process?:
* making all my changes on the "too big" version
* grouping everything
* resize smaller

Thanks in advance!

[Moini]

It seems you're using a path effect, 'pattern along path' on your paths. Is that correct? That path effect will use the actual numbers, so it's going to change when you resize your objects. Select all objects with the effect (make a copy of the file that will keep them editable before you do so). Then do Path > Object to Path. Then do your resizing.

You could also be using markers, perhaps. To scale them correctly when you resize, make sure you're not scaling disproportionately, and that in the tool controls for the selector tool (first tool, tool bar right above the drawing area) you have pressed down all four buttons that determine how objects behave when you scale them.

Btw. you can also just select everything, then hold Ctrl and use the mouse to do the resizing, in combination with snapping to the page border that you may have changed to the correct dimensions.

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

I notice that the black dots became ovals, after the scaling.  That seems odd, given that you used the correct measures to the maintain proportions.

I agree with Moini's suggestions.  But if there are further problems, and there's not any issue with copyright/license, would you please share the SVG file? 

[punugear]

Moini - Yes, I am using "pattern along path", as a matter of fact, and following your "Path > Object to Path" suggestion has worked perfectly. Thank you so much! (And thanks for the other helpful advice, too!)

brynn - I hadn't even noticed the dots becoming ovals, until you pointed it out. Guess I was so fixated on the misalignment, I couldn't see anything else. It seems fixed now that I did the Path > Object to Path thing, but it does seem weird that they changed shape at all. I wonder what that's about.

[Moini]

I'd guess it has to do with some absolute numbers in the LPE data. So one dimension is fixed and will be set to its previous value on resize, while the other changes when you resize.