Tiled clones

[Janne]

I really need a good tutorial on Tiled Clones!
It seems as whenever I follow a tutorial it ends up in a complete mess. I just don't understand the parameters.
The 'undo' command is my most used button when I try to do something and I do NOT blame Inkscape for my incapacity.

HELP! 

[brynn]

The Tiled Clones dialog certainly isn't intuitive, to learn how to use.  In fact, I would not want to try and explain it, to a newbie.  But you seem to have more intermediate Inkscape skills, to me.  Have you see these, in the manual?

http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Tiles.html
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/TilePattern.html

And this one comes to mind:  http://www.paulfriedl.com/all-portfolio-list/tileable-pattern-tutorial/
And one of Syllie's nice tutorials:  http://verysimpledesigns.com/vectors/inkscape-tutorial-seamless-patterns.html

(I wish I knew how to make a navigation cloud, like they have in some blog software.  It's too hard for me to understand how to do it, but it would make our Inkscape Tutorials page a lot more helpful.)

[Janne]

Thank you, Brynn - how on earth was I able to miss the tutorials you have linked to?
I have tried to follow a rather simple Youtube tutorial but even if I followed the settings accurately I ended up with a document totally messed up.
I restarted Inkscape again - did it all over with the same messy result.

Another Tavmjong-tutorial worked out fine but whenever I want to create my own stuff I just get stuck.
Well - I think I should find my Stubborn Janne and get her to work on this

This one I have gone through too with a messy result: http://verysimpledesigns.com/vectors/inkscape-tutorial-seamless-patterns.html

[brynn]

When you say it looks messy, do the results resemble each other?  Like maybe it's the same issue each time?  Or have you been able to identify which step you're on, when things go bad?  Sometimes it helps to just go very slowly, and watch the status bar with each step and each click.

Do you use a custom document template, by any chance?  If so, make a new layer, and try the tiling on the new layer.  Or if it's not a custom template, start with a brand new fresh document anyway.   There's one particular bug, that can really make tiled clones go wacky, that's related to various kinds of transforms.  So if you have a document where you've been playing around, clicking away, undoing, clicking, moving, rotating, etc. any kind of transform.  It causes the tiling to go astray.  So either a fresh new document, or if you use a custom template, just a new layer, will avoid that bug.

[ragstian]

Hi Janne.

Tiled clones are easy once learned - problem I have to re-learn every time I use it!

Have a look at this thread on the "other forum".
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=13203&hilit=+tiled+clones
Maybe we could make a "Tiled clones - for dummies" tutorial?
You write the tutorial - I'll be the "dummy" to use as a "scrapegoat" for testing!

Have fun.
RGDS
Ragnar 

[Janne]

You write the tutorial - I'll be the "dummy" to use as a "scrapegoat" for testing!

Have fun.
RGDS
Ragnar

Are you kidding, Ragnar?   
Thank you for the link - I'll work on that today time permitting
Have a nice Sunday all of you here

[Janne]

Well - this looked as a normal behavior to me

[Janne]

And here we go again.....

I followed your tutorial punctually, Ragnar - cross checked - used 'reset' and this was my result on your spiral. I just don't get it

[ragstian]

Hi Janne

Det er da sku dejligt!

Just for fun - I followed the tutorial and I was able to get the same result as last time.
Go to this post and enter dialog by dialog in the Tiled Clones screen, I do see some mistakes in the one you posted!
For the color to change you have to "unset" both the fill and stroke color of the object you start with - you can unset by either the Fill and stroke dialog, click the question mark to unset, or select the object and right click the fill and stroke in the lower left corner of the main Inkscape window and select unset Stroke, repeat for the fill. After you have "unset" then, in the Color tab of the tiled clones click the square by the "Initial color:" and set your color there.

Check and re-check the tiled clones tabs until you get it right.
(When your Ctrl-Z key are worn out you can assign the undo to another key!  )



Have fun.
RGDS Ragnar

[Janne]

Google translate is a wonderful tool

Yes, I must have made some errors and I'll try again! Thank you, Ragnar

When I have undone everything and not being able do correct anything just uninstall Inkscape - re install Windows from scratch and install Inkscape again   

I have saved your screen shot! 

[ragstian]

Hei

Janne, det er ikke Google translate - Det er en normann i denne enden - ogs? bosatt i USA.
Hvor er du? Vi er i Katy, TX.

Good Luck with your Tiled Clones, they are working like a charm in this end1

RGDS
Ragnar

[Janne]

Ha!

Take a look at this video - everything goes wrong!



Gregory and I live near Cincinnati, Ohio - together with P.D. Puppy Waggietail, a 15 year old and blind Jack Russell

[ragstian]

Hi

The video was nice, you are almost there! - from  what I can tell you might have skipped the "Move the circles rotation center"?

Try it on this file; http://www.inkscapeforum.com/download/file.php?id=2482
On this file the rotation center has been moved already.

Good Luck
RGDS
Ragnar

[brynn]

The video doesn't show the result, so we don't know how the problem looks.

I'm not sure if Ragnar's tutorial mentioned this, but for the first original circle, you have to set the color to Unset (using Fill and Stroke dialog).  And then on the Color tab of Tiled clones dialog, you set the actual color.  If you didn't do that, you should still at least get the spiral.  It's just that they would be all blue.  But again, we don't know what your results look like.

It sounds like you're having other problems though.  In the video, it looks like you have everything set right, on the Tiled Clone tabs.  So if you didn't get a spiral of blue balls, it's likely the bug I mentioned, that's somehow causing problems for you.

Try the steps in a brand new fresh document.  If you do use a custom template, be sure to make a new layer, and draw the circle on the new layer.  Make its fill "Unset".  And then, be sure to click Reset, in Tiled Clones dialog, before you start.  And then enter all the settings again.  That should have you all set for success 

PS -- Oops, Ragnar posted while I was typing.

[Janne]

Daaaaaaaaaaa - I'm a fooool 

Yes, of course - the rotation center!!! Thank you, Ragnar
And you are right, Brynn, I forgot also to the unset color!

That's my ataxia ( I'm blaming that for everything though it does cause lack of cognitive skills - that's why learning is a good challenge ).

Back to Inkscape and try again

Thank you both

[Janne]

Wow - and here goes - finally! 

[brynn]

I'm kind of in the same boat with chronic health issues, and being unable to work.  I use Inkscape, and computer/internet, in general, both for a little social contact, and to keep learning new things.

Anyway, I'm glad you got it figured out 

[Janne]

Yes, Brynn - nothing shall stop us from making the best out of it
I do think that this topic has helped me a lot about understanding the tiling dialogue box!
Now I have something to play with the next couple of days

[Janne]

Off Topic:
Ragnar, I have visited Norway three times - two times on holidays and one time a visit was connected to my work as a packaging designer at Lego
The last time I went to the Edvard Munch museum in Oslo.
Telemarken is very beautiful
I think that I've read that Holmenkollen is gone?

[ragstian]

Hi.

Holmenkollen is still "Alive and kicking"! Has been rebuilt lately to a more "modern" form.
Type "Holmenkollen" in the search field on this page: VisitNorway

Good Luck with the Tiled Clones - looking forward to see what you can produce using it.

RGDS
Ragnar

[Janne]

Thank you, Ragnar.
I just learned something new: even if "unset color" is showing up you have to right click on them and unset them manually!

[ragstian]

Hi Janne.

Look at what you are making already! I'am jealous! 

even if "unset color" is showing up you have to right click on them and unset them manually!

Intersting, will have to look at the SVG code to see what's changing when you manually unset. You can look at the code while editing in Inkscape by using the XML editor. (Shift Ctrl X).

Be aware there are much more to tiled clones than just making "Spirals"! Experiment - have fun!

RGDS
Ragnar

[Janne]

Thank you, Ragnar!
Your tutorial was the easiest one to follow and yet I needed help.
Now I'll try to change one parameter at a time and learn.
Maybe that will lead me to the understanding that I need! Thank you so much! 

[Janne]

Intersting, will have to look at the SVG code to see what's changing when you manually unset. You can look at the code while editing in Inkscape by using the XML editor. (Shift Ctrl X).

I'll check that out too!

[ragstian]

Hi.

Off Topic;
This mini-tutorial might be of interest to you as well.
(For some reason it's "hidden" on the tutorial page (on this site) -
until you click the sentence describing it
Edit; That's just me - not reading the instructions;
Please click on the black text of each list item to reveal the list of tutorials from each author. -
Nice way to "cram" a lot of content into one page.)

RGDS
Ragnar