Hi everyone,
I feel that this will be a very stupid question but I need to understand what I'm doing wrong. I have 2 objects like you can see here: http://screencast.com/t/X6HpVRTPlY. I select both and apply Path/Difference to obtain a new object (http://screencast.com/t/cX3a6rkvUm).
So now I take the first object, the rectangle, and clone it 10 times. Then, if I try to apply difference, I can't do it. Nothing happens, I've tried to group the 10 rectangles, selecting them one by one, no way. I'm surely doing something wrong but I can't find what I'm missing here (see this image where I've selected only 1 rectangle: http://screencast.com/t/Yr1NKRpUAw3e).
To be clear, what I want is to delete an ellipse of the 10 rectangles.
Thanks for your help.

Mauricio

Hi Mauricio,
If you'll look at the status bar when you try to do the difference using a clone, it will probably say something like "1 object is not a path". So I think that you will have to convert them from clones back to regular paths, to do the path operation. Use "Cut selected clone's link to original...." button.

Someone else may have better or more informative comments to make. But I do think the root of the problem is one part of the operation being a clone.

Here's a way to difference the ellipse from all of them at once. Select all the clones, then click "Cut selected clone's link...." button (on command bar). Then select all the tall skinny rectangles, and click Path menu > Combine, then Object menu > Lower to bottom (or control bar button). Then hold Shift and add ellipse to the selection, then Path menu > Difference. If you need the tall, skinny pieces to have different styles (color, transparency, etc.) then do Path menu > Break apart, afterwards.

A possibly unrelated note -- If you initially drew one rectangle, and then clicked the Clone button 10 times. You actually made nested clones. If you select the last one, the status bar will say "Clone of: clone of: clone of:....etc.". The only reason I mention that, is that it can bloat the file size, and/or cause other problems in the file. So it's best not to make nested clones, if you can avoid it

Thanks for the answer, Brynn. I knew I was missing something but didn't know what. Now I've got what I was looking for.
I'm learning too much thank to this forum!!!

You're welcome