Not so simple blend problem

[salaam]

Can someone please tell me what is happening here?

1- The first image is a vector (an Inkscape trace), a single shape (according to the status line). The larger image shows it's 'point handles' using the 'shape editor tool'.
2- I have cloned this shape to create a blend. For some reason, the blend (centre image) has lost its detail.
3- When this blended group is pasted into X3D, its details are now visible.
4- I have now switched on the lines of the centre blend to show any hidden detail. XX says that this is a group (not a single shape).
5- These details are now separated (made editable and ungrouped) into 4 shapes.

I have tried recreating a similar shape to paste into X3D as above. I could not achieve the same strange effect.

Does anyone know what happened?

[handrawn]

Never noticed that before salaam !

Can't explain it, but guess its to do with the way the shapes are created by inkscape and how they then import into xara.

I did a test and got what I think are the same results as you - the top line is from an inkscape bitmap trace - saved and imported as pdf from inkscape 045-1 to xarapro.

The second line is from a xara bitmap trace after all the insecting etc required to get the necessary shape.

The bottom line shows an intersection on the first blend which may give a clue as to what is happening there ?

interesting !!

[salaam]

Thanks Steve,
Yes it seems to be an Inkscape to Xara problem.

I converted my original Inscape logo vector into an Xara vector by using a block twice to substract it from the logo vector, giving me an exact image of original. I had no problems blending this version.

There must be some extra or deficient data missing from the Inkscape vector.

[salaam]

I just checked; the Inkscape vector is smaller, so I assume it lacks data.
4.19 Kb Inkscape version.
4.21 KB Xara version.

I was wondering if it was possible to take stage 5 back to the centre blend in stage 2 (of my screen capture image at the beginning of this thread), so that it again shows the hidden details in X3D but now I doubt it since it may be because of incomplete data.

[handrawn]

not sure how exactly you got from stage 4 to 5
I set 1pix outline - made blend editable shape and then broke the centre blend shape.
Don't think it's possible to go back from there.

EDIT: because the pdf2xar process can struggle sometimes to import large and complicated pdf exports from inkscape, I've taken to saving them as svg and converting to ai8 in illustrator for import into xarapro [doesn't work with transparency ].
doing this - I did not get the effect from the first post when blending in xara.

btw: on occasion I have had to tell XP to close xarapro during a pdf import, simply because it was taking too long on my machine
when I do this xara closes, but the pdf2xar process still runs merrily on eating a large amount of processor resource
have to close this down manually in windows task manager heyho

[Egg Bramhill]

Interesting problem. It appears that it's a Inkscape or a pdf problem but I suspect Inkscape. If you take Salaam's original shape, Arrange / Break Shapes, then recolour each of the four resultant shapes (You also need to alter their depths).

Now if you click on each shape with the Selector Tool and notice the 9th Blob (which shows the shapes start point) Then change to the Shape Editor Tool, the start point in each of the shapes has a start node and an end node in exactly the same point. (This is a common problem with eps files, reporting a line but acting as a shape because the start and end node occuppy the same space. They also become invisible in XXPro).

Now, as you discovered, when you create a rectangle and put to back and intersect, the resultant shape looses these double node points and blends correctly. I've tried running a XXPro shape through pdf to see whether it's Adobe creating these additional overlaying nodes, but it didn't, so that's why I suspect Inkscape.

[handrawn]

inkscape pdf support is currently being rewritten as I understand it, so it could well be.
And I find inkscape pdfs will not usually open in my illustrator, though they will rasterise into my photoshop.
SVG's are usually ok.
Inkscape fill graduations are by default from color to alpha [not white], but I don't think thats an issue here.