Combining a shape in inkscape

[Tyler]

I would like to combine these paths to make a compound path that is basically my blob with a bunch of shapes inside (see attached file). Some of the shapes combine and you lose the fill inside it (which is what I want). The other shapes combine, but maintains having a fill. I know some of you have been working with inkscape a lot longer than I have - any suggestions on how to get all the inside shapes to lose their fill when doing a combine?

[Retta]

If I understand you right. you want the little pieces to combine with the green blob and make a hole there. Change the purple pieces to white. Select the whole image and do path then exclusion.

[Tyler]

That did what I was trying to do - thanks! Do you know why combine didn't work for all the shapes? Try it out, and I think you will see what I mean.

[Thyme]

Tyler, the correct way to do this so that it works everytime is to select and combine the inside pieces, then select all and Path/Exclusion

[Tyler]

Thank you for the help, Dawn and Retta!!! Someday, when I figure out how this program works, I will let everyone know why the combine doesn't work that way. lol I am probably just too used to illustrator.

I have been messing with the shortcut keys to make them what I am used to though! I figured that one out

[Thyme]

Ah, shortcut keys, I only really use copy and paste, and the control key for keeping circles and squares in the correct proportion, everything else I do with the pen and tablet. I don't get on with the keyboard

[Tyler]

lol well I did everything in MTC and illustrator with shortcut keys - that was one reason it was kind of hard to switch over. However, inkscape is more like MTC than it is illustrator for me so I have just changed the keys in inkscape to what I am used to in MTC. Amazing how much better I like Inkscape now lol

Now if only I could figure out the page script for assigning an extension a key stroke! (like send to signcut lol)

[Tyler]

For my own sake of remembering, I thought I would post this here. After much travail, I finally have it figured out!! There are two types of fills in inkscape. One that is Even Odd fill and the other that is non zero. I won't bore everyone with the differences between the two, but make sure you have the left fill option of the fill and stroke dialog box checked if this ever happens to you. Exclusion works as well, but I would like to bypass the Boolean operations if possible (see green arrow).

[Thyme]

Or you just work in stroke rather than fill

[MichelleMyBelle]

picking up all these tips, still learning Inkscape. Never enough hours in a day.

[Gigi]

That's for sure!! I need a much longer day or the ability to go without sleep for days on end!!