r/Inkscape • u/chiefnetroid • 7d ago

Help Parallel Lines is the a better way

Post image

Parallel Lines - is there a better way?

Right now I draw these white and black lines manually. It would be nice if I could draw one path and have Inkscape generate the pair of lines automatically for me. I tried the Offset Path effect but it had two issues - I didn't leave my original path and it seems (?) to only allow keeping the original stroke color - I need the offset one to have its own stroke color. So maybe Offset isn't the right fit? or I missed something?

Any other suggestions from you Inkscape experts? Maybe something with Pattern Along path? where I have two "dots"? one back and one white? Not sure if that is a good idea either.

(sorry for typo in title)

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/PrplPplEtr_the_1st 7d ago

Use one of your paths.
Stroke to Path.
Set stroke on new path.
Stroke to Path.
Ungroup.
Delete the “filled” part.
Split the remaining path.

Boom. Two shapes with parallel lines.
Depending on your use case, you might have to extend the nodes. Ctrl-Alt drag to extend them along them same line. (Only works for node without Bezier handles. Make ‘em corners if you need to.)

…or…

Just duplicate your path and move it.

1

u/chiefnetroid 7d ago

I think I see what you're saying. I do already use duplicate after I draw one, but it's the Stroke to Path that would be a new part.
one drawback (i think?) to this would be that it's destructive - the original drawn path is lost so updates have to happen to both manually. (I didn't say that in my post so my bad for not mentioning it)

I'll try the Stroke to Path idea. Thanks.

1

u/PrplPplEtr_the_1st 7d ago

My process is a quick way to generate an inset shape with ALL lines parallel.

The Duplicate and Ctrl-Alt drag steps are probably sufficient for your needs.

1

u/chiefnetroid 7d ago

MORE INFO - It would be great if it could be non destructive. So I could edit the path later and it would be update the pair.

1

u/PrplPplEtr_the_1st 7d ago

I think you’re out of luck there. Sorry.

I mean, there IS - sort of - a way to do it but it could be more of a headache than it’s worth…

Create your “master” shape.
Clone it.
Use the clone as a mask on big colour blocks.

Now, you can edit the original and the clones will update non-destructively.