Eraser creates new object in "cut out of object" function

[Daniel Morell]

I am using Inkscape on Windows 8. When I try to use the eraser "Cut out of object" function it does one of three things.
1. It will function properly and erase(redefine the nodes for a segment of the object).
2. Create a new object on top of the image in the shape of the eraser stroke.
3. Do nothing at all. If it does nothing it will not register in the undo history.

I am including an image of problem #2 in case you want to visualize it.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Please information about inkscape version (see Inkscape menu 'Help > About Inkscape') to the bug description, and attach the Inkscape SVG file used to create the screenshot to allow further investigation.

Possible same issue as already tracked in
- Bug #889350 “Erase Tool fails after resizing the page (A4 -> A3)...”
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/889350
but impossible to confirm based on the information provided so far.

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

I already ran into the same issues with the current (0.91) but also older Inkscape version, both on Windows XP and GNU/Linux distros (Ubuntu and Crunchbang). Unfortunately, the only one I managed export to a SVG file is the inoperative eraser bug (test file attached - the locked "line" layer is just for explanations on how to reproduce the bug. Don't hesitate to hide it).

Note that the bugs can be reproduced without resizing the page.

[A Beggar (abeggar)]

Need some one to confirm this "work-around" solution.

I'm using Inkscape 0.91, with Windows XP.
Eraser Tool works fine on new open file, but fails on a SVG file created by Lilypond (a music notation software).
I found that changing value of viewBox ( in XML Editor) could fix the problem.

By default, for A4, the value of viewBox is: 0 0 744.0945 1052.3622 (roughly)
and for the "US Letter", it is: 0 0 765 990

The value of the viewBox has format (x, y, width, height), thus for "US Letter" with the width of 8.5 in, or 215.9 mm, and the width value in viewBox is 765 (I don' know the unit, so just call it "Unit of viewBox" (Uov))

So, by default, Inkscape sets the ratio at 3.5896 Uov per mm.

The SVG file created by Lilypond is much smaller in ratio (only about 0.5), and Eraser Tool doesn't work.
With this very same file, I set the Paper Size (found in Document Properties) to "US Letter", and value of viewBox to ( 0 0 765 990) then the problem is gone.

At this point, even I change the Paper Size to A4, Eraser Tool works perfectly.

(I have play around for "US Letter" with different value of viewBox:
0 0 155 198 ---> Eraser Tool doesn't work at all
0 0 310 396 ---> Eraser Tool works intermittently
0 0 620 792 ---> Eraser Tool works better but still fail on some cases)

So, could some one explain:

- What is the viewBox for?
- Does this work-around also work on other system?

Apologize for bad English...

[ScislaC (scislac)]

This is easily reproducible if you try to erase over a raster image.

[Nathan Lee (nathan.lee)]

Hi, thanks for reporting!

Closing as part of bug migration. Issue can now be tracked at https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/issues/540 (I've also added the information from the comments to that issue).

Please feel free to file new bugs about the issues you're seeing at http://inkscape.org/report.