Vector appears to turn to raster with Path-Difference

[sraque]

Though I have searched the forums, I am unsure what to call this potential problem...so it may be out there.

I create a character with the text tool. I convert it to a path. I create a rectangle with the rectangle tool. I create a "slice" across the character with the rectangle using Path->Difference. The resulting characters are still editable with the path tool, but when I Save-as EPS, they are all blurry. When I Save-as PDF, they are not blurry, but they take a long time to render versus the other parts of the drawing that are still vectors in the EPS. I have uploaded a small sample file in both the native SVG and EPS (had to change the extension to .svg since .eps is rejected by the forum engine) for those that are capable of deciphering those codes.

As a note, I am using Mac OSX v 10.6 and Inkscape 0.47
-Steve

[~suv]

The resulting characters are still editable with the path tool, but when I Save-as EPS, they are all blurry. When I Save-as PDF, they are not blurry, but they take a long time to render versus the other parts of the drawing that are still vectors in the EPS.

PDF does support transparency and opacity, EPS does not. You second layer 'End Reporting Masks' has the layer opacity set to 94.0 which causes the EPS export do be rasterized (embedded bitmaps to preserve the appearance of the vector objects with transparency/opacity < 100%).

To solve your issue, change the layer opacity back to 100% in the 'Layers…' dialog. If the EPS output is still rasterized, make sure you don't have other objects with reduced opacity or alpha channel. Note that if you copied objects from a layer with reduced layer opacity into other layers (or documents) they will be pasted with the same opacity value they have when rendered inside that layer (i.e. the layer opacity then turns into object opacity). A quick test shows that at least the '9', '3' and '9' additionally do have the object opacity reduced to 94% -> change those to 100% opacity in the 'Fill and Stroke…' dialog to prevent rasterization in EPS export.

[sraque]

Thank you very much. That resolved my problem. I don't know how the 94% ended up happening in the first place, but with duplication, it spread like fungus!