Inkscape - How to clip text from shape and get a resulting path?

Question

I have been given a .svg file with text that I want to modify with Inkscape. The text has been 'clipped' out of a rectangle so the text is no longer modifiable (I think).

ender2.svg

I can tell the source type is 'path' because if I view the 'nodes' of the rectangle it shows 109 path nodes

Attempt 1

I've tried the following to create a new text block

• creating a rectangle
• Adding text
• Doing 'clip' -> inverse

This appears to have done what I wanted, however the resulting object is a path with only 4 nodes which isn't what I want

ender2pro.svg

• How can I convert this 4 node path into a more detailed 109 node path like the original file?
  Or is there a way I could edit the text on the original file?

I'm brand new to inkscape so any assistance apprechiated.

Answer 1

Don't use masks or clipping for this.

1. Draw a rectangle and type some text. Select both.

2. Do Path > Difference

Example

Answer 2

Instead of doing a clip, do the following

1. Create a rectangle and text
2. Convert the text to a path (path -> object to path)
3. Select all the letters and ungroup them (right click + ungroup)
4. Select all the letters and join them (path -> union)
5. Select the rectangle and the path text then do a 'difference' or 'intersection' (path -> difference)

Here is a video showing the steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHC8sDX2Pmk