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The question is straightforward: how to cut a group in Inkscape?

I already know that Inkscape can only cut one path with another, using ctrl+/.

However is there any tips to ease the process? Having a group of 50+ paths, it is really a burdensome task if we have to manually cut them one by one.

3 Answers 3

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The only way that I am aware of is to combine all the paths in question, cut the result and break it apart again. However, this way, all your paths end up having the same style and you may have more than objects than initially in the end.

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UPDATE: Since I posted this answer, some extension scripts for multiple path operations have been posted on the inkscape forums: http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20762 Use these at your own risk; they are provided as an unofficial temporary solution until Inkscape devs work on this feature!


This is not a perfect solution, and it does not suit all situations. However it’s the nearest thing to Illustrator’s “divide all objects below” operation that I could find. If anyone knows a better way please share.

A group cannot be divided, as you know. However multiple paths can be divided if combined, along with "exclusion" (at the expense of losing individual styles/colour).

  1. Select all the paths you wish to divide and go to Path>Combine

enter image description here enter image description here

  1. Select your combined paths and Edit>Duplicate
  2. With this duplicate, go to Path>Break apart
  3. Then go to Path>Exclusion to create a path that will divide paths below (I've changed this Exclusion layer to a darker blue to make this clearer to follow)

enter image description here

  1. Select all paths and this exclusion path then Path>Divide

enter image description here

This should divide all paths from your original shapes.

Note: Sometimes using exclusion with overlapping shapes can create gaps, and make it unsuitable as a "divide all below method".

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    The link in the Update does not work anymore :( Oct 1, 2020 at 20:27
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I found this tutorial: https://inkscapetutorials.org/2014/04/22/inkscape-faq-how-do-i-crop-in-inkscape/

It is: Object > Clip > Set

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