Blank SVG Troubleshooting

[firstcut]

I have tried to put together a troubleshooting guide for when your SVGs show up blank in SCAL. Below is what I have so far but I know something is missing because I have a file that still will not show up even though I've done everything on this list. I need you experts to look this over and suggest changes. Then maybe I will figure out how to put all this into a flowchart. In the meantime, I've attached the file that defies my checklist if anyone wants to take a crack at it. Thanks!

Troubleshooting blank SVGs in SCAL

in Inkscape
Check the Outline View by selecting View>Display mode>Outline
to see if it looks like what you want to cut

If the Outline View does not show as expected then...
If you imported a bitmap (jpg, png, bmp, gif, etc.) did you autotrace it?
If not, select it, then Path>Trace Bitmap
Did you convert text into objects?
If not, select text then Path>Object to Path


If the Outline View does show as expected
then
Have you ungrouped everything?
If not then select all then Object>Ungroup repeatedly until the message at bottom of screen says there are no objects to ungroup.

If none of that works try
-Making sure all objects are within the page boundaries
-Selecting all then changing the colors (click the color bar at the bottom of the screen)

[DonnaL]

This is embarassing.. but I've also learned that some files I thought were svg's were really scut downloads. Maybe that could happen to someone else too?
~Donna

[firstcut]

Thanks for that, Donna. SCAL won't let me import a scut file, they are grayed out in the choose file dialog. What happens when you try to import a scut file in the Windows version?

[LehighGal]

I checked the file in Inkscape, could not find anything wrong. I opened it in SCAL, nothing there. I remembered a quirk someone mentioned, I copied the file, pasted on a new page, saved, imported it into SCAL...magic..it appeared!! Don't ask me why, but it works. HTH

[wreed06]

Thanks for that, Donna. SCAL won't let me import a scut file, they are grayed out in the choose file dialog. What happens when you try to import a scut file in the Windows version?

Just a reminder, you OPEN SCUT files and you IMPORT SVG files, not the other way around.

[firstcut]

LG, Thanks so much. I had tried lots of hocus pocus, including saving under a different file name and even starting from scratch, but I must not have done the copy to a new document trick. That, indeed took care of the problem and will be added to my troubleshooting guide.

Wreed, It doesn't sound like you understood my question. Let me try again. I know that you import SVGs and open SCUTs, but in the context of troubleshooting a blank SVG in SCAL, I was wondering if mixing those up (by trying to import a scut file you thought was an svg) would yield a blank image in the Windows version of SCAL. Can someone answer that?

And does anyone else remember any more "quirks" for solving the blank SVG problem? If not, the troubleshooting guide is nearing completion.

[HeatherM]

When I tried to import a scut file into SCAL it crashed the program. I am using Windows XP. Anyone else have a different result?

BTW, how did you get the svg to show blank in SCAL?

[Tingha Treasures]

I went to import svg pulled down the arrow by the "files of type" and had show all files choose a jpg and also tried a PDF it opened as you would imagine a blank box!

Scut crashed it LOL

[firstcut]

Very good info, Tingha. I forgot about the file type selection. Will add this failure mode to the troubleshooting guide.

Heather, not sure what you are asking. Apparently, an SVG will show blank for a number of reasons, many listed as troubleshooting steps in the original post. And, oh yeah, thanks for crashing your SCAL to help with my quest for knowledge

[HeatherM]

Heather, not sure what you are asking. Apparently, an SVG will show blank for a number of reasons, many listed as troubleshooting steps in the original post.

I was wondering how you made your testframe.svg file with paths that didn't show in SCAL.