Hello:  I'm "newish" to Inkscape and need to understand why this happens.  If I create an oval and troubleshoot it seems fine.  Then if I duplicate the oval and rotate it or move it it "might" have borders that cross.  If I make several duplicates and move them around some of them "might" have borders that cross and some don't, and I can't tell beforehand which ones will have that problem.  If I move some of them the problem goes away but not always.  The same thing happens with other types of simple objects such as squares, triangles, stars, etc. and I would think that if Inkscape made the object itself that it would be "legal" without errors, but that's not the case.

Why does that happen and how can I get around this problem?

I forgot to attach this screenshot showing the error.

So far, the "border crosses itself" error is by far my biggest time-waster which I can't seem to get around.  I'm doing OK on most other things with Inkscape.

 Can't determine the issue from the screenshot. If you want to generate kind of petal there's a "rotate copies" path extension.

What do you mean border crosses itself? 

Tyler:  If I run the Troubleshoot option in Inkscape it shows the "border crosses itself" errors (as shown on the attached image).  See my earlier post.  If this happens then the design can't be sent to an embroidery file because the Inksketch extension will not work with a file that has that type of error. 

Hi. By "border crossing itself" ... do you mean the stroke of the object crossing over into the next object?

If the objects have stroke widths set (of any color) their width may he set up so that when they are close, the strokes overlap to the next object.

Do your objects have strokes?

Is so, you can keep the objects where they are located and reduce the stroke width.

Can you share an example ... upload the svg file you are using?

Also, when placing your objects, do have certain snapping options enabled, that may make these objects re-positioned... to the boundaries or nodes of the objects you are using?

Maybe it's yellow ellipse over grey ellipse and no stroke at all - I run out of guess work.

ok... This is part of the Inkstitch extension giving the report. 

Please share an example file. It is likely that the extension gets confused if the object is rotated. 

(I'm going to edit the topic title to reflect the centrality of the Inkstitch extension.)

Another quick thought ... you may possibly have more objects existing on your layer that you are not visibly seeing ... such as objects with no fill and/or objects stacked on top of one another.

If you temporarily change your display mode to outline, what do you see?

Is the number count what you expect, or are there additional objects visible that you thought should be or should not be in your project?

I know that I haven't created objects that are not visible.  The "border crosses itself" is a message reported by the "Troubleshoot" option within the Inksketch extension.  My problem is that it is random and I don't know how to keep it from happening.  Once it happens it seems difficult to correct since correcting one node makes the next node have the error, like a domino effect, very frustrating. 

I would like to clarify that the "border crosses itself" error does not necessarily happen "after" rotation.  It can happen at any time but might occur before or after rotation.  So, to clarify, rotation is not required for the error.

There' s some faulty developement ongoing here, but I doubt it' s on the Inkscape side. Proof me wrong. :-)

Will you not share the svg file itself, or some  example of it, so others can look at it, for a possible solution?

OK, below are the steps I followed to create this simple image that shows the error. I am attaching a screenshot showing the error and the SVG file.

1) Create a horizontal oval (with fill and without stroke) and convert it to a path.  Run Troubleshoot extension and it shows no error (Screen capture 1)

2) Duplicate that oval using Ctrl-D, rotate the clone 45 degrees clockwise and shift it up. Run Troubleshoot extension and it shows "Border crosses itself" error (Screen capture 2)

3) I zoomed into the image to show a closeup of the problem node (Screen capture 3).

I am attaching those screen captures and am including the SVG file.  

OK, below are the steps I followed to create this simple image that shows the error. I am attaching a screenshot showing the error and the SVG file.

1) Create a horizontal oval (with fill and without stroke) and convert it to a path.  Run Troubleshoot extension and it shows no error (Screen capture 1)

2) Duplicate that oval using Ctrl-D, rotate the clone 45 degrees clockwise and shift it up. Run Troubleshoot extension and it shows "Border crosses itself" error (Screen capture 2)

3) I zoomed into the image to show a closeup of the problem node (Screen capture 3).

I am attaching those screen captures and am including the SVG file.  

Sorry this posted twice.  Somehow it looked like the text and the images were not uploaded at first so I tried it again.  I can't delete the second post

Maybe it' s simply the opposite of what we have in the "plotter"-thread today where a gap appears as the plotter can' t create a whole closed loop.

Can you just select these "issue" nodes and break the path at this points so that there are official 5 nodes instead the 4; one for the start one for the end and 3 for the curvature and see if the machine can work with this?

So, does anyone know why the "Border crosses itself" error occurs?  Is there a way to avoid it?  The objects created seem "legal" as far as I can tell.

Hi. I found the link helow that references the error you are receiving.

** I suggest saving the svg file with a different name before making any changes to your file and duplicating the object within it before making any changes to the object itself.

That way, if something crazy or unwanted happens to your object, you still have it accessible.

The link below mentions some steps to take when that error occurs.

I hope this helps you.

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/InkStitch_-_tips_and_trouble_shooting

and this one

https://github.com/inkstitch/inkstitch/issues/343

and also these two:

https://github.com/inkstitch/inkstitch/issues/610

https://inkstitch.org/docs/troubleshoot/

This youtube video was just uploaded today. Perhaps it may help in some way also.

https://youtu.be/-fnRyh5nlsM

Hello Ken:  Thanks!  I checked out the links you shared with me.  I guess this  error is something that happens to other people too. After much testing, I did notice today that if I create an oval and then rotate it, only some of the rotation angles result in the border crossing error while other angles don't cause the error.  I reported that error to an Inkstitch site dedicated to that...

https://github.com/inkstitch/inkstitch/issues/850

Hopefully someone will be able to fix this some day soon.

Sounds good. Hopefully you will figure out some other method or approach to get to your desired goal(s). Keep experimenting and trying to "see" things from different angles. All the best to you.

One more quick idea ... if a duplicated rotated object is giving you issues, ask how else can I get the object rotated ...

(such as a different method to rotate it) , or perhaps make a bitmap copy of that rotated copy (Edit Menu > Make a Bitmap Copy) and then let Inkscape trace it for you ... simplify the nodes if needed ... and then move that newly created object to its needed position ... and try the inkstitch extension again to see if it works. If it does, you can repeat the steps for every other rotated copy that needs to be adjusted.

I do not know if this will work for you, but it is worth a try.

Help!  I'm so frustrated.  I can't go forward to make an embroidery file because Inkstitch keeps reporting Crossing borders on paths created by Inkscape, especially on text, regardless of the font.  I have version 1.01 and everything else seems to be working correctly. 

When I run the Troubleshoot function I keep getting errors of "border crossing itself".  If I correct one node then another pops up, no matter what I do.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Am I the only one with this problem?

Hi, Huertaaj, again. I am sure you are not alone in this issue. In a previous post, I shared some links fr you about this issue.

Also, see this link below, as it may lead to something helpful. And, perhaps, in addition to this forum, you might visit other sites to ask for help ... to get some fruitful answers.

That link is

https://inkscape.org/forums/tutorials/for-inkstitch-enthusiasts-links/

and

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=&as_epq=Inkstitch&as_oq=blog+forum+website+pinterest&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=active&as_filetype=&tbs=

All the best to you.

And maybe some free embroidery software that could serve as an alternate or companion to Inkstitch.

https://listoffreeware.com/free-embroidery-software-windows/

and

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=software&as_epq=Freeware+embroidery&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=active&as_filetype=&tbs=

and svg converters to embroidery ...

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&sxsrf=ALeKk02jZZvpa_R88mZxsjZX8vw8qcaz5A%3A1602810972355&source=hp&ei=XPSIX8_rEeKW_QbqxJDQDg&q=tool+to+convert+svg+to+embroidery+file&oq=tool+to+covert+svg+to+embroi&gs_lcp=ChFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocBABGAEyBwghEAoQoAEyBwghEAoQoAEyBwghEAoQoAEyBwghEAoQoAEyBwghEAoQqwIyCgghEBYQChAdEB46BwgjEOoCECc6BQgAEJECOgUIABCxAzoICC4QsQMQgwE6CAgAELEDEIMBOgIIADoECAAQQzoFCC4QsQM6BQgAEMkDOgUIABCSAzoLCC4QsQMQyQMQkwI6AgguOggIABCxAxDJAzoECAAQCjoJCAAQyQMQFhAeOgYIABAWEB46BwgAEMkDEA06BAgAEA06BggAEA0QHjoICAAQDRAFEB5QxCVYhJ8BYKutAWgDcAB4AIAB2AGIAYYmkgEGMC4yNy4zmAEAoAEBsAEP&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp

Hi Ken:  Thanks again for responding.  I was not aware of the other free embroidery programs that are available.  I will definitely see if one of those will work for me.  I would like to export the completed SVG file from Inkscape, including the "presumably problematic text" that shows crossing borders, etc. and see if I can successfully produce a working PES file for the Brother PE-770 machine that I have.

Hi Huertaaj, did you ever figure out what the problem was?

I too am having the same problem and it happens with almost all the files I try to create! Thank you :)

Sorry, still no solution here.  I just have to play around with node after node until I get it cleaned up.  That can take hours of work on some designs.  

For text I ended up purchasing SewWhat Pro64 and it allows me to add nice fonts to my designs without any of those errors.  I purchased some nice fonts at a very reasonable price from www.stitchtopia.com.

So, the solution at the moment is to use Inkscape with Inkstitch as far as possible but when the brick wall hits one has to resort to other programs.

I really appreciate it thank you!

@Huertaaj @anne123 I found how to solve the problem ! Basically when u convert to vector it draw lines between node and some time the lines cross each other per example when you put a circle on another the border of the circle cross eachother, so you have to select node view (just under normal selection) and start looking every line who cross other lines and replace nodes so they dont cross each other. Sorry for my english i'm not mothertongue hope it was helpful. PS: Its painful as it sound especially for beautiful design.

I run into this problem constantly. I have literally spent the last 10 days on one image. I have found that often there is a border crossing itself underneath part of an image. I have to really move the nodes around and basically destroy my image to find it. I do strongly suggest copying and pasting your original image so you can recreate it later.  This function of Inkscape is amazingly annoying and I believe it is something that the developers really need to look at more carefully. There should be an easier way to specifically identify the crossed border rather than the randomly placed red triangle that oftentimes does not point directly to the problem; instead it gives an indication of where the problem may begin or end. Also looking at the image in other display modes does not always reveal where the borders are truly crossed. 

A couple more things I have found that may help. At the troubled area I will delete one node at a time this sometimes reveals where things are crossed. You can also try moving the handles around across each other this also may reveal where they are crossed.