How do you set the node to start the cutting location?

If I am cutting an oval, I may want to start and finish at the top node instead of the middle.  

How do I change the start node of the middle to be the start node at the top?

Thank you for your assistance.

This might help you see the issue.

And here is the visualize path numbers

The issue is one of these nodes has two numbers (the start and finish for the laser cutting).  There is a visual notice of the start and end cut there.  If I cannot eleminate that slight micro m offset, I would like to move the start/end node(s) to the bottom or round end.

No hot linking for images.

How do we paste a screenshot to show our issue?

Upload via either dragging into this editor window or use the paperclip icon beneath.

Okay, thank you for the instructions.  

Here is my object in normal view

Here is the object with using the extension visual path by numbers

On cutting, the issue is at the node number points 9 and 10   When I cut on wood, it leaves a slight dibit.  I have verified that there is no node offset.  The nodes are joinec/combined/merged.   ???

If I hve to have these notifable dibit/offset in the cut, I would rather the start and end cut be at node 4 or 8.  But do not know how to change the order of the start and edn nodes.

Perhaps "Break Path at selected Node" (No8) will help.

In Edit>Preferences, enable:

- Always show outlines
- Show path direction on outlines

That will allow you to see the path direction when using the node tool ( little arrows appear on the path )

In the stroke style panel, set a start marker ( just so you can see what you are doing ) You don't need to do this once you get the hang of it.

Switch to the node tool ( F2 or N )

Then choose a node you want to break at (or double click the path to create a new node )

Go to the previous node in the path, drag select with the node tool. 

Press Shift+b to break at that point.

You will see that the start marker has now moved to the node you broke.

But we need a closed path usually for CAD.

Drag select the resulting 2 nodes, and press Shift+j to join.

The start point ( and marker ) will move to the next node in the direction of the path.

Well the node break and recombine method actually worked.  I'm just glad I only had 5 nodes to do this with.  LOL

Thank you all for helping me solve this issue.  I still don't have a way to stop the weird end/start underlap even though the nodes are combined.   I can live with it for this project.

I'm so glad I found this forum.  I was a CorelDraw user since version 2.0 (I know, I'm old, but still graphicalling :)  ).  I left coreldraw because they started doing this monthly subscription thing and my system had to be connected to the internet.  My laser shop system is never connected to the internet.   So... I found inkscape and just love it.

Thanks again

I think it's a normal thing that in a 8 nodes closed path, start node is numbered as 1 and 9 : it's also the end node in a closed path.

On your screenshot, there must be two nodes instead of one : so you find there the start-end node numbered 1 and 10 and an additional node 9

Rectangle-select both (status bar, bottom of screen, will say that 2 nodes are selected) and press shift + J to join them)

In the attached sample file, the number nodes extension will display numbers 1 - 10.

If you open the path by removing z from the path using the XML-editor, the extension will display numbers 1 - 9.

Aero

In the attached sample file, the number nodes extension will display numbers 1 - 10.

If you open the path by removing z from the path using the XML-editor, the extension will display numbers 1 - 9.

I realized it was more complicated than I thought.

Z is the "close" command, if I understand.

It's a strange behavior to have 1 / 9 / 10 stacked if an eight-nodes path is closed : is there an explanation or something wrong in the extension ?

Yes z is the close command. I agree, this strange behavior is very confusing.
 

Thanks, Aero