Overlap Scores inkscape extension

I like a good challenge[1], so here you go:

When you have overlapping shapes, it can be a tedious job to union the shapes and preserve the overlapping lines. I built an extension to do it for you. Here’s what it does.

It converts this:

to this:

I know most people are impatient, so here you go.

overlap_scores_v0.01b.zip (7.9 KB)

This is new beta stuff, and it may break. I’m only one person with one computer, you guys would be doing me a huge favor if you not only test it but also break it. If you do break it, please reply with the svg that broke it so that I can reproduce the issue and try to resolve it. Use undo to get the svg to the point where it is ready to break the extension, and save and send it along.

An excerpt from the README:

Overlap Scores Inkscape Extension

Too Long, Didn’t Read? (TL;DR):

This extension calculates overlap scores for paths in Inkscape, identifying intersections and adjusting path properties accordingly. It helps analyze and refine vector designs for laser cutting, CNC, and other precision applications.

To quickly use this Inkscape extension:

  1. Copy both overlap_scores.py and overlap_scores.inx into your Inkscape “extensions” folder. This folder is typically located:

    • Linux: ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/ or /usr/share/inkscape/extensions/
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\Inkscape\extensions\ or C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\extensions\
    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/org.inkscape.Inkscape/config/inkscape/extensions/ or /Applications/Inkscape.app/Contents/Resources/share/inkscape/extensions/
  2. In Inkscape:

    • Select the paths to analyze.
    • Go to the “Extensions” menu.
    • Find “Generate from Path” and select “Overlap Scores”.

Done! The extension will calculate overlap scores and modify paths accordingly.

More examples:

And a stress test:



BTW, good guess:

Took a bit more than a day to get to it, but here we are.


  1. …and I hate subscription services. ↩︎

31 Likes

It’s under “Generate from Path” extension option, but works fine.

10 Likes

Thanks, updated the post and README properly.

8 Likes

I knew where you were going with that […] the second I saw the title. :slight_smile:

12 Likes

Are the overlap scores still editable?

11 Likes

Yes. They’re paths, you can do what you like with them.

10 Likes

Cool. So, once you generate the paths, you can nudge them around and it updates.

Same with the text? You can live edit or change the font?

6 Likes

Oh no. It’s destructive and removes the original paths.

This is in keeping with the way inkscape works in general.

I usually save originals somewhere on the canvas or in an intermediate file if I think I’ll need to modify something like this later down the road.

The normal inkscape workflow.

9 Likes

Very cool. Nice job

7 Likes

Fantastic, thanks for the great work! I’ll give it a whirl when I get a chance.

7 Likes

I just make a copy and hide it. It will not show up unless un hidden.

5 Likes

Just, wow!

4 Likes

As I progress thru a design, I typically just throw a duplicate of the whole thing outside the printable area before I make a major change or trying something I’ve not used before. Most of my designs are saved locally with a whole bunch of previous iterations around the outside, and I typically just copy the printable area contents to a new file and print from that.

8 Likes

Great add for the community! Thanks!!

5 Likes

Thank you for all your hard work on making things easier for the rest of us. You’re very much appreciated.

5 Likes

Here’s a more complex one I just made, inspired by the original lettering example someone else had posted using cuttle.

6 Likes

Looks like it worked properly?

4 Likes

Yup, no problems. Just sharing for reference.

5 Likes