Inkscape export challenges

[jlasater]

Having a grasp of my Torchate 4400 plasma table, cursory knowledge of QCAD and SheetCAM, it's time to start looking at Inkscape. I want to make a simple metal cutout that has a cowgirl silhouette with a name next to it. That was easy to create in Inkscape. The challenge I'm having is getting that to export into a form I can open in either QCAD or SheetCAM. When I open the resulting file in QCAD, all I get is the name, no silhouette. In SheetCAM, nothing shows up at all.

Here's what the drawing looks like:


I suspect I'm not doing something right with layers, but it has separated out the graphic and the text into two parts in the same layer. How do I combine them into one image?

What's the best way to fix cuts in letters? There's a part line between each letter. I can fix it in QCAD, just wondered if there's a more efficient way to do it in Inkscape.

[martyy]

make sure there are no groups and select both items and combine should likely do it.

[jlasater]

There doesn't appear to be any groups in play. When I select both parts and go to Path > Combine, the program switches over to only having the text selected. I've tried it multiple times, and it always unselects the image and keeps the text selected.

No groups. Select both elements:


Program switches to this selection on its own when I use Combine:

[adbuch]

Select your text, then "Path, Object to Path" to convert it from text to vector format. How did you create cowgirl? Import as vector, auto trace, manual trace, or ?? What font did you use?

There is really no need to use more than one layer for something like this. I would just put your drawing and text on the same layer.

David

[adbuch]

If you search the Inkscape section of this forum, you most likely find the answers to may of your questions as you proceed to learn Inkscape. Here is a post I created a while back which addresses your question about fonts not showing up in you exported dxf.

viewtopic.php?t=36984

David

[jlasater]

When I create a new Inkscape file, throw in a square, star, and circle, "combine" them, and then save as SVG, I'm able to open it in QCAD no problem. So...there's definitely something up with the image and/or font in the original file. I'll look at the convert option.

[jlasater]

I noticed that the text was vector when I followed your info (tons of points when I click on it), but the image wasn't. I used Path > Trace Bitmap and that converted it. Then I was able to combine both parts (image and text), save as a .dxf, and now it shows up as an outline in QCAD.

Is that how I should be doing that? Or is a better way to figure out why the .png I imported didn't work?

[adbuch]

When I create a new Inkscape file, throw in a square, star, and circle, "combine" them, and then save as SVG, I'm able to open it in QCAD no problem. So...there's definitely something up with the image and/or font in the original file. I'll look at the convert option.

The "image" would be the jpeg, bitmap, etc. file that you import to Inkscape. Once it is traced, you have created an additional vector file. So you would have both image and vector. When you type in your words, numbers, etc. using a selected font, it creates text. Text is not a vector format and will not export as dxf, svg, etc. Text will need to be converted to vector format first.

David

[adbuch]

I noticed that the text was vector when I followed your info (tons of points when I click on it), but the image wasn't. I used Path > Trace Bitmap and that converted it. Then I was able to combine both parts (image and text), save as a .dxf, and now it shows up as an outline in QCAD.

Is that how I should be doing that? Or is a better way to figure out why the .png I imported didn't work?

[jlasater]

I had it sort of working using the scan bitmap and had it loaded into QCAD once...then I did something and screwed it up. So...I'll start over and follow your examples

I appreciate the help.

[adbuch]

[adbuch]

I had it sort of working using the scan bitmap and had it loaded into QCAD once...then I did something and screwed it up. So...I'll start over and follow your examples

I appreciate the help.

[adbuch]

[jlasater]

I started over and following your info, made much better progress. The text is Mistral, and when I tried the Union option, it didn't seem to join the letters fully. Is that probably an issue with that particular font? It did remove a few of the breaks, but parts of them were left elsewhere.

Yeah. When I changed to Segoe Script and did a Union, it worked fine.

[adbuch]

I started over and following your info, made much better progress. The text is Mistral, and when I tried the Union option, it didn't seem to join the letters fully. Is that probably an issue with that particular font? It did remove a few of the breaks, but parts of them were left elsewhere.

Yeah. When I changed to Segoe Script and did a Union, it worked fine.

[jlasater]

ah...ok. I noticed not all of the breaks didn't get removed, just part of them. Do you normally have to cut up words in those "scripty" connected fonts and position individual letters?

I went ahead and ran the file through the plasma table as it was (after manually fixing the breaks), knowing full well that I still have 80A consumables in the torch, and the FC80 set to 40A. I didn't expect much. Truthfully, the results wouldn't have been too bad if the darn "cut lost" issue didn't keep popping up. New consumables are on order.

The silhouette of the cowgirl turned out quite nice...I was surprised. I drilled a small hole in the top and gave it to my daughter to hang up in her room. She really loved it.

I can't wait to see how the machine does with 35/40A consumables installed and the cut lost issue fixed.

[adbuch]

ah...ok. I noticed not all of the breaks didn't get removed, just part of them. Do you normally have to cut up words in those "scripty" connected fonts and position individual letters?

This will depend on the particular font. You will need to visually check your text to make sure all of the letters overlap if you wish to "Union" them together. You could also do this with node editing instead of moving the individual letters. Then after all letters overlap, select all and "Path, Union".

David

[adbuch]

I went ahead and ran the file through the plasma table as it was (after manually fixing the breaks), knowing full well that I still have 80A consumables in the torch, and the FC80 set to 40A. I didn't expect much. Truthfully, the results wouldn't have been too bad if the darn "cut lost" issue didn't keep popping up. New consumables are on order.

This is a case where you might want to consider using a sharpie pen holder attached to your torch to draw your design instead of cutting it. Then correct any mistakes or problem areas in your drawing file before actually cutting metal. You can either draw on your clean metal or tape a piece of paper to your metal and draw on the paper.



Click on the link below to see photos. My example here uses a Plasmacam table, but there should be similar settings for your particular table.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pfedZ9iFMsDmjiT77


David

[acourtjester]

One thing I would add when working with text that you want to weld together as shown in David's explanation, is you can move each space between letter. This is done while in the Text operation using the Alt plus the 4 arrow keys on the keyboard. You position the cursor where you want to make letters move, hold down the Alt key and each time you hit an arrow key the following letters will move in that direction. In the attached images you can see movement to the right, then the left, then up. Not all fonts are shaped as in the example where they have tails that are overlapped, and are easily welded as they are. Sorry double typed the H in this

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test 1.JPG (15.11 KiB) Viewed 1044 times

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test 2.JPG (15.57 KiB) Viewed 1044 times

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test 3.JPG (16.51 KiB) Viewed 1044 times

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test 4.JPG (14.87 KiB) Viewed 1044 times

[adbuch]

Tom - that's a great tip!! Thanks,
David