Importing files from CorelDraw

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JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Importing files from CorelDraw

Post by JodiB »

I am very new to the world of plasma cutting and its associated software. Learning more and more everyday, but still so much learn. Currently I need some help with importing files into sheetcam from coreldraw X8. I'm new to corel as well. I'm creating my files, (usually purchased files online or images that I'm grabbing from different sites, then redrawing or modifiying) reducing nodes, converting to curves then combining them before exporting them to DXF. They look clean and the arcs are smooth. When I import them into sheetcam, tons of nodes are added to the drawing, causing them to look distorted in many areas. Is there any way to reduce these nodes in sheetcam? Any other settings that I can use to "clean my files up"? I've been reading that SVG format is superior to DXF - is this true? My drawings may be the issue as well. Is there is anyone well versed in coreldraw that could give me some insight about potential mistakes that I'm making?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice you can offer!
dennisshaw
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 1:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire

Re: Importing files from CorelDraw

Post by dennisshaw »

JodiB wrote:I am very new to the world of plasma cutting and its associated software. Learning more and more everyday, but still so much learn. Currently I need some help with importing files into sheetcam from coreldraw X8. I'm new to corel as well. I'm creating my files, (usually purchased files online or images that I'm grabbing from different sites, then redrawing or modifiying) reducing nodes, converting to curves then combining them before exporting them to DXF. They look clean and the arcs are smooth. When I import them into sheetcam, tons of nodes are added to the drawing, causing them to look distorted in many areas. Is there any way to reduce these nodes in sheetcam? Any other settings that I can use to "clean my files up"? I've been reading that SVG format is superior to DXF - is this true? My drawings may be the issue as well. Is there is anyone well versed in coreldraw that could give me some insight about potential mistakes that I'm making?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice you can offer!
dennisshaw
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 1:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire

Re: Importing files from CorelDraw

Post by dennisshaw »

JodiB wrote:I am very new to the world of plasma cutting and its associated software. Learning more and more everyday, but still so much learn. Currently I need some help with importing files into sheetcam from coreldraw X8. I'm new to corel as well. I'm creating my files, (usually purchased files online or images that I'm grabbing from different sites, then redrawing or modifiying) reducing nodes, converting to curves then combining them before exporting them to DXF. They look clean and the arcs are smooth. When I import them into sheetcam, tons of nodes are added to the drawing, causing them to look distorted in many areas. Is there any way to reduce these nodes in sheetcam? Any other settings that I can use to "clean my files up"? I've been reading that SVG format is superior to DXF - is this true? My drawings may be the issue as well. Is there is anyone well versed in coreldraw that could give me some insight about potential mistakes that I'm making?
Thank you in advance for any help or advice you can offer!
I use Inkscape and have Found it better to export the file as an SVG into Sheetcam, also while you are in Corel Draw you need to delete some of the nodes, otherwise you will have 2 cut lines one on top of the other.
SeanP
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 am

Post by SeanP »

I have been finding dxf format import into sheetcam just fine these days.

A lot of the files you download can have lots of nodes, you can use the 'reduce nodes' in coreldraw, but don't go to far or you loose detail.

Another good tool is the 'smooth tool' that does a nice job.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05u07O-VfAI
JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Post by JodiB »

Thank you for your replies. I actually spend a considerable amount of time deleting nodes on each file. The only ones left behind are absolutely necessary to keep the correct shape. I've actually also tried saving a file in SVG format and importing to SC but it looks even more distorted than the DXF. I watched the youtube video on the smoothing tool - awesome, I'll definitely be using that from this point forward.

I've included an attachment of a file that I created. To me, it looks clean in corel, but there are some distortions once imported into SC. It doesn't look terrible but you can definitely see the increase of nodes as well as some wobbly lines, especially in the font. Maybe you can give me some insight. Thank you!
Attachments
Circle.monogram.naven.dxf
(227.22 KiB) Downloaded 137 times
WyoGreen
Posts: 257
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:02 pm

Post by WyoGreen »

I took a look at your file. It indeed looks very nice in Corel Draw. It looks very good in CamBam. It looks bad in Sheetcam. What I saw in CamBam is that all the lines were Splines. It's been my experience that splines do not play well with Sheetcam. When you save the file in Corel Draw, you need to experiment with what Autocad versions of dxf you save in. Some versions will save as splines, some will save as polylines, which Sheetcam likes much better. If you don't want to go thru all of that, then you should just save in svg and life will be much easier. :D

Steve
dennisshaw
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 1:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire

Post by dennisshaw »

Save your file as desktop cutting plotter (autocad) dxf r14.
WyoGreen
Posts: 257
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:02 pm

Post by WyoGreen »

One other thing I saw in Corel Draw was there were 2 layers named layer 1, which gave an error when I went to save it. I don't know if that's your problem, but you might take a look at it.
JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Post by JodiB »

Thank you once again for the suggestions...much appreciated. I've been following all of your advice, but still having issues.

- I've tried exporting the file I posted earlier in 5 different autocad versions, r14 included, but didn't see any differences in sheetcam.
- I've tried to save an existing DXF file as SVG, but the export box shows an issue:
Invalid ID's Found
Details: One or more IDs used in the file are either duplicates or contain invalid syntax.

Suggestions: Check all group, object and symbol instance names to ensure they are not duplicated within file and do not start with a number. Duplicate and invalid IDs will automatically be appended on export.

This may be referring to the layers you saw in coreldraw WyoGreen? I'm not entirely sure what that means. Do you know why there would be 2 layers and how I could eliminate one?

- I've tried both just saving and exporting a new SVG file then importing into SC, they look far worse than my DXF file. It is most likely the way I'm going about it, though I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

- I've been researching on how I can possibly convert the splines in my drawings to polylines, but I'm not sure that's even possible. I'm starting my new little business and I've created approx 30-40 files so far...I'm beginning to come to terms with the fact that I'm going to have to redo them because obviously the way I originally created them is causing problems. My concern though is how to create them without splines - the only drawing tools I've used up to this point are freehand, 2 point line and 3 point curve. I haven't used the spline function at all so not entirely sure how my lines ended up being splines? Or why there are multiple layers for that matter.

Once again any advice/help/suggestions are most welcome and very much appreciated :?
dennisshaw
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 1:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire

OVER LAPPING LINES (CUT LINES)

Post by dennisshaw »

In Corel click on Layers, if there are any layers you do not want to use click on the eye, and it will close the layer, if you want to put them all on 1 layer, transfer one to the other, if you want to export them into Sheetcam, do that and and seperate them in Sheetcam into seperate cutting layers,
In Sheetcam click on Options, Application options, Application options, click on tools, put a tick in the (remove duplicate lines) because like I said previously you have these in your drawing.
Now import the Drawing from corel as an SVG onto your desktop, import into Sheetcam and it will remove these extra cut lines, I have done this with your drawing and It cut fine, by the way I use Inkscape It's free.
Regards
Dennis
PS i am also new to all these programs. Try Youtube.
JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Post by JodiB »

Good morning Dennis,

Thanks once again for the help. I've gone back into corel and removed the second layer from the drawing. I then imported the drawing as an SVG onto my desktop then into sheetcam. I had already ensured the remove duplicate lines box was checked. I've attached the file from sheetcam - its unrecognizable. An error message also came up regarding duplicate and overlapping lines, even though I removed the second layer in corel.

This has been a months long work in progress. I've used youtube, done extensive amounts of reading and have joined many forums, though I wish I had joined this one sooner. I've sought out help from corel...they don't respond to emails like they say they will. I apologize for my basic questions and I really appreciate your patience :?
Attachments
Circle.monogram.naven test.job
(98.34 KiB) Downloaded 167 times
WyoGreen
Posts: 257
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:02 pm

Post by WyoGreen »

I'm beginning to wonder if this is an issue with the Sheetcam version or setup you are using. What issue of Sheetcam are you using? Under options/plugins is the DXF plugin enabled? Perhaps you need to download and reinstall the latest version for your operating system.

Steve
JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Post by JodiB »

Hi Steve,

I have Sheetcam TNG. I received the license and downloaded it late December. I'll try uninstalling and reinstalling it later today if I'm still having issues. I have to wonder though if its coreldraw. I have 2 test files - one is saved as DXF that I'll attach to this post and the other is saved as SVG, that I'll attach to a post immediately after. When I reopen the saved DXF, no problem. When I reopen the SVG its completely distorted. This is before sheetcam even comes into play. One thing I did find in sheetcam though is when I went to plugin options, the "Wire" plugin was selected. I selected DXF and clicked ok. I reopened the plugin tab right after and "Wire" was selected again with the message:
This plugin failed to load: Plugin is unlicensed.?
Attachments
TEST.dxf
(50.49 KiB) Downloaded 150 times
JodiB
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Post by JodiB »

Test File 2 in SVG
Attachments
TEST1.svg
(1.41 KiB) Downloaded 155 times
dennisshaw
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 1:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire

Post by dennisshaw »

His the test drawing only supposed to be 11.622 x 8.098 mm
Regards
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