Basic Inkscape questions

[Nzniceguy]

I have a few basic beginners questions

I want to use Inkscape to make pictures to cut on my cnc plasma,
what is the purpose of stroke to path and object to path etc and do I always need to do that and at what stage do I do so?

I was trying to make a picture of a pentagon with a 5 sided star inside and have it so the star was cut out and the outside of the pentagon cut out.....I drew them ok in outline mode and grouped them together then saved... When I opened up the file after that in my CAM program, the pentagon and the star were both just a bunch of single lines when I selected them instead of selecting each shape as a whole.....does that make sense? What did I do wrong?

[ROKCRLER]

Check out this post
https://plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php? ... 5&start=25

For your file, you have to difference the inside from the outside if you want to make just the outline.
You can do it with just the outline but you have to set stroke to path to the width you want the final piece to be cut.

Video added.

[adbuch]

When I opened up the file after that in my CAM program, the pentagon and the star were both just a bunch of single lines when I selected them instead of selecting each shape as a whole.....does that make sense? What did I do wrong?

This happens for me as well, no matter if I stroke to path, difference,etc. So here is what I do. I was using outline mode, and just created the pentagon and star and centered the star inside the pentagon. No need to combine or group.

Since you most likely do not have access to Design Edge, you can use LightBurn to do the same thing (link/join paths).

Just save your Inkscape file as svg, import to LightBurn, and then export as dxf. This may also work exporting as svg, but I have not tried it since my cam program only deals with dxf files.

[adbuch]

Here is the file as saved from Inkscape

star and pentagon from Inkscape.dxf

(5.59 KiB) Downloaded 67 times

star and pentagon from Inkscape.dxf

(5.59 KiB) Downloaded 67 times

And here is the file imported/exported from LightBurn for linking.

star and pentagon from LightBurn.dxf

(1.44 KiB) Downloaded 60 times

star and pentagon from LightBurn.dxf

(1.44 KiB) Downloaded 60 times

[adbuch]

LightBurn has a 30 day free trial, so you can try it out at no cost to see how you like it. If you decide to buy, it is around $60 for a perpetual license.
David

https://lightburnsoftware.com/

[ROKCRLER]

Noticed my video didnt attach before.. added now.
Not exactly sure if thats what the OP wanted.

[adbuch]

Noticed my video didnt attach before.. added now.
Not exactly sure if thats what the OP wanted.

I would be interested to see your svg or dxf file resulting from your video.
Thanks,
David

[adbuch]

Noticed my video didnt attach before.. added now.
Not exactly sure if thats what the OP wanted.

I have edited my post above to include the dxf files from Inkscape and from LightBurn.
I know no way using Inkscape to link/join the file before saving, such that when opened with a non-Sheetcam cad/cam program the file will be linked in its as-opened form. Perhaps you can show us a way to do this from within Inkscape.

The OP was having the problem that when he opened his file from Inkscape in his particular cad/cam program, it was not linked when it came into his program. I have the same problem when opening Inkscape files with Design Edge, only it is not really a big deal since I can just select all and hit "J" for join/link to create all closed paths for cutting. I believe the OP is having the same issue.

My previous posts above were showing him how to resolve his problem. If his particular cad/cam program has a link/join tool, then he could do it the same way I do it with Design Edge. If not, then importing/exporting using LightBurn will accomplish the same thing.

David

[ROKCRLER]

I didnt save the original file, I just did this the same way.

[adbuch]

Star_StrokeToPath.dxf

Star_StrokeToPath.svg

Star_StrokeToPath Imported/exported from LightBurn for automatic linking

[adbuch]

[ROKCRLER]

Good points David.
Those files were quick and dirty. I too double check mine before cutting... especially with TM... What little I've used it.

[adbuch]

Good points David.
Those files were quick and dirty. I too double check mine before cutting... especially with TM... What little I've used it.

TM = TorchMate?

[Nzniceguy]

Thanks so much for the input guys, I really appreciate it. I am at work so havnt had time to read your replies and look at videos yet but will do so after work. I want to be able to do these things myself but I've only just worked out how to get a decent cut using known good files to cut with, i now need to draw things myself and go to trhat next step.
I am using an Australian company built opensource type machine and using a very basic free CAM package called OPenBuilds CAM....it is the most very basic of programs so doesnt have many options. You can see it hopefully in the attached image.

The attached image also shows exactly what I want to draw and cut...I tried cutting it but the torch turned off after the first line so I need to attach those open lines I feel. It is 150mm high.

[adbuch]

The attached image also shows exactly what I want to draw and cut...I tried cutting it but the torch turned off after the first line so I need to attach those open lines I feel. It is 150mm high.

It turns out that your OpenBuilds CAM program works fine with Inkscape svg files as is with no additional linking required. I drew up your star in pentagram shape and saved as both dxf and svg. The dxf will require additional processing to link the 15 individual line segments into closed paths. I worked in outline view, and only created these shapes as objects. I did not difference them, stroke to path, combine, group, or any other operations.

Here are the svg and dxf saved directly from Inkscape

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1.svg

(2.86 KiB) Downloaded 76 times

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1.svg

(2.86 KiB) Downloaded 76 times

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1.dxf

(5.53 KiB) Downloaded 54 times

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1.dxf

(5.53 KiB) Downloaded 54 times

And here is the svg saved from Inkscape and converted to dxf with LightBurn.

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1 - from LightBurn.dxf

(1.26 KiB) Downloaded 57 times

3 inch star in pentagrarm from Inkscape - 1 - from LightBurn.dxf

(1.26 KiB) Downloaded 57 times

[adbuch]

Here is a screen shot of the successful simulation of the Inkscape svg file.

Here is the Inkscape dxf file. This one won't process due to the 15 discreet open paths.

And here is the successful simulation for the Inkscape dxf file imported/exported using LightBurn to join/link the 15 individual paths into 2 closed paths.

Since your cam program will work with svg files, there is really no reason to worry about using dxf for this particular g-code generator.

By the way, I have used similar g-code generators in the past to create g-code for my GRBL cnc router/engraver.

I also worked with one of the guys on the Sawmill Creek forum with Chilipepper to help him get his diy cnc router up and running.

Have fun!!
David

[ROKCRLER]

Good points David.
Those files were quick and dirty. I too double check mine before cutting... especially with TM... What little I've used it.

TM = TorchMate?

Yes sir, torchmate.. i had to make and fix some files for another guy that uses TM.. i dont like it. Ive only had first hand experience with LS and Mach3 when i started, and TM with their software a handful of times.

Now that i understand what the OP wanted and you posted, here is the file created again. I dont see any open paths as svg or DXF in Inkscape or Sheetcam

[adbuch]

Good points David.
Those files were quick and dirty. I too double check mine before cutting... especially with TM... What little I've used it.

TM = TorchMate?

Yes sir, torchmate.. i had to make and fix some files for another guy that uses TM.. i dont like it. Ive only had first hand experience with LS and Mach3 when i started, and TM with their software a handful of times.

Now that i understand what the OP wanted and you posted, here is the file created again. I dont see any open paths as svg or DXF in Inkscape or Sheetcam

Could you post your dxf and svg please.
Thanks,
David

[ROKCRLER]

Here you go

[adbuch]

Thanks. Here are the results.

[ROKCRLER]

So if using that CAM software, joining nodes in dxf is needed. If hes using Inkscape, its easy to do as shown in other threads/videos.

[adbuch]

So if using that CAM software, joining nodes in dxf is needed. If hes using Inkscape, its easy to do as shown in other threads/videos.

Yes - for his software, either svg directly from Inkscape or dxf from Inkscape modified to link/join. If he has dxf files from other sources that are not linked/joined, he can use Lightburn to link/join them so he can use them with his software.
David

[Nzniceguy]

Sorry guys for slow reply and thank yous...I ended up catching the dreaded Covid and it knocked me about for a few days. Thank you very much for all the time spent looking at this for me. I think I tried making it in Inkscape but had trouble with snaps pulling the star points out of alignment and being unsure how to turn them off, just went to XCAD and made the picture there so that must be why it worked in Inkscape for you and I had the single line trouble.
I went to cut it out and my plasma source started misfiring and playing up so it(the plasma source) is now sent away for a warranty repair! It doesnt rain, it pours!
Had to happen when I just got a new client for some work! Doesnt make for much confidence in my work.

One final thing though that I didnt see answered...what is object/stroke to path actually for and when do I need to use it and at what stage of the drawing process do I use it?

Once again though, thank you all so very much for your help. I really want to be able to draw these pictures myself rather than trying to find something already done or asking others, no doubt i will have more questions.

[acourtjester]

Here is show to control the "snaps" function, you move the sliders to the left for less effect (tune down the distance for the action).
On the stroke and path question I normally do them when each element is drawn, like letters on a path. After you attach and position the letters I make them a path, then they stay that way. Items need to be a path for the join or other functions for them to work. Do not mix stroke items with outline items it messes thing up.

[adbuch]

I think I tried making it in Inkscape but had trouble with snaps pulling the star points out of alignment and being unsure how to turn them off,

Here is how I turn snaps on or off.
David