Vector art?

[spencer01]

I would like to know more about this vector art, I have seen a few pics but would like to learn more about it, and learn how to convert it to a dxf file. I'm runing BobCAD V21.

[jeeplogic83]

I also run V21 I have had a lot of problems getting things to be compatible. I have tried vextractor and inscape both are good programs and do what they are supposed to, but it is difficult to open the finished DXF files in bobcad. What I have done is do the file and save as dxf then open them in corel and resave them as a 2009 dxf file then open that it bobcad. It is kind of a PIA but I get really nice stuff that way. The other way to do Files is trace an image by hand on a light box then scan it in and do the above process. The one nice thing about having so many programs that if some one wants to see what they are going to get I open the DXF in corel then save it as a JPEG and send it in an Email.
Some of you may say just use the DXF to cut things out but with Bobcad I can determin the order they are cut out much more carefully and use the the easy duplicate and drag features.
JM$.02

[CPK_Jim]

Vector art is a drawing its compose of lines and arcs, rather than an image like a photograph. I use a sign program called flexi sign to produce or edit vector art then export as a dxf. I then load the dxf into sheetcam to generate the g-code for the machine.

It does take some time to learn a complex program like flexi, corel, or another graphics program but it is well worth the time invested. They are very powerful tools! I no longer use a cad program at all, I use the graphics program for cad. I have it down pretty good, the transition from idea to finished part goes very smooth. I can go from drawing to a finished, error free, 10,000 line g-code program in the matter of a minute or two.

Jim