Inkscape Help Please

[Beerbudget5]

I can't seem to figure out how to make the text between two circles look like the text in the box below. I tried difference, union and everything else. Anyone have instructions on how to do this? Or point me in the right direction?

TEST BOX.jpg

[adbuch]

If I understand you correctly, you are looking for something like this? Only with complete circles - of course.
You could upload the file you are working with and either Tom, myself, or one of the other members will take a look and try to point you in the right direction.

David

test in circles.jpg

TEST in circles.dxf

[acourtjester]

Well it looks like David has the answer, not sure of his method, but here are images of how I would do it. I basically used the union for the inner circle and the word, then added the outside circle and used the node tools to cut and join them. See attached images, may not be the best but it will work.

UNION 1.JPG

UNION 2.JPG

UNION 3.JPG

UNION 4.JPG

UNION 5.JPG

UNION 6.JPG

[Beerbudget5]

Yes David, that is exactly what I am looking for. Is there a way to do it without using the node tools as Tom said? I have attached the file. As Tom also said, I used the union for the inner circle. Thank you!

[adbuch]

Yes David, that is exactly what I am looking for. Is there a way to do it without using the node tools as Tom said? I have attached the file. As Tom also said, I used the union for the inner circle. Thank you!

I will take a look. The method Tom used is how I would normally do it with Inkscape. It would be nice if Inkscape had a trim tool.
I can do it much faster using Design Edge, but I realize that it is not available to everyone. But just to get you going, I will do it with Design Edge to get you the file. Then we can investigate to see if there is another way to do it with Inkscape.

David

[Beerbudget5]

I think I found a way. First, I ungrouped the letters. Union the "B" with the inner circle then difference with the outer circle. I have to do each letter individually using difference but it worked!

Edit to add, yes, tried it again to make sure and it did work.

[acourtjester]

Great to find the technique that works, all part of the learning procedure we all do. The thing is we all learn from others questions.
If you can post some images showing the steps you did, Later someone may see it using the search function here when they have a similar problem.

[adbuch]

I think I found a way. First, I ungrouped the letters. Union the "B" with the inner circle then difference with the outer circle. I have to do each letter individually using difference but it worked!

Edit to add, yes, tried it again to make sure and it did work.

That is great news! I did it with Design Edge by using the trim tool, but hadn't had the time to experiment with Inkscape yet.
Here is the result I achieved.
David

BIU 1.dxf image.jpg

BIU 1.dxf

[adbuch]

I think I found a way. First, I ungrouped the letters. Union the "B" with the inner circle then difference with the outer circle. I have to do each letter individually using difference but it worked!

Edit to add, yes, tried it again to make sure and it did work.

I am assuming that you first typed the letters, then "Path, Object to Path", and then "Object, Ungroup". And then you individually placed each letter and performed the union and difference operations. Perhaps you could show us some screen shots of each step as you perform them. I was able to union with the inner circle, but was not able to use the difference tool with the outer circle.

If this is your approach, how are you keeping the individual letters equally spaced and rotated at the correct angles? I am eager to learn, so please share your technique for all to see.

Thanks,
David

[adbuch]

Another method which maybe useful is to export your existing drawing as dxf (or svg) and then import to Fusion 360 - which does have a trim tool. Once you have trimmed as desired, then you can save as dxf from Fusion 360. I suggest this because Fusion 360 is free for hobbyists and pretty easy to learn and use. Here is a short sequence showing the process. I only trimmed a few of the letters, but this still demonstrates the process.

David

BIU F360 - 1.jpg

BIU F360 - 2.jpg

BIU F360 - 3.jpg

BIU F360 - 4.jpg

BIU F360 - 5.jpg

[adbuch]

BIU F360 - 6.jpg

BIU F360 - 7.jpg

BIU F360 - 8.jpg

BIU F360 - 9.jpg

[Joe Jones]

It can easily be done in DesignEdge, but the trim tool is not needed to combine the text profiles with the circles. The trim tool WOULD be used (temporarily) to define the circles as outside closed paths though.

People like to take pot shots at PlasmaCam and DesignEdge software, but in the area of text manipulation and other similar functions, DesignEdge clearly leads the way.

Joe



.

[Beerbudget5]

I think I found a way. First, I ungrouped the letters. Union the "B" with the inner circle then difference with the outer circle. I have to do each letter individually using difference but it worked!

Edit to add, yes, tried it again to make sure and it did work.

I am assuming that you first typed the letters, then "Path, Object to Path", and then "Object, Ungroup". And then you individually placed each letter and performed the union and difference operations. Perhaps you could show us some screen shots of each step as you perform them. I was able to union with the inner circle, but was not able to use the difference tool with the outer circle.

If this is your approach, how are you keeping the individual letters equally spaced and rotated at the correct angles? I am eager to learn, so please share your technique for all to see.

Thanks,
David

This was my process:

1: Created inner and outer circles.
2: Typed letters, font sized was determined by circle spacing. I tried a couple of different ways but found the best way was to make the inner circle slightly smaller than the desired size, maybe by .100".
3: Selected inner circle and letters, then Text, Put on path.

PUT ON PATH.jpg

4: Rotated inner circle to center letters, selected letters, Path, Object to Path.

OBJECT TO PATH.jpg

5: Increased inner circle size back to original size. In my case, inner circle desired size was 20.500", so I made it 20.400". Once text was set, increased size back to 20.500". This way, the letters slightly overlapped the circle. After you increase the circle size, make sure you re-align the circles to ensure equal spacing
6: Selected letters, Object, Ungroup.

UNGROUP.jpg

7: Once letter are Ungrouped, selected inner circle and first letter, Path, Union.

UNION.jpg

8: Now that the first letter and inner circle were trimmed, added outer circle, Path, Difference.

DIFFERENCE.jpg

9: Selected second letter, Path, Difference, continued the process until all letters were trimmed.

DIFFERENCE SECOND.jpg

In the event some of the letters did not trim completely due to font size, you may need to go back and use the node tools to trim.

As always, thank you for all of the help I have received from this forum. Hopefully someone can use this method to make things a little easier. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional screenshots. I am definitely still a beginner but enjoy learning new techniques.

[acourtjester]

Thanks for posting your tutorial but when I try the first difference the wheels fall off. I tried hopping up and down and rubbing my belly no help.

circle.JPG

circle2.JPG

circle 3.JPG

[Beerbudget5]

Just making sure, after putting the text on path, you are using 'Path', 'Object to Path', then 'Ungroup'? For me, that was the key I think. I was having the same problems as you did.

[acourtjester]

Ah no still does not work for me, which version of Inkscape are you using?? I am using 1.1

[Beerbudget5]

I am using .92. I'll have to go try it on another computer, I think I have a newer version there. I'll let you know if it works there.

[Joe Jones]

I bought the online lessons for Inkscape. Finding the TIME to dedicate to them is another story I bought a banjo, and I am going to learn how to play it, or die in the process.

Joe

.

[adbuch]

Just making sure, after putting the text on path, you are using 'Path', 'Object to Path', then 'Ungroup'? For me, that was the key I think. I was having the same problems as you did.

Still doesn't work for me either. Maybe you can provide more detailed screen shots breaking down your steps.
David

[adbuch]

I think I heard a comment about using Design Edge for this. Very quick and easy to do using the Combine and Trim tools. But at $3k for a single seat license (design only) this is far beyond the budget of most on this forum. With Inkscape, the only method that seems to work so far is using the node tool to trim away the unwanted portions of the tops of the letters and outer circle. It is also pretty easy to do using the Trim tool in Fusion 360 - which is also a free program.


David

[adbuch]

Ah no still does not work for me, which version of Inkscape are you using?? I am using 1.1

Tom - I am using version 1.0.1 and it his method doesn't seem to work for me either. There must be some small step we are missing here.
David

[Joe Jones]

https://youtu.be/SZxuRRdngzU

[acourtjester]

I think Inkscape has made changes that affect which version you are using. In the past with 0.91 I have been able to do the union action easely.
There are posts here where we were doing like house plaques where the name was between an upper and lower design that had a bar above and below. You could move them in position and union the bars to the names top and bottom, similar to what this post is about, only using the union function alone. Now its changed. IMHO

[Beerbudget5]

Just ran it on 1.1, using the same procedure, and it worked. When I get time, hopefully tonight, I'll see if I can add some more screenshots.

[Beerbudget5]

I will start after the circles and text are created.

1. Select inner circle and the text, use 'Text', 'Put on Path' to curve the text

TEXT, PUT ON PATH.jpg

2. Once the text is curved, select text, use 'Path', 'Object to Path'

PATH-OBJECT TO PATH.jpg

3. Now that the text is set, select only the text, use 'Object', 'Ungroup'

UNGROUPED.jpg

4. The text should be ungrouped, select the first letter and inner circle (make sure they are overlapped), use 'Path', 'Union'

PATH-UNION.jpg

UNION DONE.jpg

5. The bottom of the first letter should be trimmed, select inner and outer circle, use 'Path', 'Difference'

PATH-DIFFERENCE SELECTED.jpg

PATH-DIFFERENCE DONE.jpg

6. Top and bottom of the first letter should be trimmed now, select second letter and the circles, use 'Path', 'Difference', doing the same for each letter until you are done

PATH-DIFFERENCE SELECTED SECOND LETTER.jpg

PATH-SECOND LETTER DONE.jpg

Not sure if this will clarify anything, hopefully it will.