Inkscape, DXF and Draft Sight help..

[JGRT]

Hi, Looking for some help if possible. Made a drawing up on inkscape, converted everything over to cut paths, all looks nice and uniform, smooth cut paths, saved as DXF R14 ready to be opened in DraftSight.
When I go into DraftSight and open the DXF it comes out terrible, the cut paths are all over, it also doesn't open as 1 solid cut path like you would expect, there are 100's of individual cut paths.
Any help in sorting this or pointing me in the right direction for a better 2D cad software would be great.

Regards
Jack

[cuttinparts]

Moving your designs through different pieces of software will often cause issues. Sounds like Draftsight is not recognizing the arcs in your R14 dxf file and re-creating those arcs with a series of very small straight lines. Very common issue with dxf files being interpreted by different pieces of software.

Why are you opening the design in DraftSight as a dxf? Sounds like its ready to cut after your work in Inkscape.

[acourtjester]

In Inkscape before you save the drawing test out it layout by either under path do a breakup or under object do an ungroup. Look at the display to see if that things you wanted connected are. Look at the attached image you can see a few separate dotted line boxes showing separate parts that are a complete cut. You can see the nodes that make up each part inside the dotted line boxes. If you look at yours you can select different parts and see if they are complete or broken.
I agree with "cuttingparts" that different softwares do not play nice all the time.

[JGRT]

Moving your designs through different pieces of software will often cause issues. Sounds like Draftsight is not recognizing the arcs in your R14 dxf file and re-creating those arcs with a series of very small straight lines. Very common issue with dxf files being interpreted by different pieces of software.

Why are you opening the design in DraftSight as a dxf? Sounds like its ready to cut after your work in Inkscape.

Could explain a lot, been scratching my head as to why it keeps doing it, I require parts to be laser-cut, I moved over to Draft Sight after saving the DXF to check it was all complete and ready to send to the laser cutter. If I can save the DXF file straight from Inkscape and send that, it would save a lot of time.
Is there any 2D software that works well with Inkscape?

[cuttinparts]

Could explain a lot, been scratching my head as to why it keeps doing it, I require parts to be laser-cut, I moved over to Draft Sight after saving the DXF to check it was all complete and ready to send to the laser cutter. If I can save the DXF file straight from Inkscape and send that, it would save a lot of time.
Is there any 2D software that works well with Inkscape?

Inkscape is really the only 2d software that you need. If it looks good in Inkscape send it out for cutting. Once your confident your laser cutter has no issues with your Inkscape files you can forget about it and keep it simple with 1 piece of sofware.

[adbuch]

You could also import your dxf into Fusion 360 just to take a look - very easy to do.

I usually check my Inkscape dxf export files with Design Edge just to take a look, but Design Edge is only available with the Plasmacam table
David

[cstroke]

Can you save it in something other than R14? I had issues with saving like that once, I cant remember what the issue was.
I save everything as R200-2002 ASCII drawing (*.dxf). Had trouble once as files that were to new that the machines wouldnt be able to read them.
Just worth trying since it doesnt cost anything.. Interested in what you find out.

[JGRT]

Can you save it in something other than R14? I had issues with saving like that once, I cant remember what the issue was.
I save everything as R200-2002 ASCII drawing (*.dxf). Had trouble once as files that were to new that the machines wouldnt be able to read them.
Just worth trying since it doesnt cost anything.. Interested in what you find out.

OK great thanks for the info, I will give it a go see how it comes out. I will send the laser cutter some sample files to cut, see how they turn out.

[adbuch]

Can you save it in something other than R14? I had issues with saving like that once, I cant remember what the issue was.
I save everything as R200-2002 ASCII drawing (*.dxf). Had trouble once as files that were to new that the machines wouldnt be able to read them.
Just worth trying since it doesnt cost anything.. Interested in what you find out.

Here are the options in Inkscape for saving a file. There is no "R200-2002 ASCII drawing (*dxf) option.
David

[adbuch]

You could also load you dxf file into Sheetcam for a preview.
David

[cstroke]

Ok, well so much for looking like I know anything LOL..
I would try and send it out in R12 and make sure..

[tnbndr]

I use AutoCad but similar to Draftsight. Inkscape save as the R12 dxf and then choose the polyline option when window pops up. See if that works for you.

[adbuch]

I use AutoCad but similar to Draftsight. Inkscape save as the R12 dxf and then choose the polyline option when window pops up. See if that works for you.

Thanks for the tip! I will be interested to see if that works for him.
David

[JGRT]

Cheers Dennis, I will certainly give it a go.

Jack

[cstroke]

So is this saving as splined? and not poly lines? Or whats your guess?

[adbuch]

You have your choice of spline output or line output.
David