So up until some time later last year, any box I created and saved as an svg, edited in Inkscape (v1.1, not updated any time recently) and saved as an Inkscape SVG file worked fine. Now if I generate a file from boxes.py, edit it in Inkscape and just “Save” the file (as the default Inkscape SVG), it will not open in the Glowforge app.
If I open the file directly after saving from boxes.py, it opens fine.
If I create a file from scratch in Inkscape and save it as an Inkscape SVG, it opens fine.
If I edit the boxes.py file in Inkscape, and do a Save As… Optimized SVG, it opens fine.
If I create and save the file from boxes.py, open it with Inkscape and even only change a layer name, for example, and Save the file (as the default Inkscape SVG), I get “This design file has an error.” The only other thing I notice is that my windows extension to view the contents of svg files also cannot read the contents in this scenario and shows only an Inkscape logo in the broswer. (Cricut Design Space opens it fine.)
So I have a workaround, but if anyone has any insight as to the why, I’d love to know!
I do know that the files that boxes.py kicked out were always kind of ugly - nothing was closed, all single lines and a lot of duplicate nodes, so it may be that Inkscape is interpreting them one way and another and the two ways are incompatible. That doesn’t help, but it might give you a direction to look in!
I just made something and modified it heavily from boxes and uses inkscape 1.1.1, no issues, I’d recommend upgrading your inkscape, there is also a plug-in of the boxes.py that can be downloaded to your local system as well so you don’t have to use the website.
Not sure what projects you are using from there but none of the patterns I’ve gotten from there have them. To be fair though, I use them for general sizing and general shape, there are very few original nodes when I get it the way I want it
For this default closed box, the loops are there. Set your stroke to 0.01mm and zoom way in, like 64000 or higher. The loops are located on the interior corners. The exterior corners are also 2 nodes, but make up a smooth round.
Which is a drag because Glowforge has software built in to handle overburn on corners. It’s not needed for us, but I bet other laser cutter users on different machines find the loops quite useful.
I’m not an Inkscape user, but my understanding what that saving as Inkscape SVG is not recommended. It puts all kinds of nonstandard cruft in the file to keep track of internal Inkscape-specific data.
As an inkscape user, I just save, which defaults to inkscape SVG. I never have problems with my own SVGs, only with SVGs that are made elsewhere and have jankiness.
If I get an SVG from somewhere else, I almost always copy and paste the paths into a new SVG, it makes everything go much more smoothly – I have the proper units, proper page size, proper default settings for dpi, etc. SVG problems almost always come from third parties, especially if you buy something from etsy or download from vecteezy… they are almost always terrible. I have lost count of the number of SVGs I have had to completely redraw because while the design was nice enough, the execution was terrible.
Also, never had a failure with an Inkscape SVG, 4 years now. I’m wondering if the early Support recommendations were because the GF S/W was still evolving. There are some things that original forum members hold as fact that are no longer an issue. This may or may not be one of those but can’t know because the company as far as I can remember has never corrected bad forum info.
Interesting. No problems with other stuff, but as soon as I have a little time, I’m going to make a small file on the boxes site and dig into the svg text.
another and the two ways are incompatible. That doesn’t help, but it might give you a direction to look in!
