Update for Inkscape 1.0, the new click through for the pallette folder path: Local Disk(C:)> Program Files > Inkscape > share > inkscape > palettes
Make your file Glowforge.gpl, save it to Desktop.
Open the File viewer and navigate (click through) each of these folders until you are in the “palettes” folder, then …
…drag your Glowforge.gpl from the Desktop into it. It will pop up a warning about providing administrator permission. Agree to it.
Set the Glowforge.gpl file for your palette in Inkscape:
Open Inkscape.
Navigate to the right side of the pallette bar on the bottom of the window, and click on the the triangle menu (triangle on one point pointing left).
Click to open, navigate the pallette list and click on the radio dot for Glowforge.
Can’ find it? Check in the palettes folder(the one you moved the file to) to see if the file saved as Glowforge.gpl.txt, and remove the .txt part. Again it will say you need permission.
Hello all -
Thanks for this informative thread, so much to learn! I’m awaiting the arrival of my plus TODAY, and getting my GF-specific Inkscape set up. I’m well versed in Inkscape already, but am having trouble getting this palette installed using the steps @marmak3261 and then @jamely set up. I’ve got the file in my palettes folder, without the .txt extension, approved administrator install, but it’s not popping up as a available palette. I’ve restarted Inkscape and my desktop. Any tips?
The only thing I can think of is somehow the palette description is not a well-formed text document. Double checked the layout? And you are able to bring up the other palette choice in the interface when you double click that miniscule arrow?
Yup, able to pull up the other pallets (just couldn’t take a screenshot with the pallets menu expanded within Inkscape).
Can you elaborate on “well formed” document? I copied and pasted what was in the forum under “copy and paste this into a notepad document”. Is there something else I should be checking /formatting?
No idea if this is the cause of your issue, but the path for me on a Windows machine is:
C:/Program Files/Inkscape/share/inkscape/palettes
and yours is:
C:/Program Files/Inkscape/share/palettes
There might be a deeper folder, or their might not be. I’ve had problems when installing through the Windows store, although I don’t think that is your issue.
Here’s the .gpl file as it’s seen in notepad, and then the file in location in the palettes folder (the only pathway I can find for a folder that says palettes … @jamely found theirs in a different subfolder - I couldn’t find anything else)
So I’ve barely started using my glowforge as I’ve only had it for a week lol. But I’ve read through the thread and the only thing I haven’t figured out is where to go to create the gpl file to input the pallet text to create the pallet for Inkscape. If someone could explain that it would be super helpful! Sorry for being green
Use any text editor like Notepad on a Windows Machine or save the file as text only. Save as and give it that extension. It’s just a text file that is used as a configuration file.
I think that Glowforge changed this at some point, which is good. The optimal cut order is roughly engraving and scoring, then cutting from the inside to the outside. The reason for this is that every time you cut, there is the chance that the material will shift. If your cut is a complete shape, there is pretty much a guarantee that the material will shift, at least a little. So, you should always engrave, score, and cut inner lines in a piece before cutting it out.
There is a caveat. There are times when you want to separate cuts to allow the material time to cool down. So, sometimes, you might engrave, then cut, then engrave some more, etc. Just always do all engraving and scoring on a piece before you cut it out (Glowforge does seem to do this automatically). And always cut inner lines before you cut outer lines (Glowforge does not do this automatically, but some laser software does).
Possibly you could make different parts different colors so they would be in order but then they would have to be different objects as well. I cut a lot of intricate stuff and the path it takes does a lot of that wandering automatically, and it checks first to inform you when things will be tight. If they are randomly spread about I normally do not worry, but if tightly packed into an area that is of concern. Restarting the process will make a different random path with different points of concern but a tight-packed batch over and over is a risk, that at least you will want to watch closely.
Yes, it depends on what’s being cut. I have one item I cut where there are two lines that are 1/72" apart. It’s necessary to make the inner piece an appropriate amount smaller than the hole it comes out of. If they are cut too close together, there is excessive charring, so the order is set so I cut the inner one, then go do something else, then come back and cut the outer one. I use colors so that the Glowforge UI puts them in the proper order automatically.