Feature Request: Export Project to SVG

Something that I’ve run into and would love if it was something that was possible through the Glowforge UI

I’ve gotten together a design that I print multiple times a day - It is actually the collection of roughly ~30 PNG images for engrave, and then 2 SVGs that are duplicated for cuts

The load time on this particular project is large and long enough that I primarily keep this as an open tab saved on my computer so I never have to go through the load process each time I want to create this. Moving/Scaling/Focusing/Selecting to Print is also incredibly delayed as it reads in each of these files

If it was possible to export the entire project to a single SVG that could do the cuts/engraves, that would create some efficiency with the multiple files and also keep processing time down.

I know I could go and make something like this separately, but the Glowforge UI is so intuitive that being able to work with that would do wonders.

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30 PNG images would be cut one at a time and take forever. However if made only one Png in one Svg it would be done very much faster. The only reason to have more than one Png in a cut is if they have different settings or you need to scute them about to fit on scraps or something.

I use Inkscape primarily, so I would import everything there and with the vectors turned off and all the pngs in a group. scale the group 10x to get clarity and use Make Bitmap Copy that will create a bitmap right where it sits, and then scale it back down 10x. And now turn on all the vectors, and sort them into colors by what is cut and what is scored etc.

Now everything will be a single file and much easier to print

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The problem is that the format used in the cloud is not SVG.

Individual components of the design might be in SVG format, but in-general, there’s not some unified representation of the entire design available in a downloadable format. Once it’s stored there, whether from a single file or composed from multiple, it’s in “Glowforge format”…

That said, it’s been hinted that they might make it possible to export designs in the future. If you’d like to add your vote, you need to post in Problems and Support, or send an email. They don’t monitor this forum.

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Absolutely, and definitely the goal of the posted request.

The reason I’m looking more for doing this in the Glowforge UI instead of simply going into Inkscape is because I’m working with formatting/scaling my images on different products, specific arrangements, etc that is much easier and sensible to do “live” in the UI and then convert out

As an example of something I have no interest in actually doing, but it works as an example:

Say for instance I have a jig that I’ve created for personalizing pencils, and each pencil has a slot that it fits in. I could work on measuring each individual slot for exact placement and determining where I would want that specific image to go, but that isn’t necessarily my forte, would take some time and trail and error most likely.

I’m giving the recommendation from MechanicalGoose a shot now, it’s just taking forever to load before I can give some feedback on the process.

Thanks!

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A good example as you would have a set of vectors that you would never cut but placed in the proper location on a 11"x 20" page that matched your jig. Then you could drop in the parts you do wish to cut in a copy and they would be in the correct location.

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What makes it not an SVG? I’ve used this and opening the *.SVG file I save locally opens as what looks to me to be a normal SVG file in AI.

Exactly! Then you get even more streamlined and you use something like Photoshop to link each pencil text slot to an excel file, so if you get an order for 40 different names - you paste that into the excel file, it reloads the photoshop image, you drag that in and you’ve created 40 unique products in a matter of seconds.

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Are you re-uploading the files each time, or are you saying that opening it from your library takes longer than just hitting the print button again? The latter isn’t something I’ve noticed myself, although admittedly I don’t have a project that large that I print frequently.

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Opening from the library takes around 5-10 minutes to get everything loaded, and then once inside the project file - something as simple as clicking an element, trying to initiate focus, or moving something to the left or right can take up to 30 seconds per click before it’s “settled”

Huh. I wonder if we could help you find a way to simplify it. Something like combining the PNG images into one raster instead of 30 might make a huge difference, unless you actually need to move them around individually each time.

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I don’t know how good you might be with Python but that would be a great thing with Inkscape to create pages that had your Excel file with a list of images and it could do all the processes I noted above including turning all the images into one image then using the official Inkscape layers turn layers off and on so there was a single file for 40 pages.

I did that sort of thing with LISP all the time but I am still a klutz in Python.

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This is a great feature requst. I actually went looking for this option just the other day.

I use a great program called LightBurn with my other laser cutters. It is similar to the functionality of the Glowforge API, but meant for use with your basic DIY laser.

The program is great for laying out SVG files, grouping them, and can export to SVG. I have, on occasion, arranged a platter of parts in LightBurn, exported to SVG, and then uploaded it to Glowforge to burn.

Lightburn is indispensible for working with my cheapie lasers. You can download a free 30-day trial before you decide whether to shell out the $40.

Hope this helps!

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