Like many who have messed around with CNC, the most common output is DWG.
It would be reassuring to know that the GF can handle these. It is somewhere stated that DXF is less desirable, although I have not found any problems, and the Ascii version has the advantage that you can parse it in an editor. DWG comes in many versions, so that maybe an arbitrary choice will be needed.
If the favored format is to be SVG, how do people convert other formats?
Glowforge Specifications list the following: “Compatible with JPG, PNG, TIF, SVG, AI, DXF, PDF, and many more file formats.” Also:
Good. Question answered.
We’ll accpet DXF and DWG, although we haven’t built those importers yet. After talking to a lot of makerspaces, though, we’ve heard that DXF/DWG is less reliable - there’s issues with scale and size being lost or distorted along the way. This is secondhand, though - we’ll see what we can do when we get to work on the import code for those formats.
But you can always save out as PDF, and/or use Inkscape to convert manually for beta users.
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An annoying quirk of my laser:
I use Inkscape to make an SVG, then take that to the laser.
If I set up the initial document in Inkscape with default units mm, and set the field to match my bed size (in mm), then the cut gets scaled wrong on the cutter.
If I set up the initial document with default units pixels, and set the field to match my bed size (in mm, then switch selection back to pixels before saving), then the cut is made at precisely the dimensions in the plan.
So… hopefully not the same kind of issues in DXF/DWG, but be sure to try strange steps that don’t seem like they should matter when testing to ensure it works right.
I wrote my own software for a 1982 vintage Dyna 2400 mill which parsed ascii Dxf and had no trouble with versions from several sources. However both your fixes would take care of the problem anyway.
Hrmm I use DXF exclusively between Fusion 360 and MeshCAM/Aspire then to LCNC. I was hoping to do the same with the Glowforge. (As in F360 to Glowforge Cloud CAM).
This way, when I am doing ops between the CNC and the GF I am working with one file and not have to worry about file conversions.
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I’m another users that would really like to use DXF files with my Glowforge.
Big DFX user here.
Looks like the FAQ was updated.
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I saw that. The which file types FAQ still includes DXF, and dan has said in the past week that DXF will be included. http://faq.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/articles/210283658-What-file-types-does-Glowforge-read-
I think they just missed the one @rpegg is pointing out.
I will flag @dan and @bailey on this.
Good catch as always Rick.
But just for clarity… DXF will be included. This was posted after the Jan 1 FAQ update.
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I clicked the link before and after @rpegg’s post and I just went to the FAQ section of the website and I see the Jan 1, 2016 post from Bailey. They seemed to have dropped SVG. I’ve read that SVG files are unitless, so that is an issue but one you could presumably fix with a mandatory - what units are these entry in the glowforge web interface. Or maybe it’s not that easy. I’ve certainly run into “easy” software fixes that aren’t so easy and the disbelieving looks that come with it.
As for the listed files the only one I have actual experience with is .pdf and that is only to extract text, not interpret the images. As long as there is a format that can handle the stated .001" positioning precision I can adapt.
edit: maybe I should clarify that by actual experience I mean at the programmatic creation/deconstruction level. Not at the outputting or reading one in a software package level.
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Nah. SVG is one of the primary formats and is already working. Just an omission.
Agree, Same boat here. PDF is fine for me as long as it can go down to the same res as the specs.
And layers…
Must do some tests now…
Exporting to Ai seems to be very clean for me so far… I tried PDF and did not like it.
I’m not sure that we should be obsessing about DXF as an upload format. First of all, anyone who has written code to put out the moves from an SVG file should find it easy, or at least possible, to do the same from DXF. However many of us are used to changing file formats by importing into a multiformat free program and exporting as another type. It should not take much time or be a significant handicap. Do it while your GF is finishing the last project. Dan does seem to intend to support the filetype. OK, but please let GF prioritize getting our machines to us!
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Yes, we’re all over SVG - I’ll make sure @bailey gets that fixed.
This was 2 years ago. Are dxfs still not excepted?