Saving traces?

How do I save my traced images? I’m uploading two of them(one at a time), and then superimposing one on top of the other, so I can engrave on the reverse. But sometimes the program acts up, and I lose one or both of them. Then I have to start all over aligning them. Even if I get all the way through, the app only saves one of the traces.

Thanks.

3 Likes

I want to make sure we’re on the same page… Are you saying you start off scanning, then Add Artwork for the 2nd scan?

If so, I think you need to scan each one from the Home page rather than via Add Artwork. Then you’ll have both images in your catalog and you can then manipulate them individually.

3 Likes

I believe at at the present the GFUI stores only one trace Other vector or raster images added to the first trace do not get stored.

3 Likes

Tom,

Yes, I scan both images, one at a time. Then I align them, one on top of the other, so that I can see the differences in size. I use a bounding box around the images, and then drag a square around just inside the bounding box to get them in at close to the same size. But they are always come in at slightly different sizes. So I stretch one to match the other. They have to be identical in size, otherwise the reverse side won’t come out in the same place. See my previous post “AA Token”, in Made On A Glowforge. It doesn’t help that they are only 1.5" or so across!
I’m not sure how to scan from the Home page.
Also, I just printed one, and then did , so I’ll see if it saves them both that way, when I go back to the machine from here(the forum).

Thanks.

1 Like

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I rushed my reply a little. Also I think I wasn’t understanding that you intend to flip this and do the other side. So! Here’s how I think I’d do what you’re trying to do…
From Home pressing:
image
Once it’s scanned, go back home and scan the next object the same exact way.
Now, you’ll be in the app with your 2nd scanned image as active. Add Artwork and bring in your first image. I think we can do that today, right?! Honestly I forget. If we can’t, let me know. But assuming we can, go ahead and do that and you’ll have both objects alive and well on your bed.
Now, size them as you’d like.
Then, simply set one of them to Ignore while you engrave/cut the other.
When that one’s done, set the other to Ignore while you engrave/cut the 1st thing.
Done.

I think… Does that work?

Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. My problem is I cannot save both images. The app only seems to save one of them. Aggravated by sometimes getting an error in the middle of the process, and losing one or both images, requiring me to start over.
I did a “Ctrl A”, last time and that allowed me to move both images at the same time, which helps. But when I went back, they had separated, and only one remained.
Also, if I click on “Forum” when, I’m on the app, I have to start over…(Whine mode = “Off”)

1 Like

Cannot resist…if your idea works, Tom…it will be a ‘saving grace’ instead of trace. I crack myself up! :rofl: OK…now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast…

4 Likes

I’m wondering if I’m still missing what you’re trying to do…
If you’re trying to save a job that you’ve set up… where you’ve scaled things on the bed image… maybe rotated… set some settings… whatever. You can’t do that at this time.

1 Like

Yes, that’s what I’m trying to save. Thanks for your help.

3 Likes

Right now it seems you can only save the trace as it comes in. Any resizing and settings do not save. Nor any settings or setups.

I hope they figure a way to export traces so you could then manipulate them after.

@jrnelson wrote in a post of mine afew days ago about using a camera o. Your phone e to take pictures of art , then manipulating them before import to GFUI

Experiment with "trace" and cows

1 Like

I can help you out with making an SVG of the token if you would like. It seems that you want to save it for many uses, so that would be the best way at the moment.

3 Likes

That’s what he’s trying to do. The job has both images rescaled so they fit correctly while the ones in his library are off a bit in size.

It’s the same as the outstanding hopper item to be able to save a job with its settings so you could reopen it later and not have to set everything.

On our collective wishlist :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes

^He is really good at it, he has helped me numerous times!

2 Likes

Actually, the main reason for wanting to save the traces is so that I don’t have to start over if the process gets interrupted(Internet connection/computer/router-something! has ongoing issues.); or if it doesn’t come out right, and I have to readjust placement and/or stretching; or if I jump to this Forum(to look at Tips and Tricks, e.g.), I can never seem to get back to the machine, etc.
I make these tokens for my friends, so every one of them is one-off. The roman numeral changes every year. So AutoCAD works well as a starting point. But I’ll see if I can do the same thing in Inkscape. I don’t want to be one of those old dogs who can’t learn a new software program!

2 Likes

So AutoCAD, being vector-based, outputs very precisely-sized images, even to the printer. So they are both definitely the same size. Where things go wrong is when I add new artwork, by tracing the image for the camera on the GF. By dragging a square around my images, It’s difficult to make the square the same size for both objects. It seems that the size of the dragging square contributes to the scale of the object. So I have taken to adding bounding boxes to my artwork: Pauls Token.pdf (6.9 KB) Then I zoom in as close as possible and drag the square just inside the bounding box(so the bounding box doesn’t print). That gets it very close. But I still have to move one on top of the other, and align them very precisely. But stretching is almost always required, to get it exact. Remember, I’m doing two-sided images, and engraving/cutting all the way to the edges, so they have to be exactly the same diameter.

1 Like

You could try preparing your image to be the size you want ahead of time, by opening the DXF file from AutoCAD inside of Inkscape and then adding the bitmap image there. Scale it, place it, get it aligned accurately, and when you open the SVG file in the Glowforge Interface, it will pick up both the image and the cutlines for it at the same time. (And give you two different operations, one engrave and one cut.)

No trying to align it visually using the camera. It’s very accurate, and a lot easier to do than visual alignment once you get used to Inkscape. :grinning:

2 Likes

Yeah, I tried that, I think(Not sure what you mean by “adding the bimap image there”.) The arc-aligned text went haywire…

I haven’t scrolled all the way back…can you upload the files so we can take a look at them, or are they proprietary?

I’m talking about doing all of the work before you take it into the Glowforge interface, so it means using a scanner if you are working off of physical images. (The trace function in the GF is good for one at a time, I’m not sure if we can work with two scans at the same time in that interface.)

Yeah, that’s the problem. Can’t get from AutoCAD to the GF. So I’m working with the printed(physical) images. I can get them both in at the same time using the trace function, but the sizes are ever so slightly different. Are you suggesting a scanner other than the Glowforge?

Okay, i think I’ve got it…It sounds like you are trying to combine some arc text with a cut shape and an engraved image…is that correct?

In Inkscape, you can convert the arc text into either an image or a vector engrave, import the other engraved image, and include the DXF cut lines all as one file, and save it as an SVG. Then the Glowforge interface will see all of the parts.

But a warning, the text is going to have to be converted because the GF interface currently can’t process text.

If you want to upload the various parts or send them to me in a Private Message I can take a look at it and maybe give you some steps to follow.

1 Like