How to prepare a design for use with GF
Jules
May 17, 2020, 11:21pm
2
There are a few short tutorials that you will want to read below. DXF is not a file type natively recognized by the Glowforge, but you can export the DXF file into a program like Inkscape or Illustrator and convert it into an SVG file or PDF for the Glowforge to read.
The Dashboard: Sign in to app.glowforge.com
[dashboard]
Keyboard Shortcuts and Maneuvering in the Interface:
Copy (Select item)… CTRL/CMD + C
Paste (Select item)… CTRL/CMD + V
Undo … CTRL/CMD + Z
Delete (Select item) … Press the Delete key on the keyboard.
Update on Delete: _After the Autosave Settings Saver migration on 01/08/2018, if you delete a part or item from your file it will stay gone when you close it.
The next time you open the file, it will not be there.
If yo…
It’s soooooo easy to create files easily in programs like Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDraw and Affinity Designer if you understand what the Glowforge interface sees when it looks at your file.
(Think of this as a last batch of Tips and Tricks, then I’ll quit bugging you.)
For All Programs:
If you want to engrave a bitmap (raster) style image and include it inside a vector SVG file, you need to Embed the image in the file if you want it to stay aligned inside the SVG file. Otherwise you will need to re-load the raster file and use the camera to align it visually.
(That’s fine, but you will completely lose the benefit of more accurate alignment that you get from the design software.)
There are instructions for how to Embed raster images for some of the main 2D…
I’m going to demo an alignment process below using my (ancient) version of Adobe Illustrator, but the process is the same for Inkscape or CorelDraw or Affinity Designer. Whichever one you like to use, you’ll do the same things, with the tools in that program. (I’m also going to give you the thought process that goes into creating a design with 2D Design software, to keep from having to write another one up, so if you can slog through it, you’ll pick up some stuff you need to know to make thing…
Most of the concepts described in those tutorials can be performed in AutoCad. But you do need to understand the basics of how the laser interprets what you send it, before you can put designs together for it.
2 Likes
gewubs
May 17, 2020, 11:24pm
3
PDF your output using colours and fills and go straight to the App. Inkscape is great, but you can skip that step and stay in the work space you are familiar with.
Problems and support is for technical issues with the machine or UI. I’ve moved this to an appropriate forum.
system
June 17, 2020, 1:17am
5
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