Single Line Font Maker

[Shawn Conklin]

Great extension for inkscape. Single lines for doing vector font signatures.

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/hershey

[Jiten Patel]

Thats a great find. Does anyone know if there is anything like this for Illustrator?

[Michael Hunter]

Someone (sorry, I forget who), posted a set of psuedo* single line fonts - which work with all Windows (and presumably Mac) programs - on the forum about 18 months ago.
Should be findable with a search.

* They are not true single line fonts, but the effect when lasered is just as good as real ones.

[Doug Griffith]

Thats a great find. Does anyone know if there is anything like this for Illustrator?

Here is a script that I just tried and it works well. It generates polylines instead of bezier curves so works best at small point sizes.

[Shawn Conklin]

Inkscape is free as is the plugin. Its not one stop shopping but you can just make the text you need in inkscape and export to illustrator. .... Not to mention inkscape has alot of other cool features ... gear maker included!

[Dan Hintz]

Doug,

Tough week? No linkie... ;)

[Mike Null]

There are some engraver's fonts included in Corel X5 and while some appear to be single line and would probably engrave that way (using a hairline outline), they are standard fonts in construction.

[Shawn Conklin]

Whats an example by name? I have X5 but have not found any fonts that wont double vector no matter how thin they look. -

[Mike Null]

Shawn

Here's what I have. I did not mean they would engrave as single line---when converted to curves the double line is visible.

[Roy Nielsen]

I installed and used this InkScape extension yesterday for a URL on an engravable logo concept that I'm toying around with. It created a nice, simple text in InkScape which I exported as DXF and imported into Corel Draw 12. The import looks the same as in InkScape; copying and pasting between the two programs did work, but the font was not smooth. The extension itself is simple to use, enter your text, select the font, one other option that I'm not sure what it does, and hit "go" (or whatever the obvious button is) and a few moments later you have your text on the page.

Roy

[Glen Monaghan]

Here is a script that I just tried and it works well. It generates polylines instead of bezier curves so works best at small point sizes.

Doug, here where? Are you referring to an Illustrator script? Link? Thanks!

[Craig Matheny]

Ok we have all been down this road before that there is no true single line TT font in Corel they all cut two twice. With that said I have found a neat way to convert them to a single line but is non-editable as a font after that. One I get the font typed and ready I convert it to curves then I use a macro called curve works (cost is 50.00) i use the cut intersections after that I run a freebie remove duplicate line so in three clicks these double line engraving fonts in Corel are true single line text.

I do know that 50.00 bucks sounds high but in the curve works macro there are a lot of other features you get also he offers a free 15 day trial i think.

[Aaron Koehl]

Why not Convert to Bitmap, then Trace (Centerline), all in Corel?

[Craig Matheny]

Quality of the trace in Corel is weak at best.

[Aaron Koehl]

I would tend to disagree, especially with simple shapes like fonts. If anything, it would be nice to have more parametric control.

[Mike Null]

I use Corel trace frequently and think it produces quality commensurate with the original image. In fact it is the only tracing software I use.

[Craig Matheny]

Maybe it has to do with the detail of the image I personally have not found it to be real helpful than again maybe it is something I am doing wrong in the settings if everyone else is having luck with it. So I will try it with the fonts.

[Glen Monaghan]

I've tried centerline tracing a few fairly plain fonts before and been less than impressed...