Coreldraw curve offset

[Adrian Hill]

Is there a way in Corledraw to automatically draw a curve offset to another.

What I mean is this; draw a circle say 1cm in diameter - use a offset function to create a circle at 1.1 mm & 0.9 mm.

The cirlce serves merely as an example - it could be any polygon.

I can draw any object in Rhino V4 and then offset outward or inward by 0.15mm to compensate for the width of the laser simply by using the offset command.

I could export the drawing to DXF and take it to Rhino, do the change and then bring it back into Corel...but...there has to be a better way!

[Dan Hintz]

Is there a way in Corledraw to automatically draw a curve offset to another.

What I mean is this; draw a circle say 1cm in diameter - use a offset function to create a circle at 1.1 mm & 0.9 mm.
Yes... it's called, wait for it... "offset" ;)

[Adrian Hill]

I found the answer on the Coreldraw forum. Seems the command is called Contour

[John Noell]

(Dan seems to enjoy being a bit cheeky, eh?)

[Adrian Hill]

The Contour command works well with simple objects like combined circles etc, but it get confused when asked to create an outline around a combined object comprising a number of complex objects.

[David Fairfield]

Illustrator has the same thing, offset. Another way to do it is add a stroke to a solid filled object, and that will offset by the line width. I find that helpful for small adjustments to letters and numbers.

Dave

[Mike Null]

Make your object in the smallest--or largest size you need then use the contour tool with 2 steps either inside or outside as needed.

[Robert Walters]

Yes... it's called, wait for it... "offset" ;)

Dan,

I know about the contour tool in Corel, but where's this "offset" tool/setting you speak of?

[Mike Null]

Robert
It is in the contour tool box.

[Dan Hintz]

Dan,

I know about the contour tool in Corel, but where's this "offset" tool/setting you speak of?
Ack! Should have been "contour" :( Sorry, Adrian, I was doing it from memory while at work.

John's cheeky comment makes a lot more sense now... ;)

[Adrian Hill]

Robert
It is in the contour tool box.


The offset specified in the Contour toolbox is not a command but rather a simple field that specifies the width that the newly drawn contour will be away from the original polygon.

[Rodne Gold]

With contour and the Cad offset command , there are entities that cannot be offset as there is not mathematical offset for them , for example offsetting or contouring inwards a heart with a steep or sharp "butt cheek" at the top of the heart will not offset correctly.
There is a simple way to ensure a reasonable offset in this situation and that is to use the fillet command in Corel and fillet the whole entity with a very small radius.

[Dan Hintz]

There is a simple way to ensure a reasonable offset in this situation and that is to use the fillet command in Corel and fillet the whole entity with a very small radius.
Ah, great tip, Rodney... I was having this exact issue with a complicated design last week. It had no problem on the inside, but an outside contour was throwing an error. I'll have to try that...

[Robert Walters]

Ah, great tip, Rodney... I was having this exact issue with a complicated design last week.

Dan,

Same issue with the corner rounding too, check out the pics and link here:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?161730-Corel-X4-Rounded-corner-tool-weirdness&p=1662499