Corel X3 X4 importing DXF issues

[Kev Williams]

I've been putting up with this for like years now, maybe someone can help--

I use x3 and x4 all day every day. X4 is perfectly fine for everything I do, except for ONE thing: When importing DXFs, text WILL NOT COME IN center justified, it's always LEFT justified, and always parked slightly right of the actual text centerline. Example:
411605
-- all text not in text frames should be centered on the (lower) plates, or centered on the marked centerlines. And speaking of text frames, why does some text come framed, and some doesn't? I've seen screenshots of the original DXF before it's exported, there's no reason I can see why some is framed and some isn't? And half the time, the frame is smaller than the text and expanding the frame can move the text from it's original position, depending... If I could figure out how to lose the frames from the get-go I'd save 2 hours a day I swear! ;)

Anyway- because of the left justified text BS, I use Corel x3, because text comes in exactly as it should, however it's drawn on the original, it comes into x3 the same way.

Except x3 has it's own stupid problem I can't figure out...

Whenever importing DXF's (and DWG's fwiw) in x4, I ALWAYS get this 'text substitution' message:
411606
--this is the exact message I got with the file in the first pic.

but in x3, I get no such message. And I also get no text! Actually I DO, but it's invisible, and can't be grouped. So what I have to do is select everyting, then un-group all, then hit 'edit//select all text', which it does, then I have to move it away from everything else... then I can change the font to what I want, then it's good to go...

Here's the same file as above imported into x3:
411607
I selected all, because while selected the text baseline nodes(?) become visible, just not the text! But as you can see by the nodes, the text is centered as it should be.

This is the result after I ungroup-all, select all text, slide it right 30", change the font, (this is a font called Lato Hairline, which works great for tool engraving) then slide it back:
411608
Other than the text frames, it's perfect. But you can see the problem with the frames, in the first 3x3 plate bottom left, notice the framed text is "RUN" and "CALIBRATE", which is the same for all 3 plates-- why is CALIBRATE within such a small frame? I don't care so much that it's framed, but I'm getting 20 or so similar blueprints weekly from just this customer, and this is a simple set of plates compared to most blueprints. And the frame issue occurs with every version of Corel I've tried (9,10, 13, 14 and 16).

Just reworking text centering or making visible in addition to manually expanding dozens of text frames on every blueprint is driving me crazy! In the text menu there's a 'paragraph text frames' sub menu, the only options being 'show text frames' and 'fit text to frame', neither or both of which changes anything...

I just want to import, select all text, change the font, start engraving... is that too much to ask from Corel? If not Corel, what program will do this? Gravostyle actually WILL import text with no frames, and centered up, and I can even import it in the correct font! BUT, the correct font has character spacing issues (too close for tool engraving) and in Gravostyle, you cannot batch-edit text. It's all word by word. And that BS takes longer to do than all the issues in Corel put together...

Any suggestions greatly appreciated :)

[John Lifer]

Can't help,but I haven't imported a lot of dxf's into Corel, I usually just export them for EzCad. Have you tried and of the versions from the last 10 Years?
:D X3 and X4 are getting long in the tooth.

[Kev Williams]

my BIL has x6 on the computer he uses here, text comes in center justified, but still have to deal with text frames, so basically the same as x3.

If I could just get x4 to center text, I could put x3 out to pasture.

If I could figure out how to eliminate the text frames, I'd throw a party! http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/party.gif

[Gary Hair]

Kev - send me the dxf file(s) and I'll import them into X8 and see what happens. I also have X5 and X6 installed and will try it on them as well.


my BIL has x6 on the computer he uses here, text comes in center justified, but still have to deal with text frames, so basically the same as x3.

If I could just get x4 to center text, I could put x3 out to pasture.

If I could figure out how to eliminate the text frames, I'd throw a party! http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/party.gif

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Ask your customer to explode dimensions and any mtext. And ask to have all dtext set to left justified or middle center (ONLY). For any SHX (AutoCAD font i.e. ROMANS), see if they'll explode the text before exporting to DXF.

[Steve Utick]

I've been putting up with this for like years now, maybe someone can help--

Whenever importing DXF's (and DWG's fwiw) in x4, I ALWAYS get this 'text substitution' message:
411606
--this is the exact message I got with the file in the first pic.

but in x3, I get no such message. And I also get no text! Actually I DO, but it's invisible, and can't be grouped. So what I have to do is select everyting, then un-group all, then hit 'edit//select all text', which it does, then I have to move it away from everything else... then I can change the font to what I want, then it's good to go...

Here's the same file as above imported into x3:
411607
I selected all, because while selected the text baseline nodes(?) become visible, just not the text! But as you can see by the nodes, the text is centered as it should be.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated :)

I believe that the majority of your problem is the missing fonts that you don't have on your system. When Corel does the font substitution, it picks something close which may or may not have the same letter width and spacing, hence the justification being off. I'm pretty sure that if you were to track down the couple of fonts that you're missing and install them on your machine, the files would all import correctly after that. Not familiar with AutoCad, but if they could do something to convert the text to "Curves" before they export them, so they are imported on your end as curves and not actual text, that would also alleviate the issue as Corel would just be dealing with the curves of the letters and not actual text.

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Kev, if you are inclined send me the dxf and I'll open in CAD and provide another 2 cents. I wouldn't mind, after all your [free] input re. fibers.

[Ralph Undis]

I would want to find out the exact CAD program and version of DXF/DWG is being ouput. Maybe not exactly what you want to hear, but if they are a big enough customer, you might want to:

1. Get the same version of the program the DXF/DWG was created in. If it is AutoCAD, maybe get a copy of AutoCAD LT and then you can export r12 DXF to Corel, and see if it fixes your problem.

2. Free solution to test. Get a free copy of NanoCAD. Open the DXF/DWG files, strip out the extraneous dimensions etc. and output r12 DXF to Corel.

https://nanocad.com/products/nanoCAD/download/

In my past, I converted a lot of files from many different apps including AutoCAD, Solidworks, Adobe Illustrator, etc. The best way I found to get the file the way I wanted before importing was to massage it in the program it was first created.

It sounds like the process you have works for you, except for the time involved. It might be quicker to try 1 or 2 above.

Ralph

[Kev Williams]

First, thanks everyone!

--part of the problem is my customers ;) - I speak with buyers, show them right on my computer what's going on, and their engineers help some but not totally.

My biggest customer, who's willing as crap to make things easy for me, says they're using a brand new version of autocad (I assume) and it's been giving them fits- took them 3 months just to figure out how to send me one file instead of two. For those 3 months I was having to morph PDF's with text but garbage graphics together with the matching DXF file with great graphics but no text. We went to the moon 50 years ago, and I can't get a computer file with text AND vectors? something's not right... One engineer finally figured out a workaround, says it takes him quite awhile to fix each file, some sort of layer issue, but it works. With their files I get framed text sporadically is all, but the text justification issue between Corel versions is identical; versions 10 and 14 all text=left justified, versions 13 and 16, text=as it should be...

I'm downloading nanocad right now, thanks for that, I'm curious :)

And I can't share DXF's as they were sent to me, confidential issues - I could strip one of all but the basics like I did above, but it would resave per Corel, not autocad-

[Ralph Undis]

The free NanoCAD version is a few versions back of their newest "pay" version, and might not support newer DXF/DWG versions. I use a program called Draftsight, which is another AutoCAD knockoff. It was a free program, that is now switching to a subscription based software. $100 per year for the basic version. I do all of my designing in it, then convert to PDF, then open in an older version of Adobe Illustrator (CS3) to run a ULS VLS3.5

It sounds like your customer is willing to work with you. The first thing I would try with them is for them to output a R12 ASCII DXF. They should be able to, and this version is a good one to start at. The only problem with downsaving to R12 DXF - any splines created in AutoCAD are converted to polylines - not a problem for some, but it might created some "jaggy" lines for others.

Ralph

[Kev Williams]

NanoCAD is interesting, I accomplished more with it in 10 minutes than with the AutoCad R14 I've had for years...

And I've figured out 2 things, sort of- One is, the text justification issue is a Corel thing. NanoCAD imports my files with perfectly aligned text, I save them, and Corel x4 screws up the text.

And two, virtually every piece of text I save in NanoCad ends up framed in Corel. Not some of it, but every last bit of it. So from this I've figured out the text frame issue is an issue with AutoCad or NanoCAD-- yes? If so, any suggestions??

HOWEVER-! Even though all the text is framed, it's all visible as all the frames are big enough to show the text! That right there eliminates a bunch of time spent expanding frames then re-aligning half the text that moved. I can also batch-edit text spacing and such while framed... anyway, that's a plus.

Also, I find it easier to work with the layers in NanoCAD than Corel...

[Tony Lenkic]

Kev,

Ask your client to export files in WMF format.
I get no issues with importing files created in ACAD and converted to WMF.

[Kev Williams]

Tony, I will do that, thanks! Umm, can I export in WMF with this NanoCAD? (Meanwhile, I'll check myself! :D

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Tony, I will do that, thanks! Umm, can I export in WMF with this NanoCAD? (Meanwhile, I'll check myself! :D

Not 100% Kev but you may be able to WMFOUT in R14...

[Kev Williams]

so I just installed A14 on one of my XP's, won't work on 7--

So yes, it does have an export to WMF option, but- it goes thru the motion but doesn't create a file? Bear in mind I know squat about Acad, but it didn't give me any error messages, just no file is made...

And something interesting about 'all text shows up' I mentioned above- this only happens on files I save as version A14, if I save as 2004 or 2007 versions, I get the same crap as the originals from my customer, and they're sending me 2004 version files...

I hate A14, it won't do jack, can't figure out how to zoom in or out, how to select? The moving cross acts like it's not 'turned on'..? The NanoCAD does those tasks no problem.

anyway, I'm having my customer send me some files, in A14 format plus WMF files - likely Monday, nobody likes working much on Fridays ;)

I have one customer, the engineer I deal with went above and beyond to help me with their files: he purchased Corel, learned to use it, and after a little back 'n forth about a few issue tweaks, I now get ready to run files, all parts nicely nested together leaving near zero material scrap. Cut material, put in laser, hit start, go do something else till it's all done...Doesn't get any better!

Now if I could just convince ALL my customers to use Corel... oh yeah :D

[Tony Lenkic]

Yes Chris ir right, My customer uses WMFOUT in ACAD.

[Ralph Undis]

Exporting WMF in AutoCAD - it prompts for filename - then asks you what you want to export. You have to select the items you want to export, or select ALL. I have never had any luck with WMF, but I do not use Corel. It mangles things up for me if I put into Illustrator.

[Ralph Undis]

I don't see an option for WMF export in free NanoCAD v5. I also have a copy of the newest beta version (of the pay version), and don't see it.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I believe that the majority of your problem is the missing fonts that you don't have on your system. When Corel does the font substitution, it picks something close which may or may not have the same letter width and spacing, hence the justification being off. I'm pretty sure that if you were to track down the couple of fonts that you're missing and install them on your machine, the files would all import correctly after that. Not familiar with AutoCad, but if they could do something to convert the text to "Curves" before they export them, so they are imported on your end as curves and not actual text, that would also alleviate the issue as Corel would just be dealing with the curves of the letters and not actual text.

I'm with Steve on this. For test purposes, see if your customer can send a test file using Courier or another common font you both have installed on your machines. Perhaps have them install the hairline font if they can?

[Kev Williams]

Personally, I don't think it's fonts, for a couple of reasons. First being, in many jobs I import I do have all the fonts, doesn't seem to make a difference. Second, I make my own substitutions rather than let Corel do it, and for the most part Corel has my sub fonts saved. And as for the invisible text in the frames, I've tried substituting Browalia New, which is about 50% the height of the entered point size, and IT doesn't show up most times either, even tho it easily fits in the frames...

And finally, after messing around with saving to different versions, I found out that saving the DXF in different versions gives me different results-

Here's a print I'm working on, I opened it in NanoCAD, then saved it as a version 2004 DXF,
then opened it in Corel, changed the font to 'my' font,
this is the results:
411798
-- notice all the text frames, and the gobbledygook lettering on the right. This is one of the BETTER inputs, only 3 frames are invisible...

Here I did everything exactly the same EXCEPT I saved it as a version A11 DXF, the oldest version on the list-
check this out:
411799
I swear I didn't touch it! Not a text frame anywhere, text, the whole text, and nothing but the text! :D

SO- all my little brain can extrapolate from this is that the problem is a combination of issues between both Corel and Autocad files, and how they're interpreted by each program.

I've done this with several files, it's worked every time, so I'm happy! I'm still curious about WMF files. In the meantime, I'll have my customers save their files as A11 for me, and hope it works...:)

[Ralph Undis]

Most likely, the version(s) of Corel that you are using to import DXF/DWG only support(s) older formats. Corel (like almost all drawing/CAD programs) get their code for converting DXF/DWG from:

https://www.opendesign.com

They have been reverse engineering the DXF/DWG code for about 20 years. It's possible that newer versions of Corel might support updated code from the Open Design Alliance. In my past experience, I allways used R12 DXF, but I did notice that NanoCAD v5 goes back to R11, but not 12. The free NanoCAD is pretty decent, even though it is a few versions back.

Ralph

[Kev Williams]

Far as I can tell version 2007 is the newest acad that X4 will open, and 2004 the newest X3 will open. Pretty sure I have my customers trained to send me 2004 files ;)

One of my customers just converts their DXF's to PDF's and they work wonderfully, BUT they don't come in actual size, and we can't figure out why- but no problem resizing. Yet another customer sends me PDF's of their cad prints and all text is intact but anything vector whatsover that's not a straight line is a jagged, ratty mess. No one has a clue why that is either.

All I know is, for the time being R11 (not A11, brain is tired) works for me and I just hope it continues!