Corel behavior problem

[Duane Parcells]

The attached file is a partial of a dxf file import. When I try to vector cut the file a several parts of the 39 objects try to cut up to 21 times each before moving on. I have tried to weld the objects together in order so they should cut in a logical pattern. It still cuts some parts 20 or 21 times before moving to the next. What am I missing here. Another note.... The file was a export form Photoshop CS2 in dxf format.

[Scott Shepherd]

From what I have read that's typical behavior of imported dxf files. For some reason it puts line after line after line on top of each other. Your laser is just cutting what's there. Look in the object properties and you should be able to see that it's a lot of lines, a lot more than you want.

Not sure what the fix is as I've only seen it posted here, I haven't run across it myself, but I do know it's a common problem for those types of files. I'm sure someone who's experienced it can help. You might want to do a search for dxf files or "duplicate lines" and see if someone already posted a solution.

Wish I could be of more help.

[Scott Shepherd]

Correction, it doesn't appear to be duplicate lines in the file. Have you tried grouping it all and converting to it an outline? Then move those to another layer and delete the originals. Might work, might not.

[Duane Parcells]

Thank You for such a quick response. I haven't tried that. Will try when I fire up the laser tomorrow.

[Mike Null]

Here's a previous thread on the issue. There are others which can be found by doing a search.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=60739&highlight=importing+files

[Ed Lang]

Duane,

Try this file and see if I was able to fix it for you. Let me know if I have done what you wanted and I'll tell you how I do it quickly. If this is not what you needed, let me know too and I will try to understand.

I expect you are getting this from a .PDF file. Am I right?

Ed

[Duane Parcells]

Ed

When I told the corel to print the document it did nothing. When I told it to print the selection it worked just fine. This was the simplest piece of a large project. The original file is a dxf file with multiple layers that I moved all the pieces to one layer because some parts were spread across multiple layers. I have also learned that when I import it I should chose the reduce nodes option which I did not do. Even then some say that does not work all the time. I was told it was a Photoshop CS2 file exported as dxf.
What was your process for fixing this?
Thank you,
Duane

[Ed Lang]

Duane, Did I fix it for you? Not quite sure I did what you wanted.

I imported into C-Carve PRO (same as PartWorks) which comes with the ShopBot CNC. It has a function to select duplicate vectors. I then deleted the selected duplicate vectors and found two open vectors. I joined them and then closed the shape. Exported and saved.

Vectric is located at www.vectric.com

ShopBot is located at www.shopbottools.com

Hope this will help.

ed

[Duane Parcells]

Hi Ed

Yes, you fixed it. I just looked up the software you suggested but the price is a little out there for me. I may try the trial version and consider the cost if another work around I'm working on doesn't pan out.

Thanks again
Duane

[Tony Lenkic]

Duane,

I was getting same results when importing DXF. Than I asked customer to supply me with WMF and all works fine. Just got another file today and there is no 21 lines duplicated.

[Joseph B. Chritz]

Hi Duane,
It may not be practical in all cases, but take a look at the smart fill tool. I tried it on your sample and it seemed to work OK and only took seconds. I used the smart fill tool, moved it, turned off fill color, and deleted the original.

[Duane Parcells]

Hi Joseph
That was the best fix so far. I had to ungroup all then follow your fix and it not only fixed the repeating lines it also welded all the pieces together so it cut in a logical and time saving pattern. Before that it would cut fine but it did it in 39 pieces, not in order of any sort. That is going to save a great deal of time. Wow....... This place is great. Just contributed because of the help.
Thank you
Duane

[Roy Brewer]

The file was a export form Photoshop CS2 in dxf format.Duane,
Could you, or those more familiar with Photshop, confirm that it can export DXF? While I don't use it, I was always under the impression that PhotoShop can only export raster files(?). Could your supplier have meant Illustrator CS2?

[Duane Parcells]

Hi Roy
That turned into a very good question. I just checked Photoshop CS3 under both export and save as.... Neither can do a dxf file. I should have known that right off as you are right on about Photoshop being a raster only program. The file that my sample came from was purchased from a fellow in Spain. I would assume he meant to say Illustrator as you said. I will ask and let you know.

Duane

[Jerry Allen]

See this link:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=513292

I use nodupes but have recently found another here:
http://recentfiles.netfirms.com/ (under vectors, duplicates)

On occasion, I use a cheap version of TurboCad10 to do the translation first.
You can pick one up quite cheap. If you load the file into TurboCad and then save to .dxf again it will clear up some obnoxious files.
An important point in all of this is to let customers know that you need simple .dxf or .dwg preferably in version 12 through 14 autocad, with as few layers as possible. Make sure to have "Reduce Nodes" turned on the X3 import dialog box. Use the nodupes macro. Sometimes Smart Fill and Simplify in X3 will help.

[Roy Brewer]

I just checked Photoshop CS3 under both export and save as.... Neither can do a dxf file.Duane,
Thanks for the confirmation. Don't bother checking, I'm not interested from where it came, now that I know it *didn't* come from PhotoShop. I've been telling people for years that PhotoShop couldn't output vector (anymore than any raster editing program) and I sure wanted to know if I was passing out bad info!