Hello - very newbie here, so I apologize for the simplicity of this question. I realize this is probably like asking someone how to make something bold in a Word document - but here goes: I’m a designer, and I’ve created some basic signage that my brother will be doing the routing on, using his router/Carbide Create. I’ve got a draft of a sign in Inkscape that I’ve converted to .svg, but I can’t seem to get the entirety of the design to show in Carbide Create when I open it.
I tried googling the issue: I’ve got it in View>Outline Mode. I selected the objects and selected Path>Object to Path, and saved as .svg - but when I open it in CC, it’s the wrong size, and there is a center line missing. I’m sure there’s another step in there I’m missing.
I don’t know much about how all of this works, and I don’t see any info about this in the CC documentation (just a mention that it can import .svg files). I don’t understand enough to know where to start, so I’m hoping someone has the complete steps for me to take a fresh design from Inkscape and convert it correctly. If there’s a link to another forum discussion where this is already listed, send it my way - I couldn’t find anything that was a simple step by step process. I just need to get the design to show in CC - once there, my brother can create the routing paths, etc. - so this is really about file prep before starting in CC.
no overlapping or intersecting geometry (if possible — overlapping geometry is often discarded)
no pixel images
some files will work more reliably when winding direction is correct (outermost path is counterclockwise, next is clockwise and alternate as needed)
complex structures can interfere with import — ungroup down to just paths, joining them all into a composite path will help with the above
some programs don’t provide a size, specifying 100% for dimensions — please edit them to specify dimensions (SVG is just XML) or open in Inkscape and resave
The center line is most likely missing because it’s an open path — expand the stroke to a closed path which can be cut as a pocket.
Wrong size is easily addressed by always encompassing the entire drawing with a rectangle of known size — select everything and scale as needed on open/import.
If you get stuck with a file or project, send it in to support@carbide3d.com and we’ll do our best to get you sorted out.
Thank you for your reply, William! What I’m looking for is a step by step process for how to appropriately prepare an .svg file that has already been created. I am not familiar with Inkscape, so the warnings/what to look for above don’t really help. I only downloaded it and used it to create the design because was a free program recommended on the forum. Is there no basic list of steps that someone unfamiliar with Inkscape could use to prepare the files for Carbide Create? I don’t expect you to write it for me - I was hoping maybe someone has a link to Inkscape documentation that might explain how to do this?
We used Carbide Create to develop the initial design, but it’s not meeting our needs, which is why I turned to Inkscape. What we are doing is designing about 30 signs that are all the same layout/border/font, but have different text (they are signs to mark the variety/species of plant on our farm). We want the signs to be uniform, and only have the text change. However, when we set our template sign and got it to look like what we wanted, as soon as we changed the text to something else the text was no longer centered or the correct size. It took quite a bit of time to fuss with it and adjust it to make it centered again, which is an issue when dealing with 30+ signs, and could result in some of the signs being off center/different sized font if we don’t adjust it perfectly. I read through the forum, and it was suggested that if we create each sign using Inkscape instead, then they’ll all be uniform/exactly what we want - we just need to then upload into Carbide Create.
However, it’s not easy. I have never used this kind of program before, and I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m really hoping for just a simple set of instructions for how to prepare the file. If those don’t exist, I would love your help. Once we get the Inkscape template fixed so that it imports correctly into CC, I can then just change the text and resave to make all 30 signs. I’ll then convert them to .c2d files, and have them ready when my brother arrives to route the signs.
What you see in outline mode as outlines in Inkscape is what will be imported into Carbide Create. Avoid special effects and features, or if you use them, decompose them to raw paths.
You’ll want to convert type to paths for the production files.
I believe once you’ve worked with Inkscape all of the above will make sense and be easily applied — if you have any difficulties please post the file here or send it in to support@carbide3d.com and we’ll work things out to a step-by-step tutorial.