New user can't figure out how to import a dxf or svg file

My machine shipped and should be here Wednesday, so I’m passing the time learning how the software works. I designed a very simple box with some circular pockets in it in Solidworks and thought I knew the process from there. I exported as a DXF file, opened it up on CC, nothing. The grid even disappears and nothing shows at all besides the normal UI.

Lots of googling later, I end up opening the DXF file in illustrator where all looks fine. I save it as a SVG file, import that, only part of it imports. It’s 8 circles and 3 rectangles and only the circles appear. Attaching a picture of the design and SVG file, would anyone mind cluing me on what I’m doing wrong? Thanks in advance!

The Beauty of Carbide Create is its simplicity.
You could draw this in CC in 3 minutes.
Toolpaths in another minute.

I opened your SVG file in iIlustrator and the Rectangles are actually line segments.
Im not sure how you created the rectangles, but you may want to “Join” or try another method for creating them.
If you start this design in Carbide Create, and need help with the toolpathing, let me know what the details are of the design and I can help you set it up.
Material
Cutters
Dimensions


Separate lines:

I am pretty much in the same boat as you, except mine hasn’t shipped yet :cry: I, too, am working on the software to get my arms around it. I tried a file I created in CorelDraw X7 and exported as DXF…pure crap when imported into CC, no idea why. I then exported an SVG file. First time, it sucked and botched up the letters. I then converted them to curves first and then exported to SVG. Opened the second SVG in CC and it turned out fine. I realize this is not helpful other than I am empathizing with you.

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ApolloCrowe thank you for the response, I was actually just typing a response about how I figured it out, of course only after I asekd for help. I was able to fix this in AI and import that into CC and am working out how toolpaths work now.

I realize I could do this in CC easy enough, I just wanted to experiment with a SolidWorks->Shapeoko workflow since SW is where I have some experience. It also let me visualize the project in 3D which I find helpful. I’d like to include SW in my design process so I just need to learn the quirks and limitations I guess. For this part it doesn’t matter, for others it might, having to program in cutting depths multiple times would definitely slow me down and leave room for error. Also playing with the HXMXpress plugin which seems to create a good toolpath, and it exports gcode. Do I use Carbide Motion to ‘run’ that on the machine? Unfortunately can’t seem to do much in CM without the machine plugged in.

Chris, empathy is fine! I’m just happy I got it (mostly) working, maybe, I think… sigh.