Arcs change to short line segments

[Renaissance]

I am a new user trying Aspire 9.5 Trial version, as an alternative to Artcam.
I have created a drawing 15" x 15" and have created inside this box approximately 70 shapes with curved lines (like a mosaic).
All these lines were made as arcs.
At some time during the drawing process all these arcs changed to many short straight line segments along the curved shape.
a-I don't know how that happened, and
b-I don't know if I can change them back. (without redrawing the design).
Appreciate any thoughts on this.
Thanks

[martin54]

Have you tried converting to Bezier curves?

Edit- Curve fit vectors You then have a couple of different options

[Adrian]

There are a few different operations that will do that such as offsetting but you would need to retrace your steps to find what you did. As Martin says you can use the "Fit Curves to Selected Vectors" tool to convert those segments to arcs or beziers.

[ohiolyons]

Adrian could you list all the operations that do this?

[Adrian]

Not without going through every tool and operation to see the result.

[Leo]

Since I started using Vectric in 2007, every program I create is tiny short lines MOST of the time. Occasionally I see a G2 or G3.

I would expect the G2-G3 a LOT more often, but it just does not post out that way MOST of the time.

WHY - I don't know. Sure you can node edit, but why is that necessary?

Is it really important to have G2-G3 --- I used to think so, but the really small short straight lines do just fine. I get round circles.

Maybe, the file could be a little smaller - maybe.

I have reserved myself to not really care is I have a lot of really short lines in the g-code

In the Vectric graphics, if I draw a circle, I use 4 nodes, it can be done with 2. If I offset that circle I get a LOT of nodes, I don't know why or what to do, but it still works OK, so I don't bother with it. Generally I draw with as few nodes as possible, but offset is something different.

[gregk]

Since V9.5 offsetting operation should also preserve arcs. There shouldn't be that many operations that would convert arcs to the straight lines (at least in the drawing tab).
The only one I could think of is 'Fit Curve To Vectors' with 'Straight Lines' option selected.

Greg K

[Leo]

Since V9.5 offsetting operation should also preserve arcs. There shouldn't be that many operations that would convert arcs to the straight lines (at least in the drawing tab).
The only one I could think of is 'Fit Curve To Vectors' with 'Straight Lines' option selected.

Greg K

I don't see that.

Just now - I created an elipse which has 4 nodes

I offset outwards .25

The offset elipse has many many nodes.

edit in ---- code is posted as G1 straight lines

[LittleGreyMan]

Leo, if it's an ellipse, there are no arcs.

[Leo]

FYI

I use mach2/3 arcs PP

[ger21]

A True ellipse can not be drawn with arcs, which is why you see straight lines. An ellipse that uses arcs is just an approximation of an ellipse.

[Adrian]

I wonder if the OP's arcs were definitely arcs to start with? It's definitely an area of the software that has improved over the years as it used to create short lines a lot. After a bit of testing I'm struggling to find any way (short of Fit Curves as Greg suggested) that will do it with true arcs. Beziers definitely but not arcs.

[Leo]

A True ellipse can not be drawn with arcs, which is why you see straight lines. An ellipse that uses arcs is just an approximation of an ellipse.

OK - I agree

I did the same test with a circle

the drawn circle was 4 nodes

The offset circle was 4 nodes

I output the code and I got 4 blocks of G3 on one profile and 4 blocks of G2 on the other circle. That is acceptable.

Works as expected.

My take is that on a true arc, where the radius is constant there will be an output of G2 or G3 - but on an arc like an elipse, whereas the radius of the arc is constantly varying and changing all throughout the line, then the output will be a series of G1

In this sense - everything works as it should.

[ger21]

My take is that on a true arc, where the radius is constant there will be an output of G2 or G3 - but on an arc like an elipse, whereas the radius of the arc is constantly varying and changing all throughout the line, then the output will be a series of G1

No, a true arc is just a section of a circle, with a constant radius. If there is no constant radius, then it's a Bezier curve, or a spline (in some other software). Not an arc.

You can fit arcs to a Bezier curve, and then get G2/G3 moves, which on some controls can be faster and/or smoother.

[Leo]

Ahhhh - ok

I understand "SPLINE"

BEZIER - is a new term for me.

Glad you pointed that out.

Rather than referring to it as an arc - referring to it as a curve would be better as it is not an arc.