V-Carve Wizard suggestio for enhancement

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Phil
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Selecting an outline for Flat area clearance cutting

Post by Phil »

I have found the "Flat are clearance" strategy to be quite useful. I would like to be able to easily select just the outline of an vector drawing such as a flower. Often the interior lines are connected to the outline and selecting only the outline can be difficult and time consuming. Then I could use the "Flat area clearance" option to carve a recess around the flower and make the flower stand proud of the background.
I've included an EPS of a lilly that shows what I am trying to carve. I hope the file will display. I'll include the GIF just in case.
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Lilly.gif
(21.72 KiB) Downloaded 472 times
Lilly.eps
(90.65 KiB) Downloaded 391 times

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

Select all and offset. Start with 0.01" then more if needed (maybe less; depends on your needs)... Unselect all, then select the outmost vector, cut it (CTRL-Z), select all, delete all then repaste the clipboard content...

Is this something alike of what you want?

The attach is 0.01" offset (with sharp corners) from the previous steps.

Keep in mind that even if you have open area(s); where it's too narrow, the tool won't go (most)...
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Lilly.crv
(607 KiB) Downloaded 387 times
Last edited by Paco on Sat Apr 01, 2006 1:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Phil
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Thanks Paco

Post by Phil »

Thanks Paco, being familiar with your work I'm sure it's really good but I can't open it, but I will try your suggestions.

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

Sorry... :roll: It's probably because I have a BETA.

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Phil
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Post by Phil »

Thanks Paco,

the concept shows promise, I need to work on it a bit. I only gave it a quick try, it's late, I'll do more tomorrow. Once again thanks.

Phil

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

You might want to get familiar with the Welding, Substract and Keep overlap tools... VERY handy too.

In fact, the more you get familiar with ALL the tools you have and get used to how they work and then combine their usage, then you have the power! :twisted:

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Paul_n
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Post by Paul_n »

Hey Phil...

Try these....

Paul

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Phil
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Thanks Paul

Post by Phil »

How did you set this up? Did you use Paco's method? The lilly came from samples from the Dover website. http://www.doverpublications.com/sampler/0331.
I signed up to receive weekly free samples by e-mail.

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Paul_n
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Post by Paul_n »

Phil...

The process is, vector editing, and I use a couple other 'cad' programs
to do the work, which can take some time if the file has a lot of 'open'
vectors. I use Enroute, and MillWrite most of the time to edit the nodes
and build the results I'm looking for.

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Phil
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Vector editing

Post by Phil »

I'm curious about what vector editing powers the Wizards will bestow upon we apprentices when the next version of V-Carve magically arrives on the web site. :shock:

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

I believe the next release will have pretty much all of the basics tool you will need. Vectric team seem to have this way of making their software VERY easy to use for about anybody so it'll be as easy as it is right now but more complete.

Again, my best advice is to get as familiar as you can (discover at play) with the tool you have and get the most out of 'em. Combination is a keyword; once you'll get more advanced, you won't look at "wizards" kinda features but rather at usefull basic shapes and nodes editing. Keep in mind that for machine applications, you don't need such visual gadgets as there is in most graphical CAD...

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Phil
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Thanks Paco

Post by Phil »

I played around with the offset tool to isolate the border and I got it to work. This technique should be included in the product manual and you should be promoted to at least a junior Wizard. I like to play with the software and you are definitely right, the power is in getting creative with the tools.
This offset trick could easily save hours of node editing.

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

If you offset it back (the newly offset to the same amount but to the inside way) you get about the original and welded.

Hummm... Paco Potter wizard apprentice... :roll:

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Phil
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More editing tool suggestions

Post by Phil »

Wish list item for V-Carve 3. I have found the scissors tool in Part Wizard to be a very useful vector editing tool. I'd like to have that tool available in V-Carve.
That's proably the easy one. I'd like to see an editing tool that would allow you to define an area and delete everything either inside or outside of the defined area. Sort of like a crop tool with a variety of shapes to define the area.

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Paco
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Post by Paco »

I second that. Some kind of trim tool is VERY handy for vector editing.

:arrow: :idea:
Another enhancement I'd like to have in VCW (someday) is a nesting one. So far, I have seen mostly singular parts done in VCW (from other users) but I generally handle batches of letters and shapes that are components of signs...
I would have a few recommendations about this to make it more useful and flexible than the one I have to use right now... nothing like nuclear science but more intelligent.
Let me know when it'll be appropriate to debate about it. :)

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