Exporting multiple sheets

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Kjellaug
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Joined: Wed May 12, 2021 10:28 am
Model of CNC Machine: Router 2x6m

Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Kjellaug »

I often work with projects that I have to export into dxf files and it can be quite a pain when they are nested into several sheets. Is there any way to export all sheets in one go?

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Adrian
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Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
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Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Adrian »

There are a couple of ways. The first one isn't really in one go and probably doesn't work in a way suitable for your purposes. Select all the vectors on the first sheet, hold down the shift key and activate the next sheet, select all the vectors on that sheet while holding the shift key still and repeat. Then export the vectors as normal. Problem is all the vectors are there but on one sheet in the DXF.

The other way is to create a DXF post processor and output the DXF file as a toolpath.

What is it you're doing with the sheets once they're exported? It might be that there is another way around it that you aren't aware of.

Kjellaug
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 12, 2021 10:28 am
Model of CNC Machine: Router 2x6m

Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Kjellaug »

I use coreldraw to create additional documentation. I tried using job setup sheets built into VCarve but it didn't worked out for me.

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Adrian
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Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Adrian »

What didn't work for you with the Job Setup sheet? If it's something that is useful for other people it might be worth asking Vectric for in a future release.

Kjellaug
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 12, 2021 10:28 am
Model of CNC Machine: Router 2x6m

Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Kjellaug »

Adrian wrote:
Thu May 20, 2021 1:03 pm
What didn't work for you with the Job Setup sheet?
Well, the only thing I need from the Job Setup Sheet is job layout. It works fine for small jobs but usually I work with 12 sq m sheets and at this point job layout becomes unreadable.
In addition, I found tools from CorelDraw to be better suited for fine-tuning layouts after nesting.

chaka7119
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Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 8:08 am
Model of CNC Machine: Omni 1390

Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by chaka7119 »

I am struggling to do this as well. I need to be able to export each individual nested sheet as an individual dxf file that we use to cut on a laser. I am looking to do this in a more automated way than selecting each sheet and exporting. Even if I could figure out keyboard shortcut to toggle between sheets I can write a macro to do it. Or if there is a way to export all the sheets at once but as individual dxf files.

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Adrian
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Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Adrian »

You could write a gadget to step through each sheet and export as a DXF file or use a program like AutoIt to create a keyboard/mouse macro or use a DXF post processor to output a DXF file.

chaka7119
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 8:08 am
Model of CNC Machine: Omni 1390

Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by chaka7119 »

How can I step through each sheet without physically using the mouse to click on them. I looked for a keyboard shortcut similar to the "Ctrl-PageUp" in excel that switches worksheets that would allow me to navigate from one nested sheet to another, but have yet to find a way to do that. If I could get that piece I could then do a keyboard macro to select all vectors and export. I don't know how to create a gadget but would love to figure it out and I tried the other suggested process of using a toolpath template and then outputting but I don't have any DXF Post Processors and cannot find where or how to get them. Any further details and/or help would be greatly appreciated.

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Adrian
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Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Exporting multiple sheets

Post by Adrian »

Macros can include mouse clicks and movement as well in AutoIt.

Here's a DXF post processor. You'd probably need to change it around a bit as it includes rapid moves and plunges which you wouldn't want. Naturally it does every pass so you would need to create dummy single pass toolpaths set to cut on the line to overcome the offset from cutting outside the line etc.

Lot easier to use a macro IMO.
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DXF.txt
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