Educate me... Problems converting .dxf to .svg

[rikard454]

Hello all!

I am about to cut some parts on a laser cutter (a Glowforge Pro) from Delta Cad files (.dxf) but the laser cutter does not work with .dxf files (well, it can but then you need an expensive account in order to do that).

So I have been trying to convert my .dxf files to .svg which is the preferred file format for the laser cutter without that expensive account. But my files wind up looking a bit  strange. Seems that the file looses the data that the different parts are grouped together.

But that is not a big problem, I just have to be a bit careful when moving the object in the laser cutter software. But what iiiis a problem is that the lines does not end up as solid lines but as dashed lines(!) See the attached images screenshots.

The conversion have been made using Convertio (https://convertio.co/). I have tried using CloudConvert (https://cloudconvert.com/) as well but the same problem occurs there as well.

I have to tried cutting anything as the cutter is 30 minutes away by car but I am quite certain that it will not cut out the objects I am trying to cut.

Any ideas on how to convert to .svg and have the lines solid? Or if I am missing something in Delta Cad? The files look OK in Delta Cad so the should be fine....

Regards,
/Rikard

   
   

[williamj]

I'm not familiar with your endeavors but my thought was perhaps an intermediate step. Perhaps converting the DXF file to a file format that would more easily convert to a more complete SVG file. Just a thought.

[AlwMVMO]

I noticed that Convertio doesn't convert DWG but Cloudconvert does.
I converted a 6 x 3 box  DXF to SVG using Convertio and DWG to SVG using Cloudconvert and the 'text' data in each file were different.
I don't really know what the data means.
I don't know if the DWG version would work but have you tried DWG to SVG?
There are other converters out there that you could try.

DXF to SVG using Convertio

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<!-- Created with sK1/UniConvertor (http://sk1project.org/) -->
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
 width="595.276pt" height="841.89pt" viewBox="0 0 595.276 841.89"
 fill-rule="evenodd">
<g>
<path style="stroke:#000000; stroke-width:0.850394; stroke-linejoin:round; stroke-linecap:round; fill:none" d="M 0.698835 841.191L 839.301 841.191"/>
<path style="stroke:#000000; stroke-width:0.850394; stroke-linejoin:round; stroke-linecap:round; fill:none" d="M 839.301 841.191L 839.301 421.89"/>
<path style="stroke:#000000; stroke-width:0.850394; stroke-linejoin:round; stroke-linecap:round; fill:none" d="M 0.698835 421.89L 839.301 421.89"/>
<path style="stroke:#000000; stroke-width:0.850394; stroke-linejoin:round; stroke-linecap:round; fill:none" d="M 0.698835 841.191L 0.698835 421.89"/>
</g>
</svg>

DWG to SVG using Cloudconvert

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="800.000" height="600.000" viewBox="0.0 0.0 800.000 600.000" version="1.1">
 <title>Produce by Acme CAD Converter</title>
 <desc>Produce by Acme CAD Converter</desc>
<polyline points="0.67,499.67 799.33,499.67" style="fill:none;stroke:black;stroke-width:0.5"/>
<polyline points="799.33,499.67 799.33,100.33" style="fill:none;stroke:black;stroke-width:0.5"/>
<polyline points="0.67,100.33 799.33,100.33" style="fill:none;stroke:black;stroke-width:0.5"/>
<polyline points="0.67,499.67 0.67,100.33" style="fill:none;stroke:black;stroke-width:0.5"/>
</svg>

[AlwMVMO]

As for the dashed objects in your attached screen shots, 
check to see if your objects are truly drawn in solid by using the EDIT tab/EDIT an object function.

Also open the SVG file in a brower to see if it shows dashed objects.

[rikard454]

Hello all!

I think I have solved the issue…. It seems that Glowforge has choosen to illustrate all lines in the software with dashed lines(!)

I uploaded one of their own demo files and noticed that all lines were indeed dashed, I then looked at some of their introduction films on YouTube and noticed the same thing.

As Homer Simpson should have said: DOH!

I had watched these films before but not noticed that….

A bit strange in my humble opinion, if you then have a dashed line - how do you tell them apart. And what happened to WYSIWYG….

Anyhooo, problem most likely solved! I have not tried cutting anything yet but I will go into town within a few days and try it out.

Thanks for your assistance!
/Rikard