LibreCAD DXF Compatibility with LaserCut

We have a small laser cutter/engraver in our office for simple small jobs. I came across LibreCAD a few weeks ago and decided to try it as a tool to create drawings for cutting/engraving on the laser. This is way more effective than getting the engineering group to create DXF's to move over. LibreCAD is great - I have easily created some test patterns and is ideal for this type of 2D application.

However, when I create a DXF with text the laser cut software drops the text fields. I have tried all types of file formats (I am using a 2.xx version of LibreCAD) and every format does not allow import of the text fields. The laser manufacturer suggested that because the text is defined as a text object we need to define the text outline as a specific color. The laser CAM software uses the edge definition to "calculate the project". They said the alternative is to "explode the text to get line object".

When we create the same drawing in AutoCAD and save as a DXF everything comes through. When I do the same in LibreCAD they do not. The only thing I can find is that the text is a simple single line entry (a TEXT entry) in AutoCAD and in LibreCAD it always (I think) uses a multi-line entry (MTEXT).

The laser software is LaserCut 5.3. Any thoughts on how I can define the text boundary or has anyone experienced something like this when using LibreCAD?

Thanks - JAM

[I can upload DXF files that work/don't work tomorrow]

hi,


i know luca is working on adding text support, but still work in process


dxli

Hello, jam68
I can try to correct the problem but I need more information:
1. What is your system? winXP 32bits, ubuntu 64bits...

2. What is your LibreCAD version? "Help->About" compiled on...
From May 09, 2012 to today I added more DXF functionality and
solve several bugs (at least 2 in texts)

3. If you draw in AutoCAD an MTEXT are imported correctly?

4. [I can upload DXF files that work/don't work tomorrow]
Yes, please be very useful

5. Save as DXF v12 using a very, very new master version
In LibreCAD, at the moment only MTEXT are supported.
On read TEXT entities are convert to MTEXT.
On write MTEXT are saved as MTEXT EXCEPT in DXF V12
because it does not exist and are converted to TEXT.

Cheers,
Rallaz

Rallaz

I will upload the rest tomorrow, I am using Ubuntu 64 bit. I will download the latest version in the AM and then upload a DXF from Autocad that works and one from LibreCAD that does not with the same content. I don't think LaserCut 5.3 supports mtext. But will verify tomorrow.

Thanks,

Joe

All:

I wanted to give an update and tell you what I found to work. 1st off - LibreCAD is very good for 2D work. I am very pleased. I updated to 2.03Alpha with updates as soon as they are available. I am running on an Ubuntu machine. I have been able to crash it a few times but that is anticipated with the Alpha release.

The LaserCut 5.3 software is pretty limited. I found that it uses TTF fonts but actually explodes the fonts into lines/arc segments when it inserts text. That was a hint when I saved a DXF out of LaserCut 5.3 and brought it back to LibreCAD.

I then created a DXF with the latest LibreCAD version. I saved it as R12, 2000, and 2007. LaserCut could only recognize the R12 and 2000 versions. I then used the explode text feature of LibreCAD and tried the R12 and 2000 DXFs. It recognized it as text but the fonts were totally messed up. It was interpreting it as some strange font. Finally, I used the explode block feature on the text. When I explode the text using this feature the text is turned into lines/arcs. When I save to R12 or 2000 LaserCut 5.3 can import and access them directly with no issues.

This is a very good work around. I can now use LibreCAD to create and manage drawings for the laser cutter.

Thanks for your help - hopefully someone else will benefit from this.

B/R - Joe.

Hi Jam,

I'm sure you can explode the text entities in LibreCAD to lines.

Several crashes were fixed after 2.0.0alpha3. Please test the current ubuntu PPA version ( http://librecad.org/cms/home/installation/linux.html ). Please report any crash from the current PPA version to our sourceforge bug tracker.

dxli

jam68 wrote

We have a small laser cutter/engraver in our office for simple small jobs. I came across LibreCAD a few weeks ago and decided to try it as a tool to create drawings for cutting/engraving on the laser. This is way more effective than getting the engineering group to create DXF's to move over. LibreCAD is great - I have easily created some test patterns and is ideal for this type of 2D application.

However, when I create a DXF with text the laser cut software drops the text fields. I have tried all types of file formats (I am using a 2.xx version of LibreCAD) and every format does not allow import of the text fields. The laser manufacturer suggested that because the text is defined as a text object we need to define the text outline as a specific color. The laser CAM software uses the edge definition to "calculate the project". They said the alternative is to "explode the text to get line object".

When we create the same drawing in AutoCAD and save as a DXF everything comes through. When I do the same in LibreCAD they do not. The only thing I can find is that the text is a simple single line entry (a TEXT entry) in AutoCAD and in LibreCAD it always (I think) uses a multi-line entry (MTEXT).

The laser software is LaserCut 5.3. Any thoughts on how I can define the text boundary or has anyone experienced something like this when using LibreCAD?

Thanks - JAM

[I can upload DXF files that work/don't work tomorrow]