Importing files into Xenetech software

[Scott Shepherd]

We've got our XOT 16x25 up and running and I'm trying to use the machine more and more now and I got stumped pretty badly yesterday. I have a 400 piece job that requires 2 tools and I drew a sheet full of them in CorelDraw, using two different colors for the different tools.

I saved it as an .eps file and when I imported it into Xenetech's software, it asks me if I want to resize the plate to match the import. If I say yes, it completely changes the size of things, and if I say no, I think it does as well.

For example, I created a 1" sq. in Corel, saved as .eps, imported it into Xenetech and it was not 1". One way, it made it about 6" and change, and the other way, it was 1" and change, off enough to be a problem.

It's all specific sized pieces. I'm cutting dovetail like edges on 3 edges that slide into something, so my fits and sizing need to be exact.

I've never imported anything into the Xenetech before, so I'm stumped here. In my example, I had a box that was about 1" x 4" and it comes in at 4.1" something.

I've racked my brain and I'm stumped. I even tried making the graphics outlined by a 12" x 24" rectangle and then created a 12" x 24" plate and tried importing that, and it still skews the size, it'll make it like 12.045" x 24.080" or something (I don't remember the exact numbers).

Any tips on the best way to accurately get .eps files imported? I've looked through their knowledge base and the manual, but it never mentions anything other than just "doing it" and it working, but that's not happening on my end.

Oh, and before I forget, how in the world do you use set it up for using two tools? Is that even possible? For the samples I had to make, I just made two files and used the different tools for each file.

[Jeanette Brewer]

Steve/Scott,

Good morning! I'm one of the least technical people you know but I know people who can help you! Have you emailed tech support? tech at xenetech dot com

Additionally, I've sent this post to the Engraving Concepts team. One of those guys (including Jimmy DuBose, who works for us now -- previously with Xenetech for nearly 20 years!) will have some advice for you soon...

[Tony Lenkic]

Steve,

I've had better results using copy/paste feature.

Once you have your drawing completed draw a rubber box around it so you can use it as a sizing points.
Select all in Corel and go to XGW , got to file/paste and it will ask you for a name to save as logo.
drag your mouse to place image on work page. Set right and left margins to 0.0 and you can now size work file with size of the rubber box.
Now under color go to explode poly vectors and it will brake them apart. Here you can now change the color to suite two tools you will use.
After you change the colors you can go to layers and freeze one of them and drag/select the other one and go to colors/sort/combine. Do the same with the other color (sort/combine.
With two colors machine will run first one and pause for you to change tool. Order of colors are defined under layers top one Black to bottom one white but you can change the order as well.

Hope this will help.

[Randy Allen]

Steve, Tony suggestions are good ones.

Copy & Paste is works best for me.

When you click PASTE, XGW will prompt you to convert the object to an .XLG Logo.
Once you have the pasted objects in the XGW Window, adjust margins to Zero, as Tony suggested.
With the object selected:
- change the letter height to adjust the height of the logo/object.
- change the left/right margins to zero.
- also, at bottom of tool kit, change line width to adjust the width of the logo/object.

Or, you could Copy & Paste each tool separately, and XGW will prompt you to make each one of those tools an .XLG Logo.
Then you can click the L icon to bring the Logo onto plate as needed and make adjustments with the tips above.

HTH,
Randy Allen

Steve,

I've had better results using copy/paste feature.

Once you have your drawing completed draw a rubber box around it so you can use it as a sizing points.
Select all in Corel and go to XGW , got to file/paste and it will ask you for a name to save as logo.
drag your mouse to place image on work page. Set right and left margins to 0.0 and you can now size work file with size of the rubber box.
Now under color go to explode poly vectors and it will brake them apart. Here you can now change the color to suite two tools you will use.
After you change the colors you can go to layers and freeze one of them and drag/select the other one and go to colors/sort/combine. Do the same with the other color (sort/combine.
With two colors machine will run first one and pause for you to change tool. Order of colors are defined under layers top one Black to bottom one white but you can change the order as well.

Hope this will help.

[Barb Macdonald]

I always exported out of Corel as a plt. If you export it full size, bring it in at half-size, and then scale up. Make sure whichever way you check the box (sometimes one way works, sometimes the other) is the one you want
Good luck, and good grief, I actually had an answer!
(Hi Tony!!)

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks Everyone! I'll give those things a shot. The computer has Corel 8 on it, and I drew the items in X5, saved it down to V8 and I couldn't get it to open, it just showed a giant gray box that said something like "Saved in CorelDraw X5". Of course I was in crisis mode when this was all happening so I didn't have time to step back and fix any of the issues, I just had to muscle through it to get the samples to the customer and I was running out of time.

Now that the samples are done, I'll upgrade Corel, and print off the techniques here and get familiar with them.

Thanks!

[Tony Lenkic]

Hi Barb,

Good to see you log in on SMC. Hope all is well.
Best regards.

[Tony Lenkic]

Steve,

Try to import as EPS in Corel 8.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks Tony, I'll try that. Can't wait to get this thing really running!