Single-Stroke font program hunting ...

[Rich Harman]

I think I'd have the same issues I do now, it would still trace it twice. That page says your router will trace them twice, Gary pointed out why. That's what's got me looking outside Corel.

Is there such a thing as a font that is truly a single line, that can be used in place of standard fonts?

The work-around of exporting, then removing the duplicate lines only takes a minute - unless you don't have a simple way to get rid of duplicate lines. LaserWorks does have an easy way to remove duplicate lines but surely other lasers must have something similar...

[Eric Allen]

I'm entertaining that route, the parts I currently do won't support the expense so those new lines of business would have to open up rather quickly. I'd like to stay married For now I'm hoping to nail down a software because it's probably out there, just buried under a lot of hassle to find. I only need a slight improvement to make them better, I believe a single-stroke font would do the trick. Mike Null has a fiber project brewing that I've put my name in on, just have to see what he's cooking up and the time frame, for now software will have to do. A very nice guy at livinfrared said a meniscus lens might give me a little improvement because the plano-convex used is sloppy by comparison, but before I plunk down $250 for a lens I'd like to be sure it's a solution. I'm fairly certain software will get the job done cheaper, just need to find the right one.

What material are you marking? if it's something a fiber could handle then you might want to consider a new machine for this purpose. Even as basic as the software is that came with my fiber, it can handle auto-generating serial numbers and it has stick/single line fonts just for this purpose. It's not an inconsequential purchase, but it could take a time consuming job and streamline it considerably as well as open up lots of new business. Just a thought.

[Rich Harman]

Is there such a thing as a font that is truly a single line, that can be used in place of standard fonts?

So to answer my own question, no. There does seem to exist single stroke fonts that will trace only once, but they require the program to accept them, they are not universal.

From OneLineFonts.com;

Each font/s you purchase will include 4 TTF font files:

1. Universal- The universal font format has curved single line shapes designed to have minimal lifts, but your machine will likely trace the path twice. This format should work with most programs.
2. SP- The 'SP' format will contain (SP) in the name, for straight path, is more specialized and is designed to trace the path only once. The SP format does require that curves be made up of lines, and thus far has been confirmed to be effective in Camworks^® and SolidCam.
3. OC- The 'OC' format for open curve uses bezier curves & traces only once. It requires that the software provider make a simple adjustment to ensure that the 'OC' font files are rendered correctly. FeatureCAM 2014, Make the Cut, Rhinoceros^®, Text Sketcher^®, SolidWorks 2014, Visualmill^®, & WoodWOP2014currently have a "single line font" feature that will correctly draw this font format.
4. OPF- The .opf (open path) font extension is recognized only by Make The Cut^® to have a clean single line font with curved lines that only trace once.

[Eric Allen]

There are truly single line fonts, but nothing that Corel can use directly. You would think Epilog being as large as they are would have an option like that, but I'm not aware of anything in the driver. I've hunted around and come up empty, doubtless others have as well since this is an ongoing issue for many of us. I suppose I'll have to ask just on the chance it can work out, what is the full process for the workaround that you're referencing?

Is there such a thing as a font that is truly a single line, that can be used in place of standard fonts?

The work-around of exporting, then removing the duplicate lines only takes a minute - unless you don't have a simple way to get rid of duplicate lines. LaserWorks does have an easy way to remove duplicate lines but surely other lasers must have something similar...

[Tony Lenkic]

Eric,

Call up Lamro LLC. They have written the fonts for many rotary engravers and those are single line for sure.
I can use Xenetech single line font and send it to laser to vector mark. I avoid doing this since fonts are poorly made (broken lines in many cases). Lamro may have better set for this application.

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Folks;
I would really appreciate someone taking a moment and explain what the problem is. Attached is a small Corel file (X4) with Sawmill Creek spelled in three different CamBam fonts. If I set the line thickness to hairline I can vector engrave them on my conventional, western type, RF Laserpro machine. If I change the thickness to say,2 pt, I can scan engrave them on the same machine. If I export the file as an AI file to my Chinese machine, again I can vector engrave them. I really do not understand what the issue is- unless someone wants a different font type.

[Rich Harman]

There are truly single line fonts, but nothing that Corel can use directly.

My point was that there are no single line fonts that can be used just like a standard TTF - they have limited applications.

You would think Epilog being as large as they are would have an option like that, but I'm not aware of anything in the driver. I've hunted around and come up empty, doubtless others have as well since this is an ongoing issue for many of us. I suppose I'll have to ask just on the chance it can work out, what is the full process for the workaround that you're referencing?

Export as curves to a dxf, import into LaserWorks, select the graphic, click "Handle", "Delete Overlap", then change the tolerance if you need to (I never have) and click "Okay".

This thread has some discussion on deleting duplicate lines in Corel and AutoCad;

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-in-a-document

[Rich Harman]

... I can vector engrave them on my conventional, western type, RF Laserpro machine. If I change the thickness to say,2 pt, I can scan engrave them on the same machine. If I export the file as an AI file to my Chinese machine, again I can vector engrave them. I really do not understand what the issue is- unless someone wants a different font type.

When you vector, does it trace the lines twice?

[Kev Williams]

Nobody will like this fix: Gravostyle... Do all of your text layout and editing work in Gravostyle then just export the whole job as a DXF into Corel.

I suppose autocad programs can do this, but no one has a bigger selection of single-line fonts than New Hermes, and Gravostyle is pretty easy once you figure it out, it's not much different than Corel. (I've never found Autocad to be anything BUT a complete pain to figure out)

The main issue with Gravostyle is money- it iisn't cheap, although I'm sure used copies can be bought for a decent price. For simple text purposes, any 'discovery' version will be fine. The fonts themselves aren't free either unfortunately, although several come standard...

[William Adams]

Inkscape has support for the (single-stroke) Hershey fonts: http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2011...graving-fonts/

[Bill George]

That might be worth pursuing, I have AutoDesk 360 but it's overly complicated for my present skillset. If AutoCAD is under the same free licensing for students and small cap businesses, it could work out. I'm trying LibreCAD at the moment, so far the fonts tested aren't vectoring and the process of creating objects and such isn't native to my way of thinking. One of the other tricky parts has been identifying which fonts are "stick fonts", people referencing them aren't calling them single-stroke fonts, but searching for it hasn't brought up a list of the ones that supposedly are.

I downloaded and tried LibreCAD for maybe an hour or so and ended up with QCAD. They have two versions the limited one called the trial or community software and the Pro version which I purchased and I think it was $37 USD. It has single line fonts as well as the AutoCAD LT 2008 package.
I just used QCAD and the CourierCAD font one of the single line fonts that came with it, sure looks like single line to me. Exported as a SVG instead of DXF to see and it went right into Corel X6. Not sure if it will engrave as a vector font as my machine is out in the cold shop and I would normally use VCarve Pro to test, but its not on this laptop. Might give it a try tomorrow.

[Eric Allen]

This looked really promising, and it was in keeping with the original criteria for the post. I tried a few test runs, it didn't work to vector. Tried pushing the "line weight" way down, since it appears to alter the line thickness. It was well within the Epilog driver limits of size for vectoring but didn't vector, just raster. Not sure if that's the font itself, or some other issue that I'm just not familiar enough with QCAD to solve. I'll be interested to see your results and any ideas you may have on this one.

I downloaded and tried LibreCAD for maybe an hour or so and ended up with QCAD. They have two versions the limited one called the trial or community software and the Pro version which I purchased and I think it was $37 USD. It has single line fonts as well as the AutoCAD LT 2008 package.
I just used QCAD and the CourierCAD font one of the single line fonts that came with it, sure looks like single line to me. Exported as a SVG instead of DXF to see and it went right into Corel X6. Not sure if it will engrave as a vector font as my machine is out in the cold shop and I would normally use VCarve Pro to test, but its not on this laptop. Might give it a try tomorrow.

[Eric Allen]

I actually spoke to a Gravo rep who recommended against purchasing the software. He said that in some way it was blocked from functioning by Epilog, although I'm starting to suspect it may be an output issue rather than direct blocking. I find it more likely that the driver just doesn't understand the output correctly, as Epilog has no stake in Corel that I'm aware of. I do understand your export idea, it just doesn't meet the one-shot design and print criteria I'm aiming for. I'm thinking in this big-ole world of software, it's out there, figured our forum could find it if anyone can

Nobody will like this fix: Gravostyle... Do all of your text layout and editing work in Gravostyle then just export the whole job as a DXF into Corel.

I suppose autocad programs can do this, but no one has a bigger selection of single-line fonts than New Hermes, and Gravostyle is pretty easy once you figure it out, it's not much different than Corel. (I've never found Autocad to be anything BUT a complete pain to figure out)

The main issue with Gravostyle is money- it iisn't cheap, although I'm sure used copies can be bought for a decent price. For simple text purposes, any 'discovery' version will be fine. The fonts themselves aren't free either unfortunately, although several come standard...

[Bill George]

Well when I did an export out of QCAD with DXF into Corel X6 it kept wanting to substitute fonts. When I did it as a SVG there was none of that nonsense. It came in as lines, and I changed the line weight to "Hairline" and the color to one of the ones ULS uses. In my ULS printer driver that color is set as vector only, so it will either be done as vector... or not at all.
I will head out later this afternoon to try. Taking it a little easy today as I had some minor surgery yesterday.

[Eric Allen]

No rush, I was looking for a program that doesn't involve create and export, just create and print to the laser driver. It's amazing what a chore that is, I'm starting to suspect the driver as the restricting factor since no CAD program I have tried to date vectors. A point of interest though, they do raster, so that's strange if it was the driver ...

Well when I did an export out of QCAD with DXF into Corel X6 it kept wanting to substitute fonts. When I did it as a SVG there was none of that nonsense. It came in as lines, and I changed the line weight to "Hairline" and the color to one of the ones ULS uses. In my ULS printer driver that color is set as vector only, so it will either be done as vector... or not at all.
I will head out later this afternoon to try. Taking it a little easy today as I had some minor surgery yesterday.