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Thread: Corel X4: How to convert text to single vector line?

  1. #1

    Red face Corel X4: How to convert text to single vector line?

    I want to convert text, any font, it don't matter, into a single vector line instead of an outlines font, to engrave simple marks without rastering, or the complete inside and outside outlines that it does to text when you delete fill and turn on outline.

    Right now the way I do it is to draw vector lines to build text, but if I could just type text (like the arial font) and convert to single line vector, that would be great!

    Anyone know how?

    Thanks,
    Robert Ray

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
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    7,630
    I think if there was a way one of us would have found it before...

    so probably not. There are some single line fonts for vector engraving,
    some are in this thread

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/psfonts.zip

    Since they are used by CNC people and rotary engravers, you can try looking for fonts for those and see if they can be used.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  3. #3
    Does the recently reinstated 'centreline trace' not work? I am still on X3, so can't tell from here.

  4. #4
    Thanks Joe, I tried those fonts and there is one that is thin enough, so I will test it.

    I posted the question to Corel also, and they said to install the Engravers fonts on the X4 DVD, but they are too thick still.

    I tried to do a centerline trace over text, but trace stuff is grayed out because the text is not a bitmap.

    -Robert

  5. #5
    Can you convert text to a bitmap in the CONVERT TO BITMAP bit?

  6. #6

    x4 has single line fonts

    Maybe not what you are looking for but, I've got the latest flyer from Epilog in front of me now and it lists 10 new Fonts that are single line in x4.
    "No man is a failure who has friends." -Clarence

    I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain




    Anthony Welch
    Laurel,MS
    Skype: kemosabe62

    Epilog Legend EX 45watt, Corel Draw 12 & x3, Photograv, Wacom tablet 4x5, ShopBot PRS96x48 w/spindle, airbrush and shop full of tools.

  7. #7
    And no, you can't just type a font in older versions Corel and convert it to a single line font.
    Last edited by Mike Null; 05-12-2008 at 7:28 AM. Reason: correction
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  8. #8
    I installed those 10 new Engravers fonts last night, and they are thin, but not really single line fonts. To be fair, I have not tried to engrave with them yet, but I will try tonight just to be sure.

    What I did do was look over them all, and one of them kind of resembles an arial font. I forget it's name right now, but the font name starts with the letter M, when you view it.

    I tried to convert to curves, and it also has an outline.

    Now one of the fonts that Joe posted a link to looks like a true single line font. When I try to zoom into it, the text disappears, and the whole line of text turns into a single black filled circle? Weird, but it looks like it will work.

    As far as converting text to a bitmap, I did not see that feature yet, so I will take a closer look tonight.

    Right now I have to play musical Rofin's, and swap out 3 big lasers. These lasers are 3' x 7' x 6' 3500 watt beasts getting replaced with 4000 watt monsters, and have their own CO2 gas bottles plumbed up to them for their every 72 hour gas change.

    -Robert Ray

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    Cape Town, South Africa
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    If you have Autocad , which , if you are running large scale lasers , I assume you do, then you have a LOT of fonts in shx format that are single line , if you dont , you can get em off the net.
    You can do one of 2 things, either engrave directly off Acad , or use the explode text in Acad to convert the SHX to lines and arcs and export to corel. Whether you can explode the SHX font directly in ACAD depends on what version you have , but there is a LISP routine in bonus files, available to do it from ver 14 called txtexp.lsp
    I have a package I wrote called Starfont that allows you to type vector based fonts in acad including a lot of single line ones, I wrote it for very early versions , 9 and below. Havent used it in years tho
    Alternatively , you can spend $79 and purchase this
    http://www.mr-clipart.com/int/produk...eline_font.php
    Just be aware that with single line fonts and a laser there are issues, firstly the line width is as thin as a hair , thus they are sometimes unreadable
    secondly you will have ramping issues on corners, curves and start and end points , your savings in cycle times using single lines might not be worth it
    Last edited by Rodne Gold; 05-07-2008 at 11:34 AM.
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Ray View Post
    I installed those 10 new Engravers fonts last night, and they are thin, but not really single line fonts.
    Robert,
    CorelDRAW simply can't handle anything but an out line font.
    Corel's "engraving fonts" are made to look like the fonts used on a mechanical engraver but they are *not* single line fonts.

    I use the Xenetech engraving software when I really need single line font, but I think all engraving programs will run your laser. In case you don't have aCAD(to take advantage of Rodney's suggestion) SignLab, Flexi and other similar programs for signmaking and routing also have single line fonts and will output to a printer(your laser).
    Roy Brewer[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Epilog/Control Laser/Roland engravers/Xenetech

  11. #11
    Roy

    I read the same promo on X4 as somebody else and recall the item about single line fonts being included.

    Are you saying that was not accurate info?
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    I read the same promo on X4 as somebody else and recall the item about single line fonts being included.

    Are you saying that was not accurate info?
    Mike
    While I'm very impressed and appreciative of Corel Corp trying to do something just because engravers asked, they never have quite understood what it is we want. What they are calling Engraving fonts are made to look like they were done with a diamond drag tool; if there was really anyone who needs that, we've got it!

    To say that a different way, there are a couple of the Engraving Fonts in X4 that will look like a sinlgle line font done on a mechanical engraver. All of these fonts are outline fonts with the outlines very tight; so we still have the double pass(at best) and at least slightly larger stroke and we still cannot, therefore, use corel to create the text for a router/rotary system (control panel requiring tiny letters deep engraved in SS, e.g.).

    Those of us who previously used Designer for this function were ecstatic when Corel purchased Designer because we felt sure that function was one they would integrate into Draw. Instead, they took it out of Designer (so they could say "Must not be possible, because no other Drawing program does it!)!
    Roy Brewer[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Epilog/Control Laser/Roland engravers/Xenetech

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922
    There must be some type of program that can build TT fonts from drawings, if so , it would not be difficult to actually create single line fonts
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Slippery Rock, PA
    Posts
    556

    single line fonts

    Here is the link from the CNC site that has the link to single line fonts

    hope I didn't break any rules by copy and paste.

    http://www.2linc.com/engraving_products.htm

    ken

    have not used them myself but Steve has.
    Epilog Laser, CNC equipment, Corel X3 & 4, Aspire

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Suquamish, WA
    Posts
    125

    converting text to vector lines

    Robert

    My machine is down to be moved so I can't check if it runs correctly. (It should) Give this a try......

    Convert your text to curves then set the fill to none and the outline to hairline. Use the Smartfill tool to fill each letter. To keep the kerning as it is select each letter with the shift key down and move your new letters away and delete the originals. Reset your new letters to no fill and hairline for an outline. Each letter is now a single curve and should vector just fine. Probably want to group them so the kerning doesn't change at this point. I use this method for working with dxf and eps files to eliminate all kinds of problems. I'll check in a day or so to make sure it works. Let me know if it is successful.
    Duane
    Suquamish, WA
    Epilog Legend 36EXT 75 Watt
    CorelDraw 2.0 thru X7

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