Poll: Multi-color windscreen lights with brake and reverse
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
I'm downloading the LEADTools trial version now. Every program I've come across so far has been able to read or write EPS or DXF/DWG file formats, but not both in the same package.
i've got a number of tools/software as well at home, and i can look to see what sorts of cross conversions can be done. i have AutoCAD R14 myself (and may have 2000), and also have a full version of Visio Pro, which i believe can do some interesting conversions...
perhaps the trick is going to be to get this from EPS to TIFF and then from TIFF to a vector format, and then whatever vector format to DWG. of course, whenever you start doing all those conversions, nasty little things show up that you don't expect...
btw - did i just get my first corner?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Columbia, MD
Way ahead of you, PJ....I decided to make a HUGE .gif file out of the logos since Paint Shop Pro can at least import .eps files.
Second step, import the .gif into a raster to vector converter and save as a DXF file. There's a slight problem at this stage. I first tried the demo version of Vextractor (a surprisingly good program, by the way), but much to my surprise the "Save" function in the demo puts their logo ALL OVER the resulting vector file. OK, I move to WinTopo and it refuses to do a good job of the conversion, leaving out all horizontal lines (looks like their edge detection is foobared). Still looking for a good RtoV proggy.
Third stage, load the resultant DXF file back into Paint Shop Pro to check it for errors. Ship it off to the etchers.
I'm sure I can get this one taken car of tonight if I can just find a decent RtoV proggy...I'll do some more serious Google searching if packing doesn't take over my night.
Second step, import the .gif into a raster to vector converter and save as a DXF file. There's a slight problem at this stage. I first tried the demo version of Vextractor (a surprisingly good program, by the way), but much to my surprise the "Save" function in the demo puts their logo ALL OVER the resulting vector file. OK, I move to WinTopo and it refuses to do a good job of the conversion, leaving out all horizontal lines (looks like their edge detection is foobared). Still looking for a good RtoV proggy.
Third stage, load the resultant DXF file back into Paint Shop Pro to check it for errors. Ship it off to the etchers.
I'm sure I can get this one taken car of tonight if I can just find a decent RtoV proggy...I'll do some more serious Google searching if packing doesn't take over my night.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,584
Likes: 1
From: Baton Rouge, LA
[QUOTE]Originally posted by MacGyver
[B]Way ahead of you, PJ....I decided to make a HUGE .gif file out of the logos since Paint Shop Pro can at least import .eps files.
Second step, import the .gif into a raster to vector converter and save as a DXF file.
[B]Way ahead of you, PJ....I decided to make a HUGE .gif file out of the logos since Paint Shop Pro can at least import .eps files.
Second step, import the .gif into a raster to vector converter and save as a DXF file.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
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From: Columbia, MD
YES!!!!!
Well, uhm, sort of...I have to wait until tomorrow to see if the etcher can read my files. I switched over to DXF from DWG in the hopes the files were a bit more universal.
My process is now using Paint Shop Pro to create a TIFF file, AlgoLab Conversion Toolkit to vectorize the TIFF file and save it as DXF, then JETCAM DXF Viewer for the final output check. While I can't blindly assume the file is OK just because it shows up in the viewer correctly, I would say it's a safe bet.
Well, uhm, sort of...I have to wait until tomorrow to see if the etcher can read my files. I switched over to DXF from DWG in the hopes the files were a bit more universal.
My process is now using Paint Shop Pro to create a TIFF file, AlgoLab Conversion Toolkit to vectorize the TIFF file and save it as DXF, then JETCAM DXF Viewer for the final output check. While I can't blindly assume the file is OK just because it shows up in the viewer correctly, I would say it's a safe bet.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Columbia, MD
SUCCESS (uh, well....to some degree...I guess....<sigh>)!!!
They can finally open the files and he says they look good. But for whatever reason they can't assign a cutting path to the vectors for the CNC machine. Well, that's a problem THEY have to resolve, not me, so for the moment my part is done. I'm hoping they resolve this one quickly so I can get some screens wired up.
They can finally open the files and he says they look good. But for whatever reason they can't assign a cutting path to the vectors for the CNC machine. Well, that's a problem THEY have to resolve, not me, so for the moment my part is done. I'm hoping they resolve this one quickly so I can get some screens wired up.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Columbia, MD
All right, they figured out what the issue was with the file, so I won't have that problem again. He tells me that I should have some etched screens in my hands by mid-day tomorrow to play with
Just in case anyone was wondering (and since they can't actually see me), I'm doing the little happy dance around my office right now
g-s2k, our illustrious New England chapter president, is getting his etched with the New England S2000 Owners club logo (which includes some cool stylistic letters/numbers and the start button for the 'O'), and it's a PERFECT candidate for color. If I can convince him to allow it, I'll paint it in and use it for my flagship product
Just in case anyone was wondering (and since they can't actually see me), I'm doing the little happy dance around my office right now
g-s2k, our illustrious New England chapter president, is getting his etched with the New England S2000 Owners club logo (which includes some cool stylistic letters/numbers and the start button for the 'O'), and it's a PERFECT candidate for color. If I can convince him to allow it, I'll paint it in and use it for my flagship product
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
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From: Columbia, MD
You know, if this is what being in business for yourself means, I'm ready to go work for someone else again 
Just got back from the etchers...I was led to believe they would laser etch the screens, but come to find out it's milled, so no shiny, pretty edges.
Next, I was hoping for a simple design session...this is what I want it to look like, here are the dimensions, go to it. Wrong! Because it's milled, they're using large bits, which means they can't do some of the finer cuts that I requested without charging me an arm and a leg. The price for the screens just doubled from their original estimate.
I'm not a happy camper right now, and I'm considering buying the screens I need for the local guys and calling it quits with this company. I don't think they were as proactive as they could have been (I never received return emails, and I had to call all the time just to get them working on it), I had multiple issues with the drawing formats (talk about limiting the customer to a narrow range), and now they're jacking up the price (double the original estimate). When I balked at the price they said they would try to work with me, but come ON! this is NOT a complicated design here, and the issues I had with the logos alone made me want to find someone more capable. I'm damn tempted just to build my own router table and be done with it.
Just got back from the etchers...I was led to believe they would laser etch the screens, but come to find out it's milled, so no shiny, pretty edges.
Next, I was hoping for a simple design session...this is what I want it to look like, here are the dimensions, go to it. Wrong! Because it's milled, they're using large bits, which means they can't do some of the finer cuts that I requested without charging me an arm and a leg. The price for the screens just doubled from their original estimate.
I'm not a happy camper right now, and I'm considering buying the screens I need for the local guys and calling it quits with this company. I don't think they were as proactive as they could have been (I never received return emails, and I had to call all the time just to get them working on it), I had multiple issues with the drawing formats (talk about limiting the customer to a narrow range), and now they're jacking up the price (double the original estimate). When I balked at the price they said they would try to work with me, but come ON! this is NOT a complicated design here, and the issues I had with the logos alone made me want to find someone more capable. I'm damn tempted just to build my own router table and be done with it.
