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DWD
02-16-2007, 12:02 PM
I am not sure if I am having a senior moment or a brain flatulent.
:oops:
I have a project that I am trying to create an outline and cutpath. I have clicked on tools and the outline selection is not highlighted. I used the tree sign that was provided in the forum.

HandTurnedMaple
02-16-2007, 01:14 PM
Please post a .mpc file of what you are working on.

BobHill
02-16-2007, 01:24 PM
DWD,

Some images need to be worked in something like PhotoShop in order to get "hard" enough edges for the Outline Pattern to recognize the entire outline. In this case it's just not there, so unless you take the image back into PhotoShop, you'd have to use the manual Vector tools to create your own outline path, such as I've started in th attached JPEG. It was the Bonsi tree you were using, wasn't it? In any case the same facts hold true if the auto Outline Pattern just isn't capturing it all.

Where I've used the Connected Line tool, others may use the Spline tool, bye the way. A matter of habit on my part, as that's how I do it in CorelDraw or Xara (or Illustrator)

Bob Hill
Tampa Florida

DWD
02-16-2007, 02:39 PM
I realized that the lines were not connected correctly/completely. I have been attempting to create the cut path with the connected line tool and the arc tool. I guess I am a little shaky, I got the outline I wanted but it was skewed a bit. I am currently working on one doing it on the top and then closing with the mirror option. Its difficult not having a vector tool.

I am using the lines existing as a template and then I will delete the originals.

DWD
02-16-2007, 03:37 PM
In this example I created the top and then used the mirror tool to create the bottom half. I then made sure the intersection points 'flared' .

For some reason the software does not see this as a closed line.

Greybeard
02-16-2007, 03:56 PM
I'm not certain about this, DWD, but you seem to have grouped the top half, then mirrored it. I think this is the source of the problem.
When you mirrored it, it became part of the group, and I suspect (but don't know for certain) that you can't join the vertices at the ends of the line whilst they're grouped.
I suggest you start over, and mirror the top without grouping it, then go all the way round joining up the vertices as you go.

Unless you can "ungroup" - something I haven't tried yet.

John

DWD
02-16-2007, 04:27 PM
I drew the top parts and mirrored each part (connected line and arc). I then brought each of the vertices together until I got the flare. Then grouped them.

Greybeard
02-16-2007, 04:29 PM
Now I'm stumped. :(
John
Edit
Do they need to be grouped ?

Jeff_Birt
02-16-2007, 04:33 PM
When you connect mirrored objects they do not act as a single object (they are still shoen as two seprate objects in teh carving list). Therefor you cannot perform a cut operation as it is not a closed path. This stinks and I hope it gets fixed in the next SW revision. It's at the top of the Designer widh list thread in the SW forum.

DWD
02-16-2007, 04:44 PM
Thanks all, what I will do is use the connected lines tool and do the lines and then the arc tool to do the rest. That should do the trick.

Thanks again Dan

Greybeard
02-16-2007, 04:47 PM
I've just had a go at drawing it, and suggest the following.
Start by using the grid to guide your drawing, and work your way round, joining each segment to the next as you go. That way you avoid the need to use the mirroring, which is fine for working with patterns from the library, but as Jeff has just pointed out, messes up when you use the line tools.
John

ooops, you beat me to it :D

Baron Richard
02-17-2007, 08:19 AM
I'm having a similar problem with a shape I created: I started out with a spline for the handle, copy, pasted, flipped left->right for the other half and moved so that the bottom vert's linked, then drew an arc for the top half of the shape making sure it closes. The Designer software then made it into one big spline like shape for me (I didn't do any grouping commands that I remember), but I can't make it into a cut path. I was able to draw over the design with one big spline and get a cut path, but the curve on the top isn't a nice as the Arc tool creates. Any suggestions?

Greybeard
02-17-2007, 10:14 AM
Richard, the mpc you've posted is an open path at the bottom of the handle. The vertex there is not closed.
Is this what you meant ?
I've tried to find any mention in the help files of how to close a spline path, but can't I'm afraid.
John

DWD
02-17-2007, 10:33 PM
The way I resolved my problem follows. I used two tools, the line tool and the arc tool.

I started by drawing two parallel lines of equal length.
Next I used the arc tool and placed a node at the one end of the lines and created an arc.
I did the same thing to the other end.

Next by holding down on the shift key and clicking on each of the elements they all high lighted. At this point on some of the nodes I could actually see two red dots. By clicking and moving the dots they showed a little burst of color when they were paired up. I went round to each of them until I saw the 'burst of light' At this time only one image showed up in the elements list and I was able to get a cut path.

Unfortunately after all the work when I went to upload it I got a error message saying i could not cut this out. Have not resolved that yout.

Dan

Greybeard
02-18-2007, 03:50 AM
Your method seems spot on. I can only assume you have a cantankerous gremlin that wanted you to do something else at the time. :)

Regards
John