Re: [Inkscape-devel] File Export (Save-As) Tests for v0.47
On 31/7/09 22:18, Tavmjong Bah wrote:
.dfx: Generic AutoCAD export failed to load (see .ai).
- missing helper_extension 'org.inkscape.output.ps'
(related bug #407215 https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/407215) proposed fix: in dxf_output.inx s/org.inkscape.output.ps/org.inkscape.print.ps.cairo/
the 'AutoCAD DXF (*.dxf)'output extension is loaded and creates DXF output if pstoedit is installed, though I cannot get pstoedit to create DXF files that can be re-imported in Inkscape (on OS X 10.5.7, pstoedit 3.45).
This seems to work but it calls up the PostScript output dialog which I am not sure is the best. Qcad does read the output dxf OK. Tested on Fedora 11 with today's svn.
AFAIU pstoedit depends on the intermediary .ps format as inkscape output because it does the conversion ps->dxf. Latest version of pstoedit 3.45 is from September 2007.
Maybe the helper_extension could to be changed like the one used for the 'print preview' which doesn't prompt for PDF output options either (or does 'print preview' use Postscript output?). Using 'org.inkscape.print.ps' instead of 'org.inkscape.print.ps.cairo' doesn't work although it's defined in src/extension/extension.h.
Or there are other cross-platform converters available that can do it in one step: svg->dxf (besides Alvins enhanced dxf_outlines.py extension)?
~suv
just a few comments on dxf:
- the pstoedit program produces .dxf output according to AutoCAD Release 12 format. - the .dxf input routine in Inkscape reads only AutoCAD Release 13 format. - the level of compatibility between these two AutoCAD Releases is quite poor, so normally a pstoedit .dxf output will probably not be readable by Inkscape. - QCad can often be used to convert between the two .dxf formats, since the default output in QCad is Release 13 or newer.
- with respect to the ROBOMaster dxf output option, it should be used only if using a ROBOMaster. The output will not be readable by Inkscape. If you do not use the ROBOMaster option, then the Inkscape Desktop Cutting Plotter .dxf output should be readable by Inkscape.
On 1/8/09 00:18, Alvin Penner wrote:
just a few comments on dxf:
- the pstoedit program produces .dxf output according to AutoCAD Release 12
format.
- the .dxf input routine in Inkscape reads only AutoCAD Release 13 format.
- the level of compatibility between these two AutoCAD Releases is quite
poor, so normally a pstoedit .dxf output will probably not be readable by Inkscape.
- QCad can often be used to convert between the two .dxf formats, since the
default output in QCad is Release 13 or newer.
- with respect to the ROBOMaster dxf output option, it should be used only
if using a ROBOMaster. The output will not be readable by Inkscape. If you do not use the ROBOMaster option, then the Inkscape Desktop Cutting Plotter .dxf output should be readable by Inkscape.
Thank you for the explanations - now I understand why Inkscape wouldn't import previously exported AutoCAD DXF test drawings - and I already wanted to blame pstoedit ;-(
Couldn't your comments be added to the import/export dialogs for *.dxf (as info-about-tab or tooltips)?
~suv
~suv-2 wrote:
and I already wanted to blame pstoedit ;-(
well, one could, sort of... as far as I can tell, AutoCAD Release 12 was issued in June 1992, so it deserves to be retired for good.
as to documentation, that's a good point. My excuse so far has been that there are two entirely distinct communities out there. There are hard-core AutoCAD users who incidentally want to use Inkscape input to make their drawings look nice, and there are hard-core scrapbookers who incidentally need to get an output from Inkscape. I don't think they are aware of each others' existence, so the question of making round-trips with data doesn't really arise, except here.
however, I'll think about it next week when I'm on vacation, with no email...
On 1/8/09 01:13, Alvin Penner wrote:
as to documentation, that's a good point. My excuse so far has been that there are two entirely distinct communities out there. There are hard-core AutoCAD users who incidentally want to use Inkscape input to make their drawings look nice, and there are hard-core scrapbookers who incidentally need to get an output from Inkscape. I don't think they are aware of each others' existence, so the question of making round-trips with data doesn't really arise, except here.
A third 'community' reads the source code ;-) What about adding a minimal documentation to dxf_outlines.py - for those who want to know? Bug #192923 and #293940 are too long to read for a quick intro to the basic functionality and grasping the differences to the older dxf_output.inx extension.
however, I'll think about it next week when I'm on vacation, with no email...
Enjoy!
~suv
somewhat OT, but I have one final quibble concerning uniconvertor: on Windows XP I have uniconvertor 1.1.3. If I generate a .PLT output, I get an .svg format file but it has a .PLT extension. There is no indication that the extension has failed. This is potentially very annoying for someone who cannot tell the difference between .svg and .plt
participants (2)
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Alvin Penner
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~suv