Loading DXF error (RESOLVED)

[Gazza]

looking at bencut page ..
I think I / we need to adjust the size of it.
By this I mean the working area so it can load in said files which in 99% of us users
by that I mean it need to accommodate a size of up to 1220mm X 800
this is the Max size of europe FOAM BOARD while in this case we can load in Depron
which is 995m X 695mm
both of which are 5mm thick
below are the files we all swop around with.
So to sell BEN CUT to all us modellers we need this to work with these files...
They NEED TO LOAD just by clicking on the file

hope that helps you out more
ohh next thing HOME... is set where ..
like looking at your computer screen is home set to TL ...BL   etc ( top left.. bottom left )
think 90% home is always TL ..well ours is ..LOL





Regards Gary

[ggallant571]

I think your assumptions and demands are completely wrong:

1. The shapes in your dxf file are larger than the typical laser cutter. 1220 x 800 is not one of them
2. 99% of us use BCL as a tool and we fit the data as needed.
3. There is NO standard burn area.
 
If your data file reflected the physical reality of the laser cutter, BLC would move the cutting head at the requested speed and regulated power to the laser. I do not know if someone built a 10 x 10 meter cutting box that BCL would scale to those dimensions but it works on the typical desktop cutters used by 99.99% of this forums users.

If you want something more then build it yourself and listen to the end users bitch.
 

[Administrator]

You can set your work area size to anything your laser supports. See attachment.

All of the CAD programs I've ever used (6 plus) have the home (0,0) in the lower left corner of the work area. You might be able to change that inside those programs but I've never looked because I've never had the need to do that.

Having home at the top/left corner seems strange to me, but if that is what you want, look around and see if you can find a CAM software program for lasers that supports that capability. I recall awhile back that T2 may support that I'm not 100% sure. Maybe @Zax or someone else can jump in and confirm that or not.

Changing the home location is not easy to do because you might also have to tell your firmware and your positive/negative values have to be reversed in the CAM software. You cannot just change your CAD software and go! Everything else has to also be sunc'd with that. It's not easy to do, but it can be done. BCL won't be getting that capability since it represents a lot of work and, after a year on the market, your the first user to ask for it. So, it's not a cost-effective change for me to make. The change would touch a lot of the existing g-code generation code.

BTW BCL has model airplane builders successfully using BCL software to cut ribs and other parts.

[Administrator]

@Gazza

Apparently you're not reading my posts. I told you that your dxf file won't load into BCL because it's format is too old. I also told you how to fix that, but you didn't do it. You uploaded your older dxf format version for me to look at. My BCL is the same as yours so I can't load an older format dxf file either!

I did load your dxf file into QCAD and you have not set your unit of measurements. See attachment. This needs to be done. I'm assuming your working in MM? 90% of users who have dxf file 'problems' have them because they have not set their units. While this is not an issue with you, you still need to set your units in your CAD program: MM or Inches.

Also, while in QCAD I did a file save as and saved your file in an updated dxf format (greater than R18 as I've already told you) and it loaded fine into BCL with no errors and no warnings. See attachment.

However, as this attachment shows, the tan area is the default laser work area and much of your drawings are outside of this work area. Unless you have a laser work area that matches your drawing size there is no way you're going to be able to laser all of your airplane parts.

Your easy solution is to break down your parts into individual dxf files. This is what I would do. I'd make about 4 copies of this main file and in each one, delete the parts out so that you end up with all of your parts covered in the 4 files. 4 files or 5 files or even 6 files, what ever makes sense. Absolutely nothing wrong with doing that...you can focus on your individual part groups better.

So, there you are. Solutions on how to get your dxf file to work with BCL. Of course if you still want to work from the top/left corner as your home position, then you'll have to find another CAM software to use. I wish you all the best.

[Gazza]

I think your assumptions and demands are completely wrong:

there not assumptions

1. The shapes in your dxf file are larger than the typical laser cutter. 1220 x 800 is not one of them

Where i'm going with this is to attach the laser to my CNC so its to cut the size required

2. 99% of us use BCL as a tool and we fit the data as needed.

its meant to cut parts out weather its 2 inch or  2 foot still a cutter ?

3. There is NO standard burn area.

 
If your data file reflected the physical reality of the laser cutter, BLC would move the cutting head at the requested speed and regulated power to the laser.

Yep I got that that's why i like it

 I do not know if someone built a 10 x 10 meter cutting box that BCL would scale to those dimensions but it works on the typical desktop cutters used by 99.99% of this forums users.

yep sure does

If you want something more then build it yourself and listen to the end users bitch.

I don't want any thing more ..I would like it to be able to load in a PDF file as standard

[Gazza]

@Gazza

Apparently you're not reading my posts. I told you that your dxf file won't load into BCL because it's format is too old..

Hi Ralph

first off don't take any of my comments the wrong way I totally love your program and just trying to get the grips of it and workarounds but when i have SPENT Hundreds of pounds on NEW software and your telling me its OLD ...yea im upset my end but but how hard would it be to incorporate a PDF loader

to old ?

I used Inkscape 0.92.2 (5c3e80d, 2017-08-06) and my £170 Artcam program which
 was made in June 2016 so if these are to old pray tell me which ones are new

Note just back from friends work place there running Artcam 2018 build date 30/3/ 2017 and still the same

id rather help you develop this further and see it become the best home unit desk top burner than it to turn out like the rest like ben box etc

Regards Gary

[Administrator]

The format of your dxf file is too old. BCL needs dxf format Release18 or later.

All of this might be a moot point for you: T2 Laser will let you set the upper left corner as your home position.

You can also cut with T2 so if you must have the upper left corner as your home position, you should take a look at T2 Laser.

See attachment.

[Administrator]

>how hard would it be to incorporate a PDF loader

You mean to be able to call Agastar's PDFtoDXF.exe program from inside BCL? Or do you mean to use BCL to load a pure PDF file and do a conversion inside of BCL and spit out a DXF file?

[Gazza]

The format of your dxf file is too old. BCL needs dxf format Release18 or later.

All of this might be a moot point for you: T2 Laser will let you set the upper left corner as your home position.

You can also cut with T2 so if you must have the upper left corner as your home position, you should take a look at T2 Laser.

See attachment.

not bothered at all regards home position just wish it was standard on all software 
regards T2 not enough time to play with it yet plus it only does x amount of lines so cant really tell yet.
And NO good you tube videos like yours to help set it up we all gotta start some where and us old retired people just starting in the hobby ..we aint got a bloody clue ..so your videos are a god send   

[Gazza]

>how hard would it be to incorporate a PDF loader

You mean to be able to call Agastar's PDFtoDXF.exe program from inside BCL? Or do you mean to use BCL to load a pure PDF file and do a conversion inside of BCL and spit out a DXF file?

which ever is best
You mean to be able to call Agastar's PDFtoDXF.exe program from inside BCL? but that would be so cool

but end of the day be it T2 or Bencut which ever cuts out 3mm ply and 5mm depron ..im buying and as your videos are helping me learn than looks like yours ...Unless T2 do videos showing us how to ?

[Gazza]

If you want something more then build it yourself and listen to the end users bitch.

Now thats the wrong attitude...

If Ralphs beta testers did there job by saying the dxf needs looking at and if some one had a bigger machine like most and possible a hundred more Bug reports that Ralph gets...

We would all be helping Ralph do a Great job and making a Great product.
Now if like me and others out there cant load a DXF file in no matter what size or how old the DXF File is Now when you consider this is an open forum and as per normal no one wants to rock the apple cart ...

But when you consider that the software I and others use cost us over $200 ...then why would we Pay $50 for some thing that dont work its not Bitching as you say but BUG REPORTING  ...

So that's $50 dollars times XXx amount of people who did not buy it but instead join another forum where people are updating there software all the time......
 imagine if grbl stoped at 0.1 

LOL so for me and thousands of others that's the way to go now if

Ralph post back with sorry that's it not going any where else then great...

 ill go look at others but at the moment T2 is a no go because of the runtime factor at trying to do a picture bigger than XXX amount of lines or cut wood its just not long enough to evaluate..

But if they up the code lines and time and maybe I and others can give a definite yes or no

any way gotta take dog for walk she's biting and dropping ball to play ...Loving retirement

Looking forward to feed back Ralph and ill beta test as well if you like as im retired can play all day

Regards Gary

[ggallant571]

We have some similarities:
  1. Retired
  2. Have a dog (BTW - best dog in the world)
  3. Do laser etching / cutting.

There it ends. When I have a need, I evaluate the products available and make a choice to use, buy, or build myself. For the diode laser tools:

  L7/L8 controllers dies - I designed my controller.
  GRBL not optimal for laser - wrote the gcode firmware
  BCL & T2 not available on Linux -  wrote the etch/burn application
  Needed larger burn area - built the electro mechanical fixture.

Posted comments along the way and asked for suggestions and feedback. Even sent out a half dozen controllers for users to evaluate. Never once ever considered bitching & whining that someone else should adapt their product to fit my needs. Along the way, all the various commercial products that I did feel the need to augment, have become significantly better and I will probably end up using them.

I take particular offense at your statement regarding beta testers. You were not here when there was almost nothing but crappy software, unreliable hardware, inaccurate documentation, and bloated product specifications. BCL & T2 (and others) were created to fill the gap.  I would venture a guess that at least 100 individual users have made suggestions, expressed concerns, and made requests. Not one has been as obnoxious as you.

[Administrator]

@Gary,

>Now if like me and others out there cant load a DXF file in no matter what size or how old the DXF File is.

I don't know why you keep saying you can't load DXF files? I've given you the fix for this and I've even shown you the fix. So, I covered this issue for you, twice. If you do the fix, you'll be able to load your DXF file. So why are you still saying you can't load your DXF file?

[Gazza]

no problem guys we will leave it there
ill source other products ..pity


ggallant571

SARCASM - Just one more service we offer here

 

[Administrator]

@Gary,

It's taken me a few days to put this upgrade together, but I added code to BCL to call @Agastar's Convert2DxfCmd program to convert .Pdf files into .Dxf files. While you can do this manually, you seemed to also want BCL to do it, so I've added it.

I want to be clear that BCL is calling Convert2DxfCmd.exe to do all the processing. @Agastar is given full credit and copyright lines for his program inside BCL.

Because of the licensing requirements, I cannot include the Convert2DxfCmd.zip file with BCL. You'll have to download it from here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u1le3n8smyi9xrf/Convert2DxfCmd.zip?dl=0

...and then manually unzip it into the BenCutLaser folder and make sure it unzips into the folder name (inside the BenCutLaser folder) 'Convert2DxfCmd'. Once you have unzipped all these files, BCL will then look for and 'see' these files and you can use the BCL GUI shown in the attachment to do the conversion.

Note: You must unzip the Command Line (Cmd) version of this program, not the GUI version.

This is now in BCL ver 3.0 and I plan to release this within the next 24 hours.