jmongold

I'm drafting graphics as vectors on a MacBook Pro (2015 version) running MacOS 10.15.3 (latest) with Affinity Designer 1.7.3 and my exported .svg files (stock export, no mods to defaults, and strictly vector graphics (no text)) when imported into Flux's Beam Studio 1.1.8 displays: "This version of the SVG file is v 1.1, there might be potential incompatibility problems." Naturally, I have "incompatibility" problems. Flux's Beam Studio is their organic software that feeds a CO2 Laser Printer (Beam Box Pro (BBP)... about 15 months old). The BBP accepts the .svg file from Beam Studio, does it's magic, and informs the laser cut will take 1 second... and when you say "start" it never moves the focusing head off of top dead center. Its as if the file contains 0 data. I would have expected it to at least take a couple minutes and more likely 10 minutes or more. When I create a graphic in Beam Studio the laser printer operates as hoped. However, as you might guess, Beam Studio is NO Affinity Designer. I'm going to go back a version or two in the Beam Studio and see if that makes a difference. But in the meantime... can you advise 1. what version of .svg Affinity Designer exports to? 2. if its not the latest "version" will you soon export to the latest version? 3. if I need a later version that .svg v 1.1 is there any way to take an Affinity Designer vector graphic and export it to the latest and greatest? I will also attempt to discern what other graphic code the Beam Studio and BBP will accept. At this point I don't know that info. I am writing to you first because I'm hoping for a quicker response than I normally get from Taiwan. Perhaps someone has seen this problem recently. My graphic (as an .svg export) is attached. The BVG file is the Beam Studio native file type. I've also included a .pdf version. I'm hoping this is simply my ignorance, easily resolvable, and not another several week investigation effort (on their part, not yours). cheers, Jim B Sew Hex Tri Rec 3.svg B Sew Hex Tri Rec.bvg B Sew Hex Tri Rec.pdf

The time frame suggestion was tongue-in-cheek; I'll give you a week from next Friday (also tongue-in-cheek). My suggestion about vectorized fonts was basic fonts not in truetype, etc., but rather graphic characters that are organically vectors (only useful in a vector graphic program; not a word processor.. in fact, I thought (with no research) that TrueType and similar fonts WERE essentially vectors. You indicate that the fonts changed to path in my posted file are fully "vectorized" and should print as any other vector component. I will have to investigate further. And you're right, FluxStudio is an immature software product but it is all that I've got to talk to the laser engraver/cutter. Thank you for the thorough response.

And it is possible what I sent was the file with the font/lettering stripped out. Rest assured, when I converted font/text to "curve" it came across (just the text/fonts) as a raster layer while the rest came across as vector layers. What I really would like is for Affinity Designer to write and say "here is how you do in in Affinity Designer" or, alternatively, no Jim, sadly we do not have that function but we recognize your's and others need for exactly that feature and we have it as priority one "A" in our agile software development heap and based upon that priority and the input of our experts you should have the needed upgrade by November 17, 2019." (or perhaps something like that). IF Affinity Design team is going to address that issue then they maybe they can also similarly address the missing capability to convert a non-.svg, non-vector file (i.e, bit-map, jpeg, .pdf, etc.) into a vector file that can then be exported as a vector .svg component/file... if I can import it into Designer then Designer should be able to 'trace' the graphic and produce a vector result. In my mind this is not dissimilar to the font to vector translation above. But then, I'm a newbie. Love Affinity Designer as so much cheaper and quite capable compared to Adobe and Corel products... from my position it is just missing these two major items. The UI is amazingly mature and I say well done.

Agree sir, but my software for the laser printer will NOT accept fonts. They require that I convert it (and even text I enter in their software) to a "path". Its my guess that is the check box below your red line where it says "Export text as curves for font independence". When I do what you suggest it changes my entire .svg file to a bitmap. When I select the "Export text as curves for font independence" the rest of my graphic converts to .svg but the text (fonts) print as bit mapped/raster. It appears that is intentional on Affinity Designers part. . First file is the vector w/ fonts file in native AD format (.afpub) Not a supported format in FluxStudio and requires I convert to .svg... this I understand. Second file is the AD exported as a .svg without the text converted to path (as you indicate in your picture; ends in NTC.svg) Opens in FluxStudio with the cat outlines in vector format and nothing where the text occurs Third file is the AD exported as a .svg WITH the text converted to path (with the box below your red line checked) Opens in FluxStudio WITH the text showing but converted to raster; the cat transfers as vector. Cat prints in 30 seconds; the raster prior text takes 6 minutes and is not nearly as nice as the cat (as one would expect with raster v. vector) I was hoping there was some app (maybe Affinity Designer, now or in the future) that would take the text/fonts and convert them to a vector .svg file. I can open .svg files in Affinity Designer and that would be a way to bypass this whole raster conversion thing. This is the same thing in FluxStudio... I can add graphics and they print as vectors, fast and clean. I add text, using the FluxStudio "insert text" feature and it requires me to "convert text to path" and I get the same result... the text prints as a slow raster with lower contrast. Thanks for looking at my problem. I did not add the FluxStudio file with exports as a .bvg file... I don't think that is helpful. Bottom line, FluxStudio does not accept "standard fonts" of any sort and so I need a font that is already in .svg format or something that can convert text to a vector format importable to an .svg file. (I think). MongoldManor 10-0-1 TC.svg MongoldManor 10-0-1 NTC.svg MongoldManor 10-0-1 NTC.afpub

Hi, First, I'm a newbie... probably won't know half of the "industry terms". And my question relates to a laser printer .svg file (not web pages, paper printer, etc.). QUESTION: is there a way to export any or all fonts (mostly truetype, but I'd get any that work) to a .svg file that will work as a vector path for a laser printer. Currently, I use the .svg export function selecting the "Export text as curves for font independence." But when I import the file into FLUXStudio (the application to speak to the laser engraver/cutter) the text so exported comes in as a raster file. Aggravating because: 1) to engrave a name will take 5 minutes instead of 10 seconds for a true vector file); 2) It doesn't look nearly as good as vector graphics do. RELATED: Someone suggested if this can not be done that perhaps Affinity is working on creating the capability. If that is true can you have it done, ready, and the upgrade importable by Monday? Seriously, are you looking at creating the capability? And if so, any idea of when it might be available? I'm fairly desperate. RELATED: I'd welcome a suggestion on how to accomplish my goal if it is free or really cheap and will work with Affinity Designer files and readable as a vector .svg file. I can't find anything that will do this other than for web pages. Web page files are editable; but the .svg files are not (at least not for me). Thanks in Advance. cheers, Jim

So, Affinity... can you give us a real answer as to the future of producing a raster trace to vector option within your suite of tools? You've variously forecasted, promised, recognized it was the #1 requested feature since at least November 2017. I don't believe you've actually "promise" we would get it but it seems like, with the links gathered above and the many questions/suggestions that you have to know 1) Will you incorporate it? 2) Will it be robust? 3) Some sense of when? Or do I need to invest in the ridiculously expensive Adobe tools? I know there are some better and worse 3rd party solutions... but they are 3rd party solutions because, well, they aren't the best and even when they work, its usually not a flawless transition to the Affinity suite. Please, please give some clarity... and if the answer is "we have no idea" then could you say so? Nov 17 to now is eons in the IT world. cheers, Jim