No DXF EXPORT in Designer 2 ..are you serious!?

[TheSchlonz]

16 minutes ago, Calvert said:

  

If Serif agrees with your thinking, they can stay 2nd rate to Adobe and Corel. I would hope not.

I asked Serif for a refund about 40 days into it and they said no even though their ads were misleading about dxf.. So, For the last 8 months, Ive been on our (69,489 business member )industry forum explaining to others in my industry not to waste time with Serif untill they get their stuff straight.... Probably cost Serif more than the $100 they took from me. 🙃

If Serif agrees with your thinking, they can stay 2nd rate to Adobe and Corel. I would hope not.

I asked Serif for a refund about 40 days into it and they said no even though their ads were misleading about dxf(See below, I made my point).. So, For the last 8 months, Ive been on our (69,489 business member )industry forum explaining to others in my industry not to waste time with Serif until they get their stuff straight.... Probably cost Serif more than the $100 they took from me. 🙃

 

Have a good weekend gentlemen.

I dont know of your finaciel situation, but i think that the price you have to pay for the designer, no matter if there is a export tool to dxf or not, is much lesser than the worth of the tools you get to make some cool designs.

As mentiomned, i also would prefer a export filter to DXF, and also was blendet by the loge you postet above, but i still be satified with the tools i get for the price.

The only thing a was NOT amoused was, the first time i saw that there is a version 2 for that i have to pay more as for the first version, cause i thought that i have to buy the designer once in my live and will be getting all the future updates.

In hindsighte, i think this was a stupid assumption.

[Calvert]

3 minutes ago, loukash said:

I have no experience with DXF whatsoever, but I seriously wonder why the guy with the "commercial machine" doesn't buy this €89 tool to be able to convert any vector format to the required DXF themselves?

I mean, comparably, I haven't been asked by a printer to deliver them imposed layout in literally decades. Every self-respecting printer I've been working with will want to do page impositions themselves.

So I'm genuinely puzzled. Please enlighten me.

How about you enlighten me where it says from Serif themselves a requirement of a 3rd party software as well to work with dwg/dxf, for Serif to work? Why would a person think that?

And it might not be a money thing as much as it is a principle thing. 

[loukash]

2 minutes ago, Calvert said:

How about you enlighten me

Alright, I see that I should have followed Patrick's advice right away. Naïve me to expect insight. Won't happen again, I promise.  

[Calvert]

3 minutes ago, TheSchlonz said:

I dont know of your finaciel situation, but i think that the price you have to pay for the designer, no matter if there is a export tool to dxf or not, is much lesser than the worth of the tools you get to make some cool designs.

There is really nothing I can not do in Serif, that I cant with Adobe, Vectric Aspire and Sai Flexi/EnRoute. Had Serif been what was advertised, I was going to cancel both my Sai, and Adobe monthly fees. Vectric was $2000 but no monthly fee.  Its not a money thing, its more principle. I dont think were asking too much to support a common file type when all of their competitors are compatible with it. Its not like were asking Serif to add AI capabilities like Adobe has now done.

I made the mistake of believing their ad...."work with all other major file types"

[TheSchlonz]

13 minutes ago, Calvert said:

And it might not be a money thing as much as it is a principle thing. 

 

No offence, but this sentence is often used, when there are no more arguments.

And as said, this company never stated that they are able to export to DXF.

[Calvert]

Just now, TheSchlonz said:

No offence, but this sentence is often used, when there are no more arguments.

And as said, this company never stated that they are able to export to DXF.

Technically, they didnt say you couldnt EXPORT as they didn't differentiate import vs export. They purposely used a generic broad term to mislead instead.

What would you think is meant by "works with all major file types including jpeg,pdf, svg, psd, png, tiff, gif, AND DWG/DXF"

Non ability of export is not working with all other major file types.

 I feel like the following pic of their add substantiates the argument. 

 

[TheSchlonz]

Nothing they mentioned is wrong, all other interpretations are up to you. (And, as i said, me)

But no mather how long we discuss this matter, nothing will change the fact, that the designer is nit abke to export to dxf.

I am with you, in terms, that for me it would also a benifit if (and thats the importent part) the designer would be able to export an "above average" dxf file, or at least comparable to the quality of inkscape.

That would save me the need of using one more tool to get what i realy want, and at least time, that i, no matter what i do, have not enough off.

BTW: if i would use my time to work with my average tools, instead of writing in this forum, i would be able to spend some time with my loving wife. .

 

[Calvert]

3 minutes ago, TheSchlonz said:

Nothing they mentioned is wrong, all other interpretations are up to you. (And, as i said, me)

But no mather how long we discuss this matter, nothing will change the fact, that the designer is nit abke to export to dxf.

I am with you, in terms, that for me it would also a benifit if (and thats the importent part) the designer would be able to export an "above average" dxf file, or at least comparable to the quality of inkscape.

That would save me the need of using one more tool to get what i realy want, and at least time, that i, no matter what i do, have not enough off.

BTW: if i would use my time to work with my average tools, instead of writing in this forum, i would be able to spend some time with my loving wife. .

 

I guess your right, its just keyboard warriors here. Its not like any of them have any ability to actually do anything to persuade Serif on being comparable to even a free product.

Have a great weekend with your wife.

[PaoloT]

2 hours ago, TheSchlonz said:

The laser cutter we are using are machines from trumpf

As I can read in their documentation, Trumpf cutters read their own VLF or GEO file format, to which other file types have to be converted through a converter software (maybe the one you were referring to?):

https://www.trumpf.com/en_SG/products/software/programming-software/trutops-mark-conversion-software/#:~:text=With the TRUMPF Converter software,%2C BMP%2C SVG and VLM.

The same happens with Isel (I can't find the list of supported file formats to be converted to their native one).

Eurolaser is the same, and support AI, PDF and EPS as the input, among the others.

I noticed the same when reading the documentation of some Amadas, that can read multiple file formats (among which PDF and SVG). 

Precitec supports AI among the others.

Modern file formats are supported in nearly all the documentation I could find (something admittedly not so easy to do). So, I still fail to understand why they can't be used if DXF is not available. It's not for accuracy, since even the DXF will have to be converted.

Just trying to understand.

Paolo

 

[TheSchlonz]

12 hours ago, PaoloT said:

As I can read in their documentation, Trumpf cutters read their own VLF or GEO file format, to which other file types have to be converted through a converter software (maybe the one you were referring to?):

 

Not exactly.

If you use TruTops Burst, which is the programming system made by trumpf, than you read the dxf files (or draw by yourself) and then save the geometry in the geo file format.

We in our company use PN4000 from Wicam instead, which has also its own file format, but the source is allways the same.

Meanwhile these CAD/CAM system are also able to import 3D files, althoug our lasers are 2D machines only.

The statement, that trumpf can handle BMP, is more marketing.

Sure, our system also can read all these file formats, but in the end, the resulting geometry is a complete mess.

PDF is an exception, because it can store the complete (correct) information of a dxf or stp file. So your CAM System only needs a filter for PDF import.

Vector based file formats are also providing all the information required for a coorct geometry, but you have the problem with the vectors/splines.

All others, like bmp, jpg or tiff are pixel based files, where a software can make a black/white image from, if there is a high enough contrast, but i am sure you dont want a part that is lasered with the result from that conversion.

[PaoloT]

3 hours ago, TheSchlonz said:

All others, like bmp, jpg or tiff are pixel based files

I agree these shouldn't be kept in consideration. I would only consider vector-based file formats.

My perplexity in insisting on DXF from AfDesigner is that this would mean one conversion more. It would mean having to go from a Bézier-curves-based file format, to a Spline-based one, and then to the machine's own language/format. It would be a multiple lossy process.

If the machine's software can read a Bézier-based format, like EPS or PDF, we could expect a single lossy conversion, that is from the Bézier-based format to the machine's own language. A much more accurate process.

Paolo

 

 

[Pšenda]

On 11/24/2023 at 9:23 PM, TheSchlonz said:

cause i thought that i have to buy the designer once in my live and will be getting all the future updates.

This is true, of course, because all "updates" are provided by Serif for free. Something else is, of course, an "upgrade" for which you have to pay. It is therefore necessary to distinguish between these concepts that differ in meaning.

[TheSchlonz]

On 11/25/2023 at 3:14 PM, PaoloT said:

I agree these shouldn't be kept in consideration. I would only consider vector-based file formats.

My perplexity in insisting on DXF from AfDesigner is that this would mean one conversion more. It would mean having to go from a Bézier-curves-based file format, to a Spline-based one, and then to the machine's own language/format. It would be a multiple lossy process.

If the machine's software can read a Bézier-based format, like EPS or PDF, we could expect a single lossy conversion, that is from the Bézier-based format to the machine's own language. A much more accurate process.

Paolo

 

 

No, it is only one conversion.

Bezier, splines or vectors are more or less the same, mathematic funktions.

DXF is, in the end , the same as the Trumpf GEO format or the 2D format from Wicam.

The only reason they put the dxf in another file format is, that they are also able to add the technological information to the file, like the name of the lasertable, the direction of the laser, the different kinds of piercing and the different kinds of approaches to the laser contour. After finishing the part in the programming software, you have 2 layers in your file, one is the geometry an the other is the technology.

But both are only able to hold the informations for straight lines or arc`s with a defined start/end point and the radius, so no vectors, bezier or splines.

If armada or bystronic machines are able to process such curves, i am not aware off.

But as i know that the Wicam software, that is not able to work with vectors, is also often used with these machines, i assume they are not.

So the only needet conversion whould be from a vector, bezier, spline based format to one that breaks these curves down to simple arc`s, in a descent quality.

As statet before, Inkscape can save as DXF, but you have no control over the result. In most cases, it will split the curves up, but not in little arc`s, but in little straight lines that follow the curve. Also not satisfying.

Profirst is another profesional CAD/CAM software, that does an average job in converting from SVG and even BMPs (with a very high contrast).

But depends highly on the quality of the source.

You see, there are ways to do the trick, but you have to use, at least one more software, and so, less time for my wife.😉

[Pep75]

Personally, I really mis the export to DXF/DWG option in Designer. I very often export logo's to SketchUp and other sorts of artwork. I installed a SVG importer in SketchUp but I really prefer to export a DWG/DXF from Affinity. I really hope they will implement this soon. 

[Ash]

Hi All,

I'm pleased to let you know we have now added DXF and DWG export to Affinity Designer - available now in the 2.4 beta...

 

[bksldr7]

I don't use Designer a lot but I recently designed a three layer steel/stainless steel/steel ranch sign to be laser cut and went through a lot of finagling to get it into DWG format for the laser cutting vendor.  Affinity claimed previously that adding DWG import/export was too complex and would never happen.  Glad to see it added finally. I hope that those who use DWG  a lot will find the implementation useful.  Looking forward to having it the next time I need dwg format.  Thank you for responding to all those requests.  I am sure it took a lot of effort to implement in Designer.  Love the Affinity suite or programs. Love that it is available in a stand-alone format rather than a subscription.  That's the main reason I switched from Adobe Photoshop to Affinity Photo.