SVG help

[simply Rm]

I am adding line weight to a particular font and convert it to curves on AD which shows up well on the screen,  I then import it as an SVG...open it up on glowforge and it shows the font at regular weight.  What step am I missing.  by the way I am new to AD and glowforge.  Thanks for the help!

[firstdefence]

Can you add the svg to this post for us to look at please.

 

[simply Rm]

here is the file...

test svg.svg

[simply Rm]

I also opened it up on my cricut,  the file thumb print looks like a heavier weight but when it opens it on cricut it is of regular weight.

[firstdefence]

You've converted the text to curves but you need to go to Layer > Expand Stroke

[simply Rm]

Ok,  so I just did that exported as an svg and it still opens up normal weight is there another step that I have to do?

[firstdefence]

To be honest you would be better off using a font that offers Bold or Extra Bold, instead of adding a stroke to a regular font and then expanding that stroke.

The steps needed if you do add a stroke to a regular font don't always get good results, its depends on the font choice.

1. Type the text you want.
2. Add a stroke and make sure In the stroke panel it has Align: Centre and draw behind Checked.
3. Adjust stroke to desired width, if you want sharp points choose Join: Mitre You may have to adjust the Mitre: setting to 2 or 3
4. Go to Layer > Convert to Curves or (⌘+↩︎) on the Keyboard this will create a Group of letter shaped curves.
5. Go to each letter in in turn within the group and highlight it and go to Layer > Expand Stroke
6.  You should have two of each letter now, you need to select say both e's and choose Geometry > Add This creates the correct shape for you.

I'll make a short video to demo for you.

[firstdefence]

You can also select all the layers in the group after expanding the stroke and select Geometry > Add to make a single curve instead of having individual letter shapes.

[simply Rm]

2 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

To be honest you would be better off using a font that offers Bold or Extra Bold, instead of adding a stroke to a regular font and then expanding that stroke.

The steps needed if you do add a stroke to a regular font don't always get good results, its depends on the font choice.

1. Type the text you want.
2. Add a stroke and make sure In the stroke panel it has Align: Centre and draw behind Checked.
3. Adjust stroke to desired width, if you want sharp points choose Join: Mitre You may have to adjust the Mitre: setting to 2 or 3
4. Go to Layer > Convert to Curves or (⌘+↩︎) on the Keyboard this will create a Group of letter shaped curves.
5. Go to each letter in in turn within the group and highlight it and go to Layer > Expand Stroke
6.  You should have two of each letter now, you need to select say both e's and choose Geometry > Add This creates the correct shape for you.

I'll make a short video to demo for you.

Well first of all ,  Thank you for your time!  The reasons to add weight to any font for use on a  laser machines or blade machine is to get a better cut.  Simply picking a font that is bold,  does not really increase the weight for use in a cutter machine.  I do use inkscape to do this type of procedure on fonts and it works, but  Since I paid for affinity designer,  I would like to try and learn this software,  since I have heard great things about it. I guess what I can"t figure out is when you save the the file without have to go to layers and expanding it,  why is it the file that it saves shows clearly a font that has been made heavier,  but on the other end it does not open up with the enhance font.  Is affinity designer not capable of doing this? 

[firstdefence]

I use Make The Cut (MTC) and Silhouette Studio Basic. I use MTC for SVG but most if not all Cutter software will ignore Stroke attributes, that's why you have to convert to curves.

The file below demonstrates what will happen, there are 3 sets of text, one without a stroke, one with a stroke and one converted as per the video. Export this file to SVG and see how it imports into either Cricut or the Forge software.

Text SVG export.afdesign

Also, in the export settings under the More button there is the option to convert text to Curves, The Stroke info is in the SVG code but it looks like the cutting software ignores it.

[simply Rm]

12 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

I use Make The Cut (MTC) and Silhouette Studio Basic. I use MTC for SVG but most if not all Cutter software will ignore Stroke attributes, that's why you have to convert to curves.

The file below demonstrates what will happen, there are 3 sets of text, one without a stroke, one with a stroke and one converted as per the video. Export this file to SVG and see how it imports into either Cricut or the Forge software.

Text SVG export.afdesign

I use design space for cricut, MTC does not work with cricut machines.  I understand about curves/paths that is how the machine knows how to cut also being or converted to an svg.  I am just confused that if it saves as a heavier font and it shows that way why on the file, is it not opening like that on the software whatever it may be...

[firstdefence]

I think it is because a stroke is not an extension to the font shape but more an embellishment, the original font size and shape remain and effectively the cut line is still the original regular font.I think the image below demonstrates this well. The Top "Beware" is the Font and stroke, the one below is the converted to curves, stroke expanded and all joined. I think my earlier suggestion of a bold font without the need for a stroke is a less convoluted and simpler option.

[simply Rm]

2 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

I think it is because a stroke is not an extension to the font shape but more an embellishment, the original font size and shape remain and effectively the cut line is still the original regular font.

I guess I will have to continue using inkscape,  so excited about afd.  thank you for that video that was much appreciated.  the svg file you sent ,the bottom"beware" was the only one that opened up on glowforge, cricut could not open the file.  Thanks anyways

[firstdefence]

Keep an eye on your post others may come up with other suggestions 

[simply Rm]

Just now, firstdefence said:

Keep an eye on your post others may come up with other suggestions 

THANKS!

[imargo]

Thank you so much for this information, I halfway figured it out but your explanation filled in the blanks! Been using Adobe illustrator for years but my CS5 isn’t working so well on my Mac now and I refuse to pay a monthly fee for software I only use occasionally. Do you know if there’s a shortcut to using the “geometry - add” function? It would make this process a little quicker. Also I found that right clicking on the text box brings up the “convert to curves” function so it can be done in one click. Overall this isn’t difficult to do and makes designing easier for me since I’ll familiar with vector graphics. Cricut Design Space is a little cumbersome and limited so I prefer to design with professional software to achieve better results. Affinity Designer seems to work pretty well for me so far, just need to familiarize myself with a new software. So far so good! Appreciate your detailed documentation and video, so helpful!