AutoCAD 2002 -> conversion -> Xenetech Computerized Engraving Systems

[MarkWoodley]

I am attempting to create rectangular lables (with text inside of them) in AutoCAD 2002, saving it as an AutoCAD 12 *.DXF file to floppy disk, and then importing the lable drawings into the Xenetech Computerized Engraving System (mechanical rotary - not laser) version 6.0 32-bit.

Problems occuring:
1) Font Style (Arial 10mm) is removed and replaced with another font which doesn't resemble Arial at all.
2) The Text alignment and positioning from AutoCAD (middle centre) is lost when saving as a DXF file.
3) Size and positioning of the rectangles change.
4) Page orientation changes from 11" wide and 8" tall to 8" tall and 11" wide, therefore causing an "text outside of engravable area" error.

Thanks
Mark

 

[RiBeneke]

1) As far as I know, the detailed information on a TTF font like Arial is not saved in the .dxf file .... the file only contains a reference that tells any program using that .dxf file that it must look in the Windows system fonts directory for details on how to display or print the font.
So perhaps your engraving system does not have access to the font file ??
2) Earlier AutoCAD versions did not have all the text justification options. That may be the problem here.
3) and 4) Sorry, don't know.

 

[MarkWoodley]

If the file only contains a reference that tells any program using that .dxf file that it must look in the Windows system fonts directory for details on how to display or print the font. Then why can it not find the Arial font? The Arial font is standard on all Windows-based systems and, along with Verdana (upon which it is based), is one of the most commonly used fonts in existence.

 

[RiBeneke]

Thinking about the problem again, I wonder whether AutoCAD 12 supported Windows fonts ? I can't find my old manuals to check.
Have you tried using AutoCAD's own fonts (those with the .shx extension, and they have a 'pair of compasses' icon in the text style dialog box). If this works, it may help to narrow down the problem.
Presumably your engraving system cannot accept a later version of .dxf file or you would have tried it.

 

[Rich2001]

There is a utility program called TTFtoDXF that can be used to convert True Type Fonts to DXF drawings. I have found itis very handy for CNC work (making signs, etcetera).


You can download a free trial copy

http://www.tarheel.net/andrewc119/index.htm

http://members.aol.com/gcodemcode/index.htm

 

Simple save the drawing a R13 or draw in R13 then copy and paste to Xenetech software. Has to be R13 for some reason. Most of the time I dra in 2002...save to R13...open in R13...Copy...Paste in Xenetech. We do lost of designs and stuff in Cad for Xenetech.

 

Text justification in R12 was available but the DXF will mess up the justification. You may need to buy or find the "bold.shx" file which was the popular substitute for the "arail.ttf" file, back then. That "bold" font should hold the justification.

R12 didn't support True type fonts back then. R12 was a DOS base program, although there was a window version which was pig slow. I believe the "saveas to" DXF format calls for the DOS format of r12. I believe r13 DXF also call for the DOS version format, which also won't support the TTF file. There was no DOS format of r14 so that might work, not sure.

The paper orientation could be somehow attaching its properties to your default windows printer. No idea how to fix that.