LaserCAD crashes importing some DXF files

[calley]

I do all my artwork in Adobe Illustrator and export to DXF. Then import into LaserCAD 7.09

Most things import just fine, but some artwork causes LaserCAD to crash immediately on preview. And some dxf files appear blank.

It seems that some complex artwork will often cause this... but sometimes its the simplest of shapes (see attached heart).

Any tips for how to export problematic art?

I saw the other thread: "LaserCAD 7.09 - Import DXF Crash" but it doesn't seem to apply... I have Illustrator setup to work in mm.

Before I had the AWC608, I was using CamBam to import the DXF files and it never complained (though it couldn't determine what units the file was saved with, so that had to be set manually) but it did open the heart just fine.

[Tech_Marco]

I tested it and I have no problem to open it with LaserCad

Marco

[calley]

I've tried on two different machines with the same result. Sometimes I get the "Program has stopped responding" dialog... sometimes the program just seems to disappear with no error message almost like I quit.

The first was Win7. It's the machine I normally use. And I just installed in on an old XP machine... both crash immediately when I select the file.

I'm running LaserCAD_V7.09B... Are you running a newer version?

I just unchecked the Preview box and it seems to open correctly... but then crashes when try to do anything with the heart. Now it crashes every time I try it again.

[waltfl]

no problem here ether withthis tiny heart
greatings
waltfl

I've tried on two different machines with the same result. Sometimes I get the "Program has stopped responding" dialog... sometimes the program just seems to disappear with no error message almost like I quit.

The first was Win7. It's the machine I normally use. And I just installed in on an old XP machine... both crash immediately when I select the file.

I'm running LaserCAD_V7.09B... Are you running a newer version?

I just unchecked the Preview box and it seems to open correctly... but then crashes when try to do anything with the heart. Now it crashes every time I try it again.

[Kiwi53]

Hi all,
Well I just tryed to open the heart dxf file an I got this (twice)
hope this shows what it is doing, I could not open it I might try it as a Ai file

[Kiwi53]

Well I had to open it in V Carve Pro then save it as Ai file then open in lasercad,
very small pic, Callery you making stamp carvings?

[Tech_Marco]

I tried imported 10 times with multiple importing, then I got 2 times of Lasercad not responding. Closed it and imported again and it was doing ok. So, I don't what is an issue. May be there is some coding bugs. I mentioned before that Al keep changing and the programmer was not able to write code for the new files generate from AL. As I understand, the LaserCad support older version AL DXF file but not the new version like the CS version. It may work on simple one but it won't work well on complicate file. The best way to do is to let CorelDraw to generate the work file and export to the LaserCad


Marco

[calley]

This has been an ongoing problem for me. And I've tried so many different ways, I honestly don't really know what has worked the best.

Some things I've tried:
Releasing all compound paths - works sometimes
Using pathfinder to cut art out of a box (minus front) - resulting artwork seems to work better
Saving as older version of AI instead of exporting DXF - been trying this today after reading this forum on adobe's site:
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1075327 ... 0&tstart=0

you are simply exporting to a format that works completely differently from AI and to complicate matters, AI simply only supports a handful of these entities natively and will almost always convert stuff to polylines. It's simply AI's inability to better retain that info. Anyway, most CAD programs will happily import AI 88 files (which supports proper spline curves), so simply use that.

AI88 is not an option in CS5... but AI3 seems to work though adds some extra artwork.

Marco, thanks for taking to time to try these out. I really appreciate your help. I'll let you know if I find any better ways.

[tnt76]

I have been drawing airfoil ribs in DEVWING and exporting to dxf. LaserCAD does not like this dxf style. I open in Rhino3d and re-save as DXF and it then opens in LaserCAD.
Only bug is not opening an ellipse very well, ellipses become distorted. That's ok they are only lightning holes which I redraw as circles.

[Tech_Marco]

Just got a new LaserCad with better support on Adobe Illustrator.
Later on, I'll be sent the macro. It is only available on my copy per the programmer

Marco