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Sketchup how to convert to a single line?

Discussion in 'CAD' started by Robert Bailey, Dec 22, 2015.

  1. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    Ok here is the problem, the sign I made in acrylic was a hit. I know have no less than 20 signs to make. when I explode the text it makes hundreds of single end point lines, I can use WELD to make a polyline but it takes forever, it doesn't allow me to select all text and fix it. does anyone know of an add-on that can do this in just a few clicks.
     
  2. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    don't think so, I just do 3d text then explode the group and start welding the lines, it wont work selecting all the text at once, I just have to select
    the lines and weld , then move to the next character
     
  3. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.08.50.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.09.49.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.10.18.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.10.35.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.11.38.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.12.33.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 16.13.27.png

    Is this what you are trying to do?
    hope that helps....
     
    Mark Carew likes this.
  4. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    I do the same thing but I still have segments in the text,
     
  5. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    hmm must be doing something different, then what I did...
    we just need to figure out what you are doing different.
    could you post a screen shot of the problem?
     
  6. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    upload_2015-12-23_19-23-55.png


    Exploded but not Plattened

    upload_2015-12-23_19-25-4.png

    After plattened can still select lines that make up the text
    upload_2015-12-23_19-27-0.png
     
  7. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.30.39.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.30.51.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.31.01.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.31.09.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.31.32.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.31.43.png Screenshot 2015-12-23 19.31.59.png I think it's because you are trying to skip the phlaten step. worked with your text for me...
     

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  8. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    it the last picture I did have all text selected the plattened the last picture was after and I could still select individual lines
     
  9. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    ok I see what you mean, but what difference does it make if you can CAM them the way they are?
    after I plattened them I could generate g-code no problem...
    is there a reason you want to weld the segments?
     
  10. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    ok, that seemed to work, before you platten the text you have lots of start/stop or up and down operations where ever a line started and stopped. even though the lines are still there the gcode output has a single entry /exit when carving the text. so you did help me It just took me a bit to figure it out.....Thanks

    before
    upload_2015-12-23_20-44-0.png
    After

    upload_2015-12-23_20-45-39.png
     

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  11. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    no problem, sometimes the answer is staring us right in the face....
    I have been in your shoes too many times!!!!
    glad I could help
     
  12. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
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    text.JPG
     
  13. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    Yep I don't fill or extrude, seems to vary depending on the font here is an example from an acrylic sign I am working up for our trade shows, as you can see the tool path is nuts if I don't weld the lines together, even though the other letters have several lines that make them up but the tool never leaves the cut.

    upload_2015-12-29_12-49-42.png
     
  14. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    an alternative to weld is the BZ Spline tools, which has a 'make polyline' function. select a segment, right click, select , select all connected, then right click, select BZ tools, select 'make polyline' (from memory, actual menu entry names may differ)

    [Plugin] BezierSpline - v1.8a - 13 Nov 15 • sketchUcation • 1
     
  15. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    I don't get the goofy toolpath and I don't weld....
    Doesn't matter if you check extrude or not my way....

    Screenshot 2015-12-30 02.00.53.png
     
  16. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    it baffles me, does the same thing on my home and work computer using sketchup 2015, my work PC is win7 and home is 8.1 , my forehead has a big red spot where I beat my head against the desk.
     
  17. Robert Bailey

    Robert Bailey Well-Known
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    I did times new roman
     

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