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Thread: Convert ILDA to DXF or similar vector format

  1. #1
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    Default Convert ILDA to DXF or similar vector format

    Does anyone know of a way to convert an ILDA frame to a DXF file (or similar vector file) so that it can be edited externally? Can't seem to find anything from googling around and searching the forum.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    LaserBoy can save ILDA as a *.dxf file but it only saves the ENTITES section where the drawing primitives are saved in a DXF file. So your CAD app might be able to read it as is or you might have to cut and paste it into an empty dxf file saved from your app.

    LB can also read DXF files with the ENTITES of

    POINT
    LINE
    POLYLINE
    LWPOLYLINE
    ARC
    CIRCLE
    ELLIPSE
    TEXT

    and save that as ILDA.

    DXF can be palette or 24-bit color.

    LB allows you to convert between palettes.

    It can save and read directories full of consecutively named dxf files

    James.
    Last edited by james; 09-18-2019 at 16:23.
    Creator of LaserBoy!
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  3. #3
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    Whoa, I've never used LaserBoy before, awesome piece of software! Damn, you've put a ton of work into this. Really impressive.

    I tried exporting a dxf - thanks for the tip! Unfortunately I can't get Corel Draw or 3DS Max to import the dxf file (I get an "eLayerGroupCodeMissing" error in 3DS Max, Corel isn't as verbose, just a generic error). Do you know of any programs that can load an ENTITIES dxf?

    Thanks for the tip!

    Beau

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by b34npour View Post
    Whoa, I've never used LaserBoy before, awesome piece of software! Damn, you've put a ton of work into this. Really impressive.

    I tried exporting a dxf - thanks for the tip! Unfortunately I can't get Corel Draw or 3DS Max to import the dxf file (I get an "eLayerGroupCodeMissing" error in 3DS Max, Corel isn't as verbose, just a generic error). Do you know of any programs that can load an ENTITIES dxf?

    Thanks for the tip!

    Beau

    Thanks Beau!

    I started on the code about 2 months before the end of 2003. Yes there is a lot to it. It is more than 55K lines of active code.

    Have you tried to create a simple DXF file from one of your apps and copying the ENTITES section from the LB dxf export into the place where the ENTITES go?

    I'm sure you know that DXF files are plain text. Take a look at the first two lines of the LB dxf and the last two lines. DXF objects are always two lines; an identifier and a value. Some objects don't require a value, but the second line is still there with an unused value. The ENTITES section is where all the drawing is.

    Let me know how it goes. If I have to do something to fix the code, I can do that.

    DeltaCAD used to be able to open LB dxf as is. But that was like version 4 or 5. For some reason it doesn't work in versions after that.
    Last edited by james; 09-18-2019 at 19:02.
    Creator of LaserBoy!
    LaserBoy is free and runs in Windows, MacOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi!).
    Download LaserBoy!
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    All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.

  5. #5
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    Oh, I did not know that DXF files are plain text! Now I understand what you're saying - I'll give that a shot and see if I can get it to work!

    Thanks again! I'm having a lot of fun digging into LaserBoy. Love the text-based interface.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by b34npour View Post
    Love the text-based interface.
    You have no idea how much that makes me laugh.

    That's awesome.

    Please feel free to ask questions.

    Do you know C++ by any chance?
    Last edited by james; 09-18-2019 at 19:13.
    Creator of LaserBoy!
    LaserBoy is free and runs in Windows, MacOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi!).
    Download LaserBoy!
    YouTube Tutorials
    Ask me about my LaserBoy Correction Amp Kit for sale!
    All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.

  7. #7
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    Haha, the text-based navigation is just so refreshing. so much point-and-click these days...

    I saved out a DXF file from 3DS Max with a simple two-point line, then replaced the text between "ENTITIES" and "ENDSEC" with the text between those items in the LaserBoy DXF, but I still get an error when importing back into 3DS. I'll try it with some other programs too, not giving up yet.

    I know a bit of C++, but I'm definitely no expert!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by b34npour View Post
    I know a bit of C++, but I'm definitely no expert!
    You have 100% of the LB source code in the src dir.

    I wrote an explanation of how to install MinGW so you can compile it on your own Windows machine. It's way easier in Linux.

    LB has effect functions that work on a single frame, some selected frames or the whole frame set to make animations.

    If you want to, you can write your own effects, but you need to be able to compile it.

    Check it out! There is some really twisted stuff in there.

    http://laserboy.org/forum/index.php?topic=556.0

    James.
    Creator of LaserBoy!
    LaserBoy is free and runs in Windows, MacOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi!).
    Download LaserBoy!
    YouTube Tutorials
    Ask me about my LaserBoy Correction Amp Kit for sale!
    All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.

  9. #9
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    Hang on!

    I just tried DeltaCAD version 8 to import a DXF file I made in LaserBoy and it works!

    If you export that as DXF from DeltaCAD, it should open in any other app that reads DXF.

    http://deltacad.com

    You can get the demo app for free and it runs for 45 days.

    (You can uninstall and reinstall and it works again, although it is certainly worth $40.)

    You can also use DeltaCAD to make your own original art. You can set the background to black, open a raster image into the background and trace vectors over it. Just don't use black as a drawing color! DeltaCAD has a POLYLINE tool that is super easy to use. Click, move, click, move, click, move, double click to end. Export as DXF. Open in LaserBoy! Save as any 2D version of ILDA from LaserBoy. You can do a best match to convert the DXF palette to the default palette of 63 colors used in almost all ILDA format 1 frames.

    DeltaCAD is only 2D DXF out, but LaserBoy is 3D in or out.

    When you use a CAD app to make a dxf drawing, the scale is irrelevant. LB scales real numbers to fit into 16-bit integer space and you can re-scale that to whatever you want. You can keep the origin (the point 0,0) in the LB import or you can ignore that too. It's in the settings menu x.

    James.
    Last edited by james; 09-19-2019 at 14:26.
    Creator of LaserBoy!
    LaserBoy is free and runs in Windows, MacOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi!).
    Download LaserBoy!
    YouTube Tutorials
    Ask me about my LaserBoy Correction Amp Kit for sale!
    All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.

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