I have just received coreldraw as part of a laser engraving machine and have no idea where to begin. I enclose a jpg of what I have, Basically I need to seperate every 5th line on to its own layer, then make a mirror image of it and join the lines across the top so I end up with a shape. These are sections through the hull of a ship model that I want to duplicate.
If you can give me some pointer on where to begin that would be great, I've never had to get my brain around software like this before! Thanks in advance.
Talk about being dropped into the deep end of the pool. You will be facing a steep learning curve. I cannot help with how the engraver works.
I don't know how your lines are contructed. If this is actually a bitmap image, you need to make it a vector first. Depending on the quality of the bitmap, using the centerline trace may work out. Likely it will need a lot of work to make the curves fair.
If they are actually vector lines and the bitmap you reference is actually already vector and the bitmap isjust to show us and are not grouped, you can simply select the required lines, cut them using the ctrl+x keys, then paste them on the new layer. If they are grouped, you need to select the object and press ctrl+u, then follow the above.
If they are a blended object, you need to first use the command to break the blend, ungroup, then cut the required lines and paste them on the new layer.
If you need to draw the vector altogether then that is a whole other process. So let us know what type of object you have to begin with.
Welcome from me too. I agree totally with Mike, this isn't any easy exercise, you need to learn a vast amount to get this to work.
Mike failed to say is that TalkGraphics is mainly a Xara software forum, although quite a few users have & use CorelDraw as well, so I'm sure they'll help if possible.
I know nothing of laser engraving either. Does it engrave from a bitmap (jpg, png, gif etc?) or does it need a vector source?
I've tried to create something similar to what you requested in Xara and it's far from straight forward, you'll quickly get weeping eyes! The grey lines are your original bitmap, the green, blue & red lines are vector shapes.
As a matter of interest, it's a strange cross section. What is it, a bulbous bow?
Indeed it does look like I have a very steep learning curve! The original is actually a single layer pdf blueprint, and the hull shape is for a bulbous bow hull, Egg Bramhill you have already done more there than I have managed in 3 days of head banging off wall.
Then the pdf may well be vector. Import it into CorelDraw if you haven't already and let us know what type of object it is. Feel free to upload it so we can better help you.
The engraver/laser works from vectors and rasters, both of which I know very little! I can't post the original image as it is almost 4mb in size- its a big plan A0 I am using coreldraw12 which comes packaged with the laser.
If that is too big for the forum, you could always upload to dropbox.com or the like and provide a download link.
There may be a few minor differences in the instructions I gave between version 12 and more recent versions, but the wording will be the same or close and the help file would still find the relevant topics using the words I used.
For instructions that you need tailored to what you will be doing, you could post on the CorelDraw forum and make sure to post in the section for CorelDRAW X3 and older or just in the main forum section and be sure to list your version in your post.
4mb can only mean it's a raster, not a vector pdf. I've recreated a vector only version at A0 and it's only 16Kb. So if it's a raster I still think you're going to have problems seperating various contours to move to various layers in CD
Thanks for your help guys I appreciate it. When I signed up I had followed a google link to corel forums, turns out its an old part of your site! I'll bow out now and move over to the Corel forums that has been provided, thanks again.
New to Coreldraw and need some help
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