Coreldraw, Finecut Contour?

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

I am using Coreldraw X7 and Finecut 8 and trying to cut using a Mimaki Cutter (which really doesn't matter because I think it is a Corel/Finecut issue I am having). Using this example: I draw a circle. I then contour it in Coreldraw in order to to make basically a ring. When I try and cut it using finecut it won't do anything with it. When I contour a font, it will cut, but when I contour a shape it won't cut. Has anyone had this issue and is there a way to resolve it?

 

[oldgoatroper]

Is it possible you might need to Break Contour Group Apart the shape before cutting? -- Select contour shape by clicking on it (not the original shape), then Arrange/Break Contour Group Apart (or Ctrl-K) -- this establishes two separate shapes as opposed to one shape with an outline contour attribute.

See if that works.

 

[myront]

Yes, as stated, you have to either break the contour apart or make sure you have the "contour group" selected not just the "control ellipse/curve)".
Contours and drop shadows annoyed me so much that I made a macro that would automatically select both no matter which one I click on.
i.e. draw a shape then add drop shadow. Now select the shape and duplicate it and now you have the shape without the drop shadow. The only way to dup both the shadow AND shape is to ensure you click on the shadow first.

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

Is it possible you might need to Break Contour Group Apart the shape before cutting? -- Select contour shape by clicking on it (not the original shape), then Arrange/Break Contour Group Apart (or Ctrl-K) -- this establishes two separate shapes as opposed to one shape with an outline contour attribute.

See if that works.

I know I posted this a while back but have been tied up with things. This didn't help. I can contour a font and the contour will cut fine, but contouring a shape will not cut.

 

[oldgoatroper]

I know I posted this a while back but have been tied up with things. This didn't help. I can contour a font and the contour will cut fine, but contouring a shape will not cut.

Did you separate the shapes as noted? So that the contour shape is no longer considered a contour by Corel ? -- i.e. two independent shapes?

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

Did you separate the shapes as noted? So that the contour shape is no longer considered a contour by Corel ? -- i.e. two independent shapes?

Yes I did. As long as the contour of the shape is there, regardless if the contour group is broken it will not cut. I can break the contour group, delete the initial shape and the contour will not cut.

 

[oldgoatroper]

Yes I did. As long as the contour of the shape is there, regardless if the contour group is broken it will not cut. I can break the contour group, delete the initial shape and the contour will not cut.

Is it a complex shape? Maybe its a problem with a couple unjoined nodes. Have you tried the same thing with very simple basic shapes?

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

Is it a complex shape? Maybe its a problem with a couple unjoined nodes. Have you tried the same thing with very simple basic shapes?

I have tried circle, squares, rectangles and hearts. I just don't understand why a contour around a font will cut but a shape won't. I just get an error message when I have a contour shape and use my finecut to cut on my Mimaki cutter.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have tried circle, squares, rectangles and hearts. I just don't understand why a contour around a font will cut but a shape won't. I just get an error message when I have a contour shape and use my finecut to cut on my Mimaki cutter.

I know on my Roland, I can cut directly from vector programs, can you do the same with Mimaki? If so, have you tried that?

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

I know on my Roland, I can cut directly from vector programs, can you do the same with Mimaki? If so, have you tried that?

On my old Mimaki cutter I could cut straight out of Coreldraw. But I had to buy a brand new one in April and it will not cut directly from Coreldraw wiithout using Finecut.

 

[myront]

I have tried circle, squares, rectangles and hearts. I just don't understand why a contour around a font will cut but a shape won't. I just get an error message when I have a contour shape and use my finecut to cut on my Mimaki cutter.

I don't usually use that method but I just tried it with an Ellipse/circle and had no problems at all. X7 FineCut 8.6
I did, however, notice something. FineCut has 2 options "Plot... " & "Plot Selected". Corel by default doesn't automatically select the contour if you click on the non-contour circle (I use a macro to correct this) so if you hit plot selected you will only get the one circle. If you hit Plot... you get both. Same hold true for text.

Just ensure you have both the circle and contour selected.

 

[Big Rice Field]

In Corel, change the fonts to curves. Then auto reduce the nodes before you contour out. THis should work for you.

 

[myront]

In Corel, change the fonts to curves. Then auto reduce the nodes before you contour out. THis should work for you.

Doesn't have a problem with text just "shapes" i.e. rectangle, ellipse, star etc.

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

I don't usually use that method but I just tried it with an Ellipse/circle and had no problems at all. X7 FineCut 8.6
I did, however, notice something. FineCut has 2 options "Plot... " & "Plot Selected". Corel by default doesn't automatically select the contour if you click on the non-contour circle (I use a macro to correct this) so if you hit plot selected you will only get the one circle. If you hit Plot... you get both. Same hold true for text.

Just ensure you have both the circle and contour selected.

I will try some of these suggestions this weekend. Thanks.

 

[Big Rice Field]

One more trick is to export the file to a legacy format like PLT, Then import it and contour it in CorelDraw. Good luck....

 

[LUV DEM TIGERS]

Okay, after spending WAY too much time on this I finally got it to cut. I had to "Combine" the images to get them to cut.