Hi, I have a new AxiDraw V3/A3 and am learning to plot using Inkscape. I have been trying to plot an svg file but I have run into a problem that has not happened to me with other vector files, and that is that when it finishes drawing a path, it goes back to the starting point, going over the line again, and leaving an unsatisfactory result. I would like to know what the problem is, since I would like the path to be drawn only once, with a single line. In the following video you can see what I mean: https://streamable.com/jq3m9r

Thank you and best regards.

To me, you did trace a bitmap : the visual effect is a line, but actually your 'lines' are shapes : black filled paths with outlines and inlines.

The best way to see how your plotter understands your svg file is to use outline display :  this displays mode only displays paths, not the fills. You can either :

• do view > display mode > oultine,
• or click on the screen icon upper right icon (a computer screen like icon). if you don't see this icon, press ctrl+b

When using this display mode, the windows bar of inkscape displays the name of your file + "(outline)", and the tiny icon upper right of canvas has a hollow circle in the screen). Be aware that with this display mode, you will never see the fills, and you shapes will look transparent (but that's how you plotter will consider them). If you forget that you set this display mode : you may struggle with this normal behavior.

Another possibility is that you a have two identical paths (or portions of paths) stacked. To check for double outlines, I would use normal display mode and select all paths, give them a 50% transparency to see where are the double lines.

Using plotters, I'd add

• as a general rule, it's best to stay simple : avoid groups, clips : only paths, no fills.
• I'd recommend to take a look at Cut and remove By Shape extension : a useful tool to save time.

Thank you very much for your answer, from the normal display I could not see it, but when using the outline mode I see that the SVG file is formed by outlines, and I have compared with another svg that I have plotted without problems and this last one does appear wiht single lines in the outline mode. I attach two images to understand what I'm talking about. My question is the following: is it possible in some easy way, for the SVG with which I have problems, to convert the outlines in simple lines? Thanks for everything David and best regards.

genart

My question is the following: is it possible in some easy way, for the SVG with which I have problems, to convert the outlines in simple lines?

It's not always that easy.

• One way is to use centerline tracing when tracing bitmaps, but it does not everytime get good results.
• Another way is to work on the double outlined shapes.
  • For the circles, it's quite easy : select them, do path > break apart (shortcut ctrl+shift + K)  this leads to two objects : one path for the outline, one for the inline. Delete one. If more complex shapes have the same simple structure : process same way.
  • For more complex paths, I'd first select them with node tool, choose the nodes where you want the outlines to be separated and click on fourth icon on control bar ("Break path at select nodes"), once done, do path > break apart and remove the unwanted ones. Remember in svg standard, one node can't be joined to more than 2 other nodes (no "Y" connection) : you just need to have two paths).