Hi, my first post to the forum. (thanks in advance for any suggestions)

I am on a Mac—though same issue on a PC. (Inkscape 1.0.2). File exported from Adobe Illustrator (as both AI and SVG files), easily imports to Inkscape. Trying to export as DXF file for flame-cut steel, and results as seen below (original on top, then R14 and R12 versions). I'm thinking that there must be some sort of finesse that I'm missing. I kinda expect the results to match the lines in the SVG file. 

Any chance you can share the ai and svg files?

You can send them privately, if needed. PM a link.

FWIW, I traced the screenshot and had no issues.

Here are the ai and svg files. Obviously I'm a newbie, and with a solid background of "go with the default settings," until learning otherwise. 

Thanks for your help. There's still the part of the metal fabricator needing to get his cutting machine to read the dxf file, but that's not my job.

Paul

R12 cannot handle transformation matrixes so I guess that is why that one look crazy. You can fix that by removing transformation matrixes (Extension > Modify Path > To absolute), but be aware also that R12 is straight line only so it will "cut" your paths into small straight line segments.

For R14 you can read more on my blogpost here: http://cutlings.wasbo.net/svg-to-dxf-in-inkscape-v1-0/ Seems like you have at least some of the same issues that I have seen on accuracy.

Thanks, Ellen. I'll take a good look at your blogpost. In Illustrator (as I would in Inkscape were this my main app...which it may become in time) I have "simplified" down the number of anchor points as far as I can without compromising/altering the final design. 

Tyler, did you see the file I uploaded?

It seems the svg file I downloaded from above was already passed through Inkscape, so I opened the Ai file with Illustrator and saved as svg. (ChildrensForest1_copy.svg)

The svg file from Ai has essentially two complete sets of paths: one with the positive space (black fill), one with the negative space (white fill).

I used the black objects to export a dxf using r14 in .92.2. without issue.

I can test in 1.02 later this evening.