i just set up my new 3018 cnc pro. grbl driver. inkspace was suggested, installed it, had to add markerbot unicorn, my designs in inkspace will not save in g code format. does anyone have any thoughts. different cadcam software, different extension? saving in g code is the last block for me to get 3018 actually engraving my designs. please help. i badly need this to work. thank you in advance for any time or advise anyone can give me. yes i am new to the cnc/design niche.
[moderator edit - this was moved out of another topic, which was unrelated to this problem]
Please tell us about your project, including the SVG file of the drawing. Please tell us exactly the steps you're taking - exactly. Also please include any error messages you might have received. Also please tell us what you mean by not saving in gcode. Do you mean that you can't find the file? Or it produced a file but it's empty? Or something else?
If you don't have a makerbot unicorn machine, you might be able to use a different Inkscape extension. There are many which produce gcode - some are already installed in Inkscape, many others that need to be installed.
I'm not familiar with cutting machines, but maybe someone who is, can suggest a different extension for your setup?
Thank you for replying. I wont bore you with every detail of designing a text to engrave, but will say that I cover all the selection settings in Path and Extension needs to create a g-code file. In Gcode tools tab thru extensions selecting "path to code" does create a file on my desktop but putting the file in grbl cnc operator is ok, but when I click send it crashes. Error code as in pic #1. the other issue is trying to "save as" thru Inkspace file menu. Click "file, save as, select "markerbot unicorn" gcode converter thru file ext type, ok and I get the error code in pic #3, click ok there and still unable to save. Same problem for anything I try to save as gcode. Never get it cnc. the machine itself works fine with an offline controller that looks like an old Nintendo paddle so its not that. If anyone can help that would be great.
The file saved to desktop is .ngc, I can click and drag it to grbl controller and there is info there, I attatched that exact file for viewing, but click send (start) crashes it. Saving in gcode? gcode is a file ext type cnc needs to operate.
This will fix the missing height/width value in the SVG file that you have there. It might mess up the size, though, but we can get to that if it happens for you.
You need to settle on one extension (or set of extensions) or another. As far as I know, they won't work together, and are not interchangeable. Since I know the basics for using Gcodetools extensions, I can give you the general steps. But I can't help at all with the makerbot unicorn extension.
I have the impression it's meant to be used with makerbot unicorn hardware, though. Possibly that's why it's not working? Although that's just a guess....it might be broken anyway. Is there some reason you decided to install it? Is your hardware meant to work with it?
For gcodetools:
Select the path you want to cut
Extensions menu > Gcodetools > Orientation Points (This will put some points with some text, and a green box with some text, on the canvas.)
Extensions menu > Gcodetools > Tools Library (This adds additional text to the green box.)
Either Extensions menu > Gcodetools > Engraving, or Path to Gcode, whichever one suits your needs best (This creates the NGC file.) (Note that when you click Apply button, you need to have the Preferences tab of that dialog open. If that tab is not open when you click Apply, you won't get a gcode file.)
The various options in those dialogs are not necessarily clear or easy to understand, at least not for me. So if you have specific questions, hopefully someone else can help.
Or, as I said before, there are many extensions which produce gcode, and I don't really know if one or another would work better with your particular setup or hardware. If you look in the top-right area of this forum, there's a "Learn" dropdown menu. Choose Inkscape Resources List. On that page, scroll down to the bottom part of the page, to the Extensions section, and click on the "Export" list item. That list item will expand. Scroll down to the Gcode section, and you can browse all the external extensions which are available. Not all of those necessarily work, or work with every version of Inkscape. Most of them are specific to certain hardware, as far as I understand.
Meanwhile, maybe someone more knowledgeable about engravers or engraving can help more than me.
Thank you Maren and Bryan. Fortunately I dont have any problem in Inkspace. Markerbot unicorn is said to be what is needed for Inkspace to produce the gcode file for grbl operated cnc mother board. I get positive results until I click save. I get the 10 line error code and click ok on the error window, then another window pops up and says file cant be saved. Ill take a look at the other extensions Bryan mentioned and try again. Thank you.
if I could interject I was also having issues until I watched a video showing to set document at pxl rather then MM and after changing that thefile wass saved I will post the video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbexjKISR8
Since I last posted in this topic, I heard the Makerbot Unicorn extension has been discontinued. That means it's no longer being updated and support will not be provided by the author.
But if using pixels for units works, I guess that's a good thing. However, we can't predict how long that might work. It likely will further degrade, as Inkscape continues to be developed.
I have the same issue as Bill Lawrence. I get a message of a possible error and messages about python errors in line 108 and another python error. Then I get the message that the file cannot be saved. I've got to believe that there is something very simple since many others have success with these products. The CNC machine is not in the loop yet, only Inkscape. Perhaps something in the Python that is installed on this machine?
hi Imohr83900 I did find that the Markerbot unicorn, is not actually for NC, program it is for a ink pen marker, and after watching some of the videos I have started having success using the tool and path to code functions recently I have been creating very good nc gcode programs which with minor adjustment work fabulously in my 3018 engraver if you wish I will try to help there are setting which in document you need to set on pixel that straightened out the Markerbot unicorn issue
Beginners' Questions help with makerbot unicorn gcode
Inkscape.org
i just set up my new 3018 cnc pro. grbl driver. inkspace was suggested, installed it, had to add markerbot unicorn, my designs in inkspace will not save in g code format. does anyone have any thoughts. different cadcam software, different extension? saving in g code is the last block for me to get 3018 actually engraving my designs. please help. i badly need this to work. thank you in advance for any time or advise anyone can give me. yes i am new to the cnc/design niche.
[moderator edit - this was moved out of another topic, which was unrelated to this problem]
Welcome to the forum!
Please tell us about your project, including the SVG file of the drawing. Please tell us exactly the steps you're taking - exactly. Also please include any error messages you might have received. Also please tell us what you mean by not saving in gcode. Do you mean that you can't find the file? Or it produced a file but it's empty? Or something else?
If you don't have a makerbot unicorn machine, you might be able to use a different Inkscape extension. There are many which produce gcode - some are already installed in Inkscape, many others that need to be installed.
I'm not familiar with cutting machines, but maybe someone who is, can suggest a different extension for your setup?
Thank you for replying. I wont bore you with every detail of designing a text to engrave, but will say that I cover all the selection settings in Path and Extension needs to create a g-code file. In Gcode tools tab thru extensions selecting "path to code" does create a file on my desktop but putting the file in grbl cnc operator is ok, but when I click send it crashes. Error code as in pic #1. the other issue is trying to "save as" thru Inkspace file menu. Click "file, save as, select "markerbot unicorn" gcode converter thru file ext type, ok and I get the error code in pic #3, click ok there and still unable to save. Same problem for anything I try to save as gcode. Never get it cnc. the machine itself works fine with an offline controller that looks like an old Nintendo paddle so its not that. If anyone can help that would be great.
The file saved to desktop is .ngc, I can click and drag it to grbl controller and there is info there, I attatched that exact file for viewing, but click send (start) crashes it. Saving in gcode? gcode is a file ext type cnc needs to operate.
For the second issue, please do the following:
- Open a new Inkscape document
- Copy-paste your drawing into it
This will fix the missing height/width value in the SVG file that you have there. It might mess up the size, though, but we can get to that if it happens for you.
You need to settle on one extension (or set of extensions) or another. As far as I know, they won't work together, and are not interchangeable. Since I know the basics for using Gcodetools extensions, I can give you the general steps. But I can't help at all with the makerbot unicorn extension.
I have the impression it's meant to be used with makerbot unicorn hardware, though. Possibly that's why it's not working? Although that's just a guess....it might be broken anyway. Is there some reason you decided to install it? Is your hardware meant to work with it?
For gcodetools:
The various options in those dialogs are not necessarily clear or easy to understand, at least not for me. So if you have specific questions, hopefully someone else can help.
Or, as I said before, there are many extensions which produce gcode, and I don't really know if one or another would work better with your particular setup or hardware. If you look in the top-right area of this forum, there's a "Learn" dropdown menu. Choose Inkscape Resources List. On that page, scroll down to the bottom part of the page, to the Extensions section, and click on the "Export" list item. That list item will expand. Scroll down to the Gcode section, and you can browse all the external extensions which are available. Not all of those necessarily work, or work with every version of Inkscape. Most of them are specific to certain hardware, as far as I understand.
Meanwhile, maybe someone more knowledgeable about engravers or engraving can help more than me.
Thank you Maren and Bryan. Fortunately I dont have any problem in Inkspace. Markerbot unicorn is said to be what is needed for Inkspace to produce the gcode file for grbl operated cnc mother board. I get positive results until I click save. I get the 10 line error code and click ok on the error window, then another window pops up and says file cant be saved. Ill take a look at the other extensions Bryan mentioned and try again. Thank you.
if I could interject I was also having issues until I watched a video showing to set document at pxl rather then MM and after changing that thefile wass saved I will post the video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbexjKISR8
Since I last posted in this topic, I heard the Makerbot Unicorn extension has been discontinued. That means it's no longer being updated and support will not be provided by the author.
But if using pixels for units works, I guess that's a good thing. However, we can't predict how long that might work. It likely will further degrade, as Inkscape continues to be developed.
I have the same issue as Bill Lawrence. I get a message of a possible error and messages about python errors in line 108 and another python error. Then I get the message that the file cannot be saved. I've got to believe that there is something very simple since many others have success with these products. The CNC machine is not in the loop yet, only Inkscape. Perhaps something in the Python that is installed on this machine?
hi Imohr83900 I did find that the Markerbot unicorn, is not actually for NC, program it is for a ink pen marker, and after watching some of the videos I have started having success using the tool and path to code functions recently I have been creating very good nc gcode programs which with minor adjustment work fabulously in my 3018 engraver if you wish I will try to help there are setting which in document you need to set on pixel that straightened out the Markerbot unicorn issue
Thanks, Bill. I certainly appreciate any assistance you can give me. Thanks again!
Switching from mm to px worked for me. Thanks, Bill!