Draw11 fill problems / autocad

[Frydaddy1]

My imported autocad 2000 .dwg file doesn’t fill like I hoped it would. For instance I have a logo with an outline (like a coin with its edge outlined) with other objects inside it that make up the pattern. I use ungroup all to start. I begin the fills by closing the lines and filling them with black for the inside darkened objects by right clicking and using object properties. I move on to the inner edge of the coin and fill it with white so I can fill the outer with black. When filling the outer elements some of the inside ones disappear, not all just some. These seem to hide under the new fills either white or black, I cant even see the vector outline anymore until I move the larger top object. Now I have some experience with autocad and minimal with coreldraw11. All I want to do is create a black and white vector logo (I think some call this clipart) so I can scale it to what I need to use it on.

Imported file details
Autocad 2000 .dwg file. Created by importing a raster image in the base layer, creating another layer to trace on and after finishing I would copy my line drawing and paste it into a new 1 layer file (to eliminate the possibility of my problem being layers from autocad). I have also tried to hatch in my logo with much success in autocad but that file looses its solid hatch fill when it transfers to draw11.

End use
Epilog laser etcher (that’s why I am making black and white... etch/no etch) The items I etch are not for commercial gain, its to save our flight some $ and give out nicer awards by doing the items ourselves. We have these machines to etch our tools and I want to use them to the fullest. Draw is set up to print to our etcher and does so quiet nicely... I am doing things this way because the pixilation becomes very pronounced when enlarging a raster image (even on a very small scale)


I expect questions; I have done research till blue in the face... I just can’t figure this out. Heck link me to the info and I will gladly read it.

Thanks in advance for the help
Dennis

 

[attrofy]

If I understand your problem correctly, you are inmporting the file, then having to clean it up in Draw, and in so doing, some of your pieces are being moved to the wrong "layer" - that is being put behind other objects (even though everything is really on one layer)? If so, this is an easy enough fix. When you start with whatever object you are begining to clean up, say the black background for example - once you have it like you want, right click on it and select Order. This will give you multiple options from "Send to Back of Layer" (or Front), "Send to Back of Page" (or Front), and "In Front of..." or "Behind..."

All of these are pretty self explanatory, and for ease of use, I would group all like objects (face on coin, writting, date, etc) so that they can be manipulated as a single unit. This helps with fills and insures all like objects are in the same position (nothing hiding behind something else). What I find easiest in a similar situation is to start with the background object - and "Send it to Back". Then anything that needs to go in front of that object - "Send to Front". It doesn't matter initially if the onjects in front are out of order - that can be cleaned up later. FOr extremely detailed objects with lots of little pieces - the Lock Object becomes helpful so that nothing goes behind it. Just ensure - nothing is behind it before locking, else it gets locked behind the object.

One caveat - for the laser etcher, it may require everything to be ungrouped - but that can be done once everything is put in the right positions with the right colors.

Also, as for importing - expecially from AutoCad - I have not had any luck keeping the fills (cross-hatch or otherwise) stay in tact. It was always easier for me to plan on there not being any fills, as I often had similar problems where items became disconnected and required much cleanup. However, this is going back a number of years, around version 7, so things may have changed.

 

[Frydaddy1]

Ok sounds good, I will have to wait till next week sometime to try this out, I am on leave to study for promotion this week and that computer is at work.

btw if you ever want to make stencils the laser etcher I am using uses the vector lines to cut. I have made a set of animal stencils for our babies room. the print settings allow you to cut or etch or both... its been fun to learn how to use it! Trophy places are the most likely to have an etcher and might work with you.

Thanks for your help!!!