Frontpanel Designer Question

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

AudioJunkie

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
153
Location
Houston, TX
Alright. As usual, the "Help" file is no help at all!

What program can I use to make HPGL files? I'd like to make pattern selectors for my dual G7 PSU. But i can't figure out what I need to do. All the programs I have (Adobe Creative Suite, Corel Graphic Suite, several CAD) programs don't save or export to HPGL. And Graphic Concerter can export as HPGL, but it gives it .hpgl instead of .plt extension.

Okay, so i found out using Corel R.A.V.E. can give me a .plt file. But when I import it to FPD, all i get is a square box. :-(

Any ideas?
Daniel
 
It saves it as a .plt file. But maybe there's something going wrong when iI drag it from my OS X desktop to Virtual PC. Though other files don't have a problem. So I'm not sure why that would be a problem for an HPGL file.

When I import it to FPD 3.2, it recognizes it, but I get some message in German when I try and set the Pen and Tool:
"Zugriffsverletzung bei Adresse 0044C780 in Modul 'FrontDesign.exe'. Lessen von Adresse 0000004E."

And all I can get to appear on the panel layout is the indicator cross.

Is there a particular setting I should make sure I adjust when i save the files as .plt?

Thanks,
Daniel
 
When I export with Corel Draw, it gives me *.plt, but doesn't work in FPD.
I would assume that if it shows HPGL as an option, and spits out a file with the right name, that the filter would already be installed?


Your file worked. What settings did you use when exporting?

Daniel
 
I just choose "PLT_HPGL-Plotter-Datei" ... standard... click on export... in the next window... just "OK" ... nothing more

plt_export.jpg


plt_export2.jpg
 
This document describes everything in details (but in german):
http://www.schaeffer-apparatebau.de/pdf/HPGL.pdf

Once I made an english translation for Kruz.

Tips to make engravebale HPGL files

HPGL is the abbreviation for the file format "HEWLETT PACKARD Graphics LANGUAGE". The file extension is PLT. This format was invented for printing of designs on pin plotters. Frontplatten Designer can import HPGL files, which were provided by of other programs. In this way you can use the possibilities of modern plot routines also for the disign of writings and logos on your front plates. Since graphics are engraved on the plates and are not printed, files are to be considered a few characteristics with the production of the HPGL, so that a perfect result is obtained. It showed up, that the function "simulated filling" in some programs (i.e. CorelDraw) results in bed results. Engravings of good quality can be produced however with the outline function. In the following short tutorial we describe the production of a signature as HPGL file by CorelDRAW 8.0. The procedure can feasible accordingly adapted also with other programs.


Tutorial:
1. Resize the grafic to the size it should have on the front plate. Switch to outline mode (menu "View" -> "Outline")

2. Now the graphic should be transformed into the contour for the milling tool. For a good engraving result it is necessary, that the outline lines lie sufficient closely and are sufficiently smooth. In the first step the outer contour must be shifted around half drill width inward, so that an unwanted enlargement of graphics is avoided. In addition you must decide first, with which tools the engraving is to be produced (e.g. engraving burin 0.2 mm for a graphics with fine lines or drill 1 mm for a wide graphics). A possibly existing grouping of elements has to be "ungrouped". Select "Effects" -> "contour" in the menu. Here select the option "inside", for "distance" choose half of the width of the engraving burin and set the "number of steps" to 1.
The outside outline is no longer needed thereafter. Click in the menu "arrange" -> "divide", then the outside outline will be delete.

3.
The further internal outline lines are processed as contour "to center". A possibly existing grouping of elements has to be "ungrouped" also. If several letters are to be worked on at the same time, this could be done by "Arrange" -> "Combine". Choose the distance of the outline lines in such a way, that there are no burrs in the recesses after engraving. For milling using of half the tool width is well proven, but for engraving lower the width a little bit more, because it's tapered. As appoximate values can be considered:

Tool Distance
0,2mm 0,07mm
0,4mm 0,15mm
0,6mm 0,25mm

4. In the next step the graphic should be made bigger for smoother roundings. It's nessesary because graphic programs are showing objects as pologones. The bigger the object the better the results. The original size will be restored after the Frontdesigner import. At first contour lines must be separated, because CorelDraw tries keep the distances between the lines constant. After separation scale up to 500%. Set outline colour to black (or other colour, it's possible to select different tools by colour). Than export to HPGL file. In exportmenu select "Advanced" and set contour resolution to "0".

5. Go to Frontplatten Designer, click on the HPGL icon and import the file. Correct the scaling (here 20%, to restore the original size) and choose the right tool.

6. Click on the looking glass icon and zoom the graphic to full screen. The engraved area should now be displayed fully black and have archs without squares.
 
Thanks Michael,

That seems to help. Now, anyone know an easy way to draw a cardioid pattern? I've tried cutting and pasting from a PDF document that had a clean cardioid pattern, and i've tried importing the image and converting it to all different kinds of formats, Corel Draw treats the whole image as an object, not the black line of the pattern itself. :-(

Thanks for the help, getting closer! :)
Daniel
 
I tried to follow the steps above and also still have problems. I followed the directions up till importing the hpgl into FPD. Front panel won't let me choose the tool. It just gives me the error in greman that audiojunkie posted above. Does anyone else have this problem?

I'm just trying to import a logo into the panel.

Joel
 
Try my little hpgl diy with pictures....
http://www.nrgrecording.de/html/hpgl_diy.html

To do a logo in HPGL isn't easy at all. The schaeffer guys require 80? as far as I know if they will do the job. (they will entrust a grafic company - they don't do it themselfs)
If you know a friend who is experienced with grafics maybe he could help you? If you don't have friends :green: , send an email to me... I'll see what I can do :wink:
The only way to make a hpgl file is to redraw the logo completely.

If you only have problems with the import itselfs, send me the hpgl and the *.fpd file.

Frank.
 
Back
Top