Help with Union function

[Pupdaz]

Hi I am new to Inkscape and have watched numerous YouTube videos to help me learn

My first project was to create a circle and text (initials of name) within it that overlapped and to union it all to become one so I can cut out on a plotter

1. Created circle at 8cm
2. Duplicated circle and set that at 7cm
3. Turned both circles from object to path and made ‘difference’ to create a 1cm circle with no middle
4. Used text tool to type ‘L’
5. Duplicated text and type ‘K’
6. Sized and aligned how I wanted in proportion to circle
7. Turned text to path using ‘object to path’
8. Selected nodes tool and individually selected each object, chose ‘Union’ to give me one full object

Then I sent this file to my cutting software and it did not look the same as in Inkscape. I have straight lines showing either side of my text?



Any ideas where I am going wrong

[Moini]

What file formats does the cutting software support? How do you transfer the data?

[Pupdaz]

Thanks for your reply

My cutting software uses .eps files and I’ve tried sending them direct from Inkscape using the export function and also saving them and opening them from within SignCut, both with the same results

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Could you share the SVG file?  I wonder if you might have some open paths.  Although I think that's probably unlikely, I can't think of any other explanation, at this point.  It can't hurt to check.

[Pupdaz]

LK.svg
(8.23 kB . 210x297)
(viewed 183 times)

Attached, sorry for the delay, work commitments stopped my reply

[brynn]

I don't see any open paths in the area where these straight lines are happening.  The only somewhat odd thing about the file, is that is contains 2 objects.  One is the design that you've drawn.  And the other is a Group of 0 (zero).  I suppose that could either be confusing Inkscape when you save as EPS, or confusing the cutter?

By using the Tab key, you can select each object in a file, consecutively.  So Tab (selects your drawing) and Tab again, selects the Group of 0.  Be sure to watch the status bar to make sure when the Group of 0 is selected.  Then press Delete.

Then try saving as EPS, and loading the new EPS into the cutter.

Another thing you can try, is when you save as EPS, Inkscape shows a little dialog with a few options.  One of those is a choice between Post Script level 2 and Post Script level 3.  So whichever one you used the first time, try the other one, and see if that helps.  Your machine may be expecting one or the other.

There are some other options in that dialog.  They don't look like they would cause this problem to me, but if this problem is still persisting, you can use your judgement, and change them if you think best.

If none of that helps, I guess I would look towards the software for your cutter.