Hi all,

Inkscape n00b here. I'm trying to create a cutting guide for plastic laser cutting. What I want to do is have sixteen 5mm holes cut out, evenly spaced, in a circular formation, like this (please excuse my hideous drawing).

http://imgur.com/mMJDPGX

The angle between each point is 22.5 degrees. I don't want to have the first circle at 0 degrees, but 11.25 degrees from vertical.

Any help appreciated!

Hi.

Pardon my ignorance, but

Maestral wrote:there is no other way.

and there never was.

.

That is so simple to do, I cannot effectively make a good answer.
So many ways to skin the cat, so much more time to describe them than to achieve the result.

Maybe check for some tutorials here and there.

Lazur URH wrote:That is so simple to do

If you already know how.

I'm also a noob, so can't help too much,
I found this page:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL ... Start.html

Have a look at the European Flag example. It does what you want.

I'm sure there must be an easier way, so I'll be watching replies too.

You can find the ellipse tool (F5) as an icon on the left side.
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Shapes-Arcs.html
With that, as described in the manual, you can draw one circle.

Preferably set no strokes but fill only, with a vivid colour, and lower the opacity to about 55%.
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Attributes.html


Once you have one circle with the right size
-enter size in the top box when object mode (F1) is active;
can change between tools by pressing Space;
other key shortcuts can come handy too-,
you would need to position it somewhere and make duplicants/clones of it, and place them to position.

There is a make tiled clone option in the edit menu.
Personally I wouldn't use that, it is much simpler.

Instead, I would duplicate the circle, move it down, until it would be at the other side of the big circle, select the other one as well
-at least three ways of doing that alone-, then combine those two,
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Paths-Combining.html
make duplicants (Ctrl+D)
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Copy.html
and rotate them by the desired degree through the transformation panel (Shift+Ctrl+M).
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Transforms.html#Transforms-Transform

But the inkscape preferences could also be edited (Shift+Ctrl+P), to rotate the exact angles desired while holding Ctrl key,
so that previous panel may not be necessary too.

Once all circles are in position, you can combine them together.



Apart from these I would use the star tool to create the circle, because the nodes are calculated much precisely than the segments of the circle,
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Shapes-Stars.html
Would convert a polygon with 16 nodes -because of the 22,5° rotations- to path (Ctrl+Shift+C), and change it's nodes to smooth.
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Paths-Editing.html

Once the path's shape is right, set the stroke colours as the cutter is set, and, edit document's properties
(Shift+Ctrl+D) to the right page size.
Maybe draw the page as a square with the desired size, then use the align and distribute panel to place the circles in the centre.


So basically it is experiencing with the program, there is not a "how to".
There is no other way to get the basic knowledge for that, than to learn -experience-.

Thank you!

Lazur URH wrote:So basically it is experiencing with the program, there is not a "how to".
There is no other way to get the basic knowledge for that, than to learn -experience-.

I see what you are saying, but the reverse is also true - in following your guide, I am learning and experiencing the program.

Thanks Lazur
I used your method as an exercise. Much easier than the European Flag tutorial which uses Euclidean Geometry to place the circles.