FrankRai 1 Posted August 17, 2020 Hi I need help. When I try to import a PDF file into Sure Cuts Alot Pro I get a runtime error. C;\ Program Files (x86) . But some files it works. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Is there a setting in the PDF to make it get recognized by the Sure Cuts alot? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted August 17, 2020 That is a Microsoft/Windows problem. Go to Google and search how to fix it. Many sites including youtube, tell you how to fix it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 17, 2020 Ok I will Try to. Thank you 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 17, 2020 Still No luck. But still trying Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, MZ SKEETER said: That is a Microsoft/Windows problem. Go to Google and search how to fix it. Many sites including youtube, tell you how to fix it. It has to be in the Sure Cuts alot Program now i am thinking. I did everything that Microsoft said and also un-istalled Adobe PDF and re-installed it still giving me the same runtime error. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haumana 1,220 Posted August 17, 2020 what version of windows and SCAL(P) are you running? have you tried to convert your file to an .svg or .eps? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 18, 2020 Windows 7 SCALP 3.059 And No I have not tried to convert it. I don't know how. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haumana 1,220 Posted August 18, 2020 Do you have other design software available to you? (i.e. Illustrator, CorelDraw, etc.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted August 18, 2020 If not, you can download Inkscape for free. It can open PDFs and save it off in several different vector file formats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 19, 2020 18 hours ago, haumana said: Do you have other design software available to you? (i.e. Illustrator, CorelDraw, etc.) Yes I Have Photoshop Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 19, 2020 11 hours ago, darcshadow said: If not, you can download Inkscape for free. It can open PDFs and save it off in several different vector file formats. I got it to convert to SVG . Downloaded the program to do it. problem now is that it converts and its like the sheet is one item and when I go to print it will not show anything only the outline of the sheet. Like as if there is another sheet on top or its all one picture Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haumana 1,220 Posted August 19, 2020 Help us with the steps that you're taking with Inkscape. That might help us guide you in the right direction. On 8/4/2020 at 3:57 PM, haumana said: Hmm ... let break this down a little more. After getting the raster image into the inkscape work space, single click on the artwork to select it. Path > Trace Bitmap > OK (the resizing arrows will usually move, so that it's on the traced vector instead of the raster image) (you can close the Trace Bitmap pop up, or just move it to the side) There should be the vectorized item sitting directly on top of the raster. Try to click on something and move it to the side. At the bottom it will tell you which is selected (image is raster, path is vector). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted August 19, 2020 Sounds like the file is not a vector file but a raster image saved inside a PDF. Vector files can be tricky because they can contain raster images as well as vector images. Just because something is saved in a Vector File Format does not mean the image is a vector. When you open the PDF file in your vector program, switch to wireframe mode. If the image disappears you have a raster image. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted August 19, 2020 15 hours ago, FrankRai said: I got it to convert to SVG . Downloaded the program to do it. problem now is that it converts and its like the sheet is one item and when I go to print it will not show anything only the outline of the sheet. Like as if there is another sheet on top or its all one picture to convert a raster image to a vector it has to be traced - not converted like you might be used to doing with raster images made of pixels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 19, 2020 9 hours ago, darcshadow said: Sounds like the file is not a vector file but a raster image saved inside a PDF. Vector files can be tricky because they can contain raster images as well as vector images. Just because something is saved in a Vector File Format does not mean the image is a vector. When you open the PDF file in your vector program, switch to wireframe mode. If the image disappears you have a raster image. How do I switch to wire mode? Is that in SCALP or in Adobe PDF Reader? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 19, 2020 7 hours ago, Dakotagrafx said: to convert a raster image to a vector it has to be traced - not converted like you might be used to doing with raster images made of pixels When I trace it it wants to draw both sides of the line when I am using the PEN. Like it is trying to cut the line out of vinyl. In other words, If I have a thin line that the pen just need to draw one line in one direction, it wants to draw one side of the line then come back and draw the otherside of the line making a double line. if that makes sense. LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted August 19, 2020 I don't know SCALP, but I would assume it has a wire frame mode. Google it, or someone on here that uses it can tell you. Adobe PDF reader does not have it. I suggested downloading Inkscape. From the above comments sounds like your version of SCALP can not vectorize images and it sounds like that is what you are needing. Inkscape is pretty good at vectoring and it is free. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted August 19, 2020 Yes, that makes perfect sense. It is tracing what it sees. It sees a line it traces the line. For example if you draw a circle with a pencil and trace that you will get two circles so that the end result looks just like what you drew. If you want just a single circle it will need to be a solid color, so you would draw the circle with your pencil then color it in solid. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 20, 2020 I will try Inkscape. I will let you know how that goes. Thank you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrankRai 1 Posted August 20, 2020 Well I downloaded Inkscape now to learn another program. Any quick tips on how to trace a pdf ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haumana 1,220 Posted August 20, 2020 And here I was under the impression that you've already downloaded Inkscape and was finding that problematic. So, as suggested before, download and install Inkscape, you have nothing to lose, the software is free/open-source. Open Inkscape, drop and drag your PDF file open (or right click on your PDF and select Inkscape as the application to open that file. Click OK File > Export PNG Image (change the dpi to 300, and tell it where to save your file) Delete the PDF image in the Inkscape work area. Drop and drag (or right click on the newly created PNG file) After getting the raster image into the inkscape work space, single click on the artwork to select it. Path > Trace Bitmap > OK (the resizing arrows will usually move, so that it's on the traced vector instead of the raster image) (you can close the Trace Bitmap pop up, or just move it to the side) There should be the vectorized item sitting directly on top of the raster. Try to click on something and move it to the side. At the bottom it will tell you which is selected (image is raster, path is vector). When Dakota said that the image needs to be traced, it doesn't mean that it needs to manually traced via pen/mouse - just that it need to be vectorized. Inkscape will vectorize your image, which creates a trace of it. Opening the PDF in any program and simply re-saving (save as) another file format (.eps, .svg. etc.) does not automatically vectorize it for you, it only save it in a different format so that other applications may open it. If you do not know the difference between a raster image and a vector one, I suggest you Google it. It will help you understand why cutters require vector images, and not raster ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted August 20, 2020 I'm not 100% sure but I don't think you need to save the PDF as a PNG first, you should be able to just trace the PDF file. You may need to ungroup it first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haumana 1,220 Posted August 20, 2020 6 hours ago, darcshadow said: I'm not 100% sure but I don't think you need to save the PDF as a PNG first, you should be able to just trace the PDF file. You may need to ungroup it first. I tried that. but even ungrouping, it wouldn't separate the design from the background, or break thing into individual elements. It was making slightly mental, so it was a lot faster for me to just export to PNG and do the drag'n'drop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites