A real challange! Can anyone come up with a driver for this?(no)
Phil Ronan
wrote:
> In printed circuit production, and in engineering, in the days of
> punch card! the powers that be decided, agreed and utilised a command
> language which could describe the motive control of a light source
> against file, indicating position, appature and whether or not the
> shut is open as movement takes place, between either the film, or the
> light source. The object of the exercise was to create an image on a
> file, in two tones, which could then be used to produce etchings, on
> metal, for what ever purpose.
>
> -- snip --
Yikes!
Let me get this straight -- you want to convert an image file into a set of
instructions in some arcane language so that some other machine can read in
these instructions and produce an image file that looks exacly the same as
the file you had originally? What's the point?
Since this gerbil language must surely predate AppleWorks by some 30 or 40
years, I think it's safe to say that no such utility exists.
You have two options: either spend several thousand $$$ getting someone to
develop a converter for you, or output your image as a hi-res bitmap file
and send it straight to the photolithographers.
Better to bypass these "production fellows" and leave out the gerbils, IMHO.
Hope this helps :)
Phil
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Ernie Leimkuhler
Why not convert your bitmap image file to a Vector line drawing.
There are several apps that can do this.
Or you can import it into a layer of a vector art app like Illustrator or
Freehand and draw on top of it using line art.
The end goal here is to get to a vector image, not a bitmap image.
I do this often using Vectorworks.
Vectorworks is a nice easy to use CAD program that is cross platform.
I use a Mac to do all of my drawing for metal fab, but to get pieces cut by
Laser, Plasma, Waterjet or CNC mills, I need to be able to email a DXF file to
the shop doing the work.
I simple import the image into the background of a Vectorworks drawing, then
overlay it with vector art.
I save the vector art as a DXF file and email to the shop doing the work.
I have heard of Gerber, but for all high end machining, cutting and engraving
processes, there are few programs that are not DXF compatible.
That is why it is a Industry standard.
It does kind of suck as a file format, in that it does not support any kind of
bezier curve, but oh well, it does work, and conversion to spline curves isn't
too tough.
I quite often generate orginal graphics in Canvas 7, then export as a DXF and
import into Vectorworks, then export again as a cleaner version of DXF.
Canvas 7 has much better bezier curve tools, but it's DXF exports have had
problems when I have sent the out.
So I use Vectorworks as my translator for a clean DXF output.
Just my take on your problem.
BTW you can simply Xerox the image onto Kodak Photo Resist transfer paper and
directly apply that to the surface, then use an acid to etch the pattern.
Wash off the resist and there you have it.
It is an old process that is used for many artistic purposes.
In article <6d23bac1.01111...@posting.google.com>,
davidch...@appleonline.net (davidchristmass) wrote:
> In printed circuit production, and in engineering, in the days of
> punch card! the powers that be decided, agreed and utilised a command
> language which could describe the motive control of a light source
> against file, indicating position, appature and whether or not the
> shut is open as movement takes place, between either the film, or the
> light source. The object of the exercise was to create an image on a
> file, in two tones, which could then be used to produce etchings, on
> metal, for what ever purpose.
>
> Despite this seeming technical, the problem I have is that of
> translation. The format or protocol which describes the motion of the
> control systems is commonly refered to as Gerber, or Gerber extended
> formats. Like HPGL Hewlett Packard Graphics language, these formats
> utilise vector coordination to describe an image, and, naturally, this
> format lends itself to plotting with pens and so forth too. The other
> common term associated with the former formats are RS274D and RS274X.
> More information about this can be found at a site
>
> http://www.artwork.com/gerber/index.htm
>
> which is wonderful, and helpful, if you have a pc! I guess that all
> you chaps on this board like me, don't. The potential of this format
> is widespread, it has become a sort of industry standard, and I would
> not be surprised if Hollywood use it for motion control rigs too, the
> protocol lends itself to this utility.
>
> But I have a graphics image as an Appleworks 5.03 drawing and I need
> to print, or plot to a file so that I can give the file over to
> production fellows. I guess the best chance of a solution, is a print
> to utility, that uses a printer, or plotter description file to
> convert the image to coordinates. I can, potentially print to eps,
> which is of a simular nature, I can print to pdf, but print to gerber,
> or HPGL or RS274X, well I 'm stuffed!
>
> So, there it is, any of you bright sparks in the graphics world know
> of a translator. I already registered for Lemeke Graphic converter,
> and it does not import Appleworks, or export to gerber, their problems
> is that apple have no produced the spec for exactly how AW 5.03 or 6
> saves data in a file format. Options to save as jpg or gif or pict are
> out of the question, as there are reductions in resolution, and
> aliasing in such modes. It has to go straight from appleworks to a
> file, in some way. Also, Data viz, the standard utility of translating
> Appleworks stuff is a can of worms, you chaps all know about NTSC in
> the states, well data viz grants never the same code twice!
>
> I have pawed the whole net looking form an answer for three weeks and
> it is holding up production. Any advice, greatfully received.
>
> Thanks for reading this
>
> David Christmass
>
> davidch...@appleonline.net
> Periander Research.
--
--
"Time, heat and pressure.
The same things that make a diamond also make a waffle."
~Scott Meyer
--
wayne ingalls
davidch...@appleonline.net writes:
>I have pawed the whole net looking form an answer for three weeks and
>it is holding up production. Any advice, greatfully received.
Have you looked at CadMover from Kandu?
<http://www.kandusoftware.com/home.html>
I'm not sure what formats you can save your AW file in, but I know that
CadMover can handle translations in and out of Gerber format as well as
dozens of others. If you can't get enough info from their website, let me
know and I may be able to try test translation for you.
hth
-wayne
inga...@frontiernet.net
Jeff Hayden
6d23bac1.01111...@posting.google.com, "davidchristmass"
<davidch...@appleonline.net> wrote:
> I have pawed the whole net looking form an answer for three weeks and
> it is holding up production. Any advice, greatfully received.
>
> Thanks for reading this
>
> David Christmass
>
> davidch...@appleonline.net
> Periander Research.
I realize this thread is a mite old - but - McCAD by Vamp does Gerber
output. The main use of Gerber output is for driving printed circuit board
plotters and McCAD is a program for drawing printed circuit schematics and
board layouts - is that what you want?
Jeff