Convert Images to GCODE for FREE

Ok I am currently working on a new project for my website. We are going to look at generating gcode for EMC2 using GPL and other no cost software. We are going to start in Windows then move to Linux. During this process we will also be looking at software I have not even tried yet. I know sounds like a ton of fun. http://sites.google.com/site/hobbygaragesite/Home . I am telling you this will be fun.

SUPER GEEK Contest
Also if you are local I can't fly anyone in but if you are and want to learn more and walk away with a finished project email me at darksparc@gmail.com. You must be in the Mentor, Ohio area or willing to drive here. So here are the rules and how to win. Contest will start May 1st and run through June 1st 2009.
1.) You have to first sign up as a follower of my BLOG.
2.) Who ever posts the most used comments or contributes to my content the most wins.
The winner will get to work through a project to learn more about the project and CNC. We will generate a small key holder or other small project using your design idea and will generate the CAD / CAM and machine and finish it. So when your done you will have your project and new knowledge. So get Geeked..

Autocad and Large Files

I hear all the time about large files causing issues. This leads us to a couple commands that seem to get missed. "PARTIALOPEN" and "PARTIALOAD" the combonations of these two commands can save you a lot of time. First of all to do a partial open you can get to this by starting the open command and selecting the file you want then going to the Open button select the option arrow to right of it. From here select Partial open.

Now select the layers that you want to load as well as specifing the views. Now is the time to tell you that the view is critical, if you set up views in advance you have a lot more control over the command. You see only goemetry that fall with in the view you selected. This is the most powerfull part of the command as now you can control loads by region or zones of work. Now lets talk about "PARTIALLOAD" this command allows you to load other things you think you need later. If you have any questions let me know and I will expand on this. How well does this work? Well that depends on how large your files are in the first place. The larger the files the bigger the impact. The bigger they are the harder they fall, right? One of my users was complaining about files taking 15 minutes to open. With this command we where able to get this down to 2 minutes. So if your users all can save 10 minutes a day wow. I will be looking at this in more detail later.