DXF problem

[Mike183]

Can I go back one update as can not export DXF file so now cannot cut them out on my laser.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Mike183

Hi Mike,

Welcome to Templot Club.

Please can you explain your problem? What error messages do you see when trying to export DXF files?

Are you trying to export 2-D or 3-D files?

I just tested a 2-D export to DXF from Templot 235a and opened it in a CAD program without any problems.

Anyone else seeing problems?

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Just managed to export a 2D DXF file from Templot 2.35a, and then open it successfully in Inkscape (free). All layers present as expected.
On this pc I am running Windows 8.1
No error messages.

https://inkscape.org

What operating system are you running under?
If windows and you can see the .DXF file , can you open it in Notepad?

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Mike183

p.s. Mike,

Just to add that if you want a 3-D DXF, you need to change this option to DXF or both:

If you forget and leave it on STL you will still get a default DXF -- you can find it at:

C:\TEMPLOT_DEV\internal\dxf\dummy.dxf

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Mike183]

@Mike183

Hi Mike,

Welcome to Templot Club.

Please can you explain your problem? What error messages do you see when trying to export DXF files?

Are you trying to export 2-D or 3-D files?

I just tested a 2-D export to DXF from Templot 235a and opened it in a CAD program without any problems.

Anyone else seeing problems?

cheers,

Martin.

Hi Martin
Trying to export dxf stl after going into output drop down but when i try to do this i get error mesage
Unable to create DXF STL Files
Please check the file and folder name and this file is not in use by another Application
If saving to floppy disc please check that it is not write protected DXF files are much larger than templote box files a larger drawing
may have exseeded the capacity of floppy disc
no im not tring to save to floppy disc and this did not happen untill last update
Thanks Mike

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Mike183

Hi Mike,

Thanks for replying.

Just a hint there of the age of Templot! I doubt many Templot users are still using floppy disks. I must go through the code and update some of those original texts from 23 years ago.

Are you exporting 2-D or 3-D files? There is no difference in the 2-D export from previous versions. The most likely explanation is that you are re-using a file name which is currently open in your laser-cutting CAD program or some other program. Try closing other programs or saving to a different file name.

If still no joy, try restarting Templot, or restarting Windows.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Mike183

Hi Mike,

If you are laser-cutting timbers, have you tried some of the latest DXF options?

You can use sprues to link the timbers instead of webs under the rails. These are much easier to remove after assembly or tracklaying, without damaging the track:

I believe the green colour causes the laser cutting software to treat the lines as external edges.

You can set a kerf width adjustment which causes Templot to increase the timber sizes fractionally to allow for the cutter kerf, for an accurate result. (This isn't necessary if your laser software does this automatically.)

Here are some of the settings to click on the DXF dialog:

Note that at present, sprues are available only if you set the template as a brick template and match the brick colour above. I may look at changing that for 2-D exports.

Removing webs from below the rails risks damaging the track as the knife blade forces the timbers apart. Webs below the rails also make it difficult to add ballast, and prevent replicating the characteristic daylight below the rails for bullhead track:

Hence the preference for sprues on the timber ends. Easily trimmed flush with Xuron-type rail cutters. But as far as I know all commercial suppliers of laser-cut timbering bases are still using webs below the rails.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

@Mike183

Hi Mike,

Thanks for replying.

Just a hint there of the age of Templot! I doubt many Templot users are still using floppy disks. I must go through the code and update some of those original texts from 23 years ago.

Are you exporting 2-D or 3-D files? There is no difference in the 2-D export from previous versions. The most likely explanation is that you are re-using a file name which is currently open in your laser-cutting CAD program or some other program. Try closing other programs or saving to a different file name.

If still no joy, try restarting Templot, or restarting Windows.

cheers,

Martin.

Marting,

I've just hit this same problem when trying to export a 2D DXF. I'm running 2.41b

I'm saving to the DXF folder and there is no filename clash. I tried changing filenames but the fault still persists. I've restarted Windows as you suggest, and no change.

I've used this facility a lot in the past and with no problems.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Can you say a bit more about the settings you are using on the DXF dialog? Have you been using the preview functions and left the preview window open? If you look in DXF-FILES folder does the file actually exist, maybe with a file-size 0?

What happens if you try saving the file somewhere else?

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Can you say a bit more about the settings you are using on the DXF dialog? Have you been using the preview functions and left the preview window open? If you look in DXF-FILES folder does the file actually exist, maybe with a file-size 0?

What happens if you try saving the file somewhere else?

Here's the settings I'm using

I tried saving to Desktop and changing filenames, but with the same result.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

That's odd. I can't replicate the problem here. Have you accidentally got two instances of Templot running?

Try going to C:\TEMPLOT_DEV\internal\dxf\ and delete the file dummy.dxf

Try going to C:\TEMPLOT_DEV\internal\pre\ and delete the files preview.dxf and preview.stl

Try closing Templot and then re-starting it by right-clicking on the icon and Run as administrator.

I will do some digging.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

Martin,

One thing I didn't mention is that my instance of Templot is installed in my OneDrive folder so that I run the same instance on all three of my PCs.

I'll try your suggestions.

Jim.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

Try going to C:\TEMPLOT_DEV\internal\dxf\ and delete the file dummy.dxf

Try going to C:\TEMPLOT_DEV\internal\pre\ and delete the files preview.dxf and preview.stl

Try closing Templot and then re-starting it by right-clicking on the icon and Run as administrator.

Done all that - no change.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Are other files saving ok? BOX files, BGS3 files?

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Are other files saving ok? BOX files, BGS3 files?

Martin.

BOX files saving no problem. I haven't used any shapes or saved shape files so far with this project.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Are you using any 3rd Party antivirus other than Windows Defender? If so, try switching it off while saving the DXF file.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Are you using any 3rd Party antivirus other than Windows Defender? If so, try switching it off while saving the DXF file.

cheers,

Martin.

No - Windows Defender only.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Please can you post your BOX file here?

I will try exporting it and see what happens. Thanks.

Martin.

 

[Jim Guthrie]

Latest BOX file attached.

Jim.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Jim Guthrie

Hi Jim,

Thanks. DXF created here no problems. Attached below.

I'm puzzled. If I can't create the problem here, and you have checked everything I can think of, I don't know what to suggest next.

Have you been saving DXF files to this same location before without any problems? Have you had a recent Windows update?

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Rob Manchester]

Latest BOX file attached.

Jim.

Jim,
Just noticed the posts from you and Martin. I tried an export to DXF ( which I had never done before with Templot ) using your box file and it worked and produced a file which appears to be the same as the one Martin has posted. Not sure that helps you much though......dxf is attached. I just saved it to the default folder.
Rob

 

[Jim Guthrie]

I had been working on my Dell Precision 7710 laptop running Win 10 Professional. I tend to use it a lot now since it means I can sit on a comfortable settee whilst using it. I then tried my Dell Desktop running Win 10 Home running from the same installation of Templot in Onedrive, and the DXF export worked with no problems. So the problem is somewhere in the laptop. There was a recent Windows update on the laptop which might have had something to do with it. Microsoft doesn't recommend updating to Windows 11 for laptops like the Precision 7710 so something may be affecting even Windows 10 setups.

And the layout is an amalgam of two versions of a layout featured in the February 1969 Model Railroader ...

...and a bit larger than the compact version using FS160, with minimum radii of at least 12". I've got a drawer full of N scale rolling stock so I need something large enough to house it.

Jim.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

Why not just Install Templot on your laptop?
Steve

 

[Martin Wynne]

Why not just Install Templot on your laptop?
Steve

@Jim Guthrie @Steve_Cornford

If you have multiple computers, the best place to install Templot is on a USB stick. You can then bung it in whichever computer you are using and you will have all your files and settings right there, self-contained.

It works fine, on one condition -- no spaces anywhere in the path, use underscores instead:

F:\RAILWAY_STUFF\TEMPLOT_STUFF\

Just edit the path in the installer setup dialog to whatever you want.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Paul Boyd]

Hi Jim

Just to chip in to this, I once also ran the same installation of Templot on either my laptop or desktop via OneDrive. It never seemed to work very well (and Martin did/does advise against installing on cloud drive folders at all) but now that I no longer have a laptop I find that having Templot in a OneDrive folder but running exclusively from my PC works just fine. I suspect your problem is not your laptop, but OneDrive getting confused - it does that! I use OneDrive extensively on a PC, Mac, tablet and phone and something like 720Gb of personal stuff so do feel I have good experience of its foibles.

Martin has also emphasised above not to include any spaces anywhere in the path. I ignore that as well and it still works fine, including DXF exports However, I'm very aware that if I start getting problems because of this, it's not Martin's responsibility to fix it. Everything I do is in the OneDrive folder so for me it makes no sense not to include Templot in that.

Very occasionally I use Templot on my work PC (with permission) but do that by copying from my online OneDrive folder to a memory stick.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Jim Guthrie]

I'm actually quite happy with the use of Onedrive. It gives me a not-quite-instant network between PCs in the house. I could use a USB drive but I know that the major problem would be finding it.

Jim.

 

[AndyB]

I'm actually quite happy with the use of Onedrive. It gives me a not-quite-instant network between PCs in the house. I could use a USB drive but I know that the major problem would be finding it.

Jim.

I have a network file-server. It's an old PC running TrueNAS. (It's free.) Seems to be extremely stable and very fast. The only problem I have with it is remembering to hit the power button when power is restored after an outage. I suppose I could arrange for some auto restart mechanism but I haven't felt the need for that.

 

[John Walker]

Was the issue with this error message ever resolved?

I have been using 244c without any problems until now when I have started getting this error. I have tried also sorts but haven't worked out a consistent pattern. I've tried two different PCs running Windows 10 and Windows 11, running as administrator, rebooting, re-installing ... I can load and save box and shape files without a problem. Sometimes I can export once but not again, sometimes I can save into the default folders but not always. The problem occurs with the opening template as well as my own files.

I was making good progress (see https://sites.google.com/site/swanagein3mm/track) but now I'm stuck.

Regards
John Walker

 

[Martin Wynne]

@John Walker

Hi John,

Do you have a file called preview.dxf or dummy.dxf open in a CAD program or in Inkscape?

Fresh versions of these files are created every time you preview or export a file (including when exporting STL). If you open these files after exporting it is important to close them before exporting again.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[John Walker]

Ah, I found dummy.dxf. I tried deleting it but it says it is open in templot2.run

I also found preview.stl and preview.dxf. I can delete those.

Regards
John Walker

 

[Martin Wynne]

Ah, I found dummy.dxf. I tried deleting it but it says it is open in templot2.run

I also found preview.stl and preview.dxf. I can delete those.

Regards
John Walker

@John Walker

Hi John,

No point in deleting them. They are re-created fresh and over-written every time you export.

If dummy.dxf is open in Templot, that is an error. It means Templot did not complete the STL export. Most likely there is a problem in the BOX file, please can you attach it here?

Are you trying to create DXF or STL files? Or 2-D DXF files?

How are you selecting templates for export? All of them? Or by group, or by brick colour?

cheers,

Martin.

 

[John Walker]

More evidence:
delete dummy.dxf
export STL
dummy.dxf is generated and the error message pops up but I don't know in what order
cancel message
cannot delete dummy.dxf because it is open in templot2

Messages crossed. I'll look at your reply now

Regards
John Walker

 

[John Walker]

I think my evidence above explains why the problem persists until I close templot and delete the dummy.txt file.

My box file is attached. The problem occurs if I create a group from just Turnout 2 V2 chairs and then try to export the group.

I've done some more playing with that file. It might be related to how many of the templates are on the background. I'll keep trying to narrow it down.

Regards
John Walker

 

[John Walker]

Sorry Martin. It looks like the error occurs in the first place because there is a space in one of the folders on my very long path.

I think the only problem with templot is that after that error it doesn't close the dummy.txt file so the problem appears to persist whatever you do until templot is closed.

Regards
John Walker

 

[Martin Wynne]

Sorry Martin. It looks like the error occurs in the first place because there is a space in one of the folders on my very long path.

@John Walker

Hi John,

Thanks for the BOX file. Everything seems to be working ok here.

Templot simply will not work if there is a space anywhere in the file or folder names or paths to them. This is bad news anywhere in Windows, but in Templot it will likely crash.

Where have you installed Templot? Do not install Templot in the Windows "Program Files" folders because there is a space in that name. Use an underscore instead of spaces. The default location is C:\TEMPLOT_DEV.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[John Walker]

Thanks Martin

I always let Templot install in its default location.

I agree. Spaces are a pain. It used to be something you always had to avoid. These days sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I made the mistake of letting some creep in. I had got over confident because the path to my Hamworthy files had no spaces but there was one in the Uffculme path.

All's well now I know what was happening. I have just started printing chairs for Uffculme.

I think it would help to avoid confusion if Templot closed dummy.dxf after an error.

Regards
John Walker

 

[Hayfield]

John

At one point I had this issue, sadly I cannot remember what the issue was, only that it was in my case user error

Might have been duplicated templates. But as usual after closing everything down, I might have even updated the version and or checking conflicting templates all was fine. Soeey I cannot be of more assistance

John