RSMTRACE Questions and Answers

Have any questions or problems. Email us your TIF image file and the DXF file and well post corrections or work arounds.

from Dan (Corel export problem)
From time to time, COREL 8 EXPORT does not produce expected results using RSMTrace.
COREL DRAW does not always export a image properly.
The following steps seem to correct this problem:
1st export your project to a .PCX file format using Corel Draw 8 or above
2nd open your .PCX project file with Corel Photo Paint and then export the .PCX file to a .TIF b/w file format.

from Bill (HP TIFF formats)
Bills question:
I have tried to use my digital camera and make a tiff file. That doesn't seem to work. I have scanned in drawings and saved them as tiff files and that dosen't seem to work. I'm not sure how to get a tiff file that will work.
Answer:
I tested the HP Scanner and scanned an image for RSMTRACE. The compressed image doesn't work. I then imported the HP scan into Coral Photopaint 8 and exported it to a TIFF compressed/packbits B/W 1 BIT format and it worked fine. The HP B/W uncompressed seems to work but part of the images were switched around, again I imported it into Coral Photopaint 8 and exported to a TIFF uncompressed B/W 1 BIT format and it worked fine. I think getting Corel Draw 8 will clear up most of your problems.

from Ron (Output File Formats)
What output format do you support and why?
Answer:
We support HPGL (.plt), DXF (.dxf) and GCODE (.cnc) output format.
The HPGL & HP-7550 plot formats are compatible with HP plotters and a lot of engraving machings. It will be created with the file extension (.plt). It is a text coded text file that represents the movements that the plotter/engravers have to make. HPGL does not have any capability to do 3D and cannot turn motors on/off.

The DXF file format is widely used as current format for information interchange. Almost all CAD and desktop publishing programs have some form of DXF in. We at CanScan Imaging have successfully tested the our DXF conversion program with many CAD programs.

GCODE is almost excusively used as a robotics language. It is well suited over HPGL format in that it has 3d X,Y,Z movement Coding and options to turn motors on and off that DXF format does not have. It is standard and is the most popular with CNC router tables. We use the file extension (.cnc) for the GCODE file Coding instructions.

Encoding Language Functionality Checklist (Y/N).
1. Supports X/Y 2D moves HPGL=Y, DXF=Y, GCODE=Y
2. Supports X/Y/Z 3D HPGL=N, DXF=Y, GCODE=Y
3. Supports motor on/off codes HPGL=N, DXF=N, GCODE=Y
4. Support motor pause codes HPGL=N, DXF=N, GCODE=Y


CanScan Imaging Inc.
802 4th Ave., Box 2847, Fernie, British Columbia,
CANADA V0B 1M0 Phone: (250)423-3091
Email us your questions: Email: pburke@rsmtrace.com