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cropwell
08-01-2013, 10:22 AM
I am trying to get F-engrave working under Win XP:grumpy:, but it's like a game of Snakes and Ladders, but without ladders. I have got the main screen, but can't get any fonts loaded. Is there anybody using this program who isn't a Linux **** who can help ?
I would like to try some simple V carving, but can't afford any more software.

Cheers,

Rob

Musht
08-01-2013, 12:13 PM
Have F-Engrave running on XP and Win7 machines, its should load with a basic array of CIF(?) fonts.

Should be able to use settings to point it at your windows font folder , it should load TrueType fonts OK.

Swarfing
08-01-2013, 01:01 PM
Mmmm no linux**** help? It's written with Python?


Under settings you need to select the general settings and in there you can change the font folder. This you will find under C:\WINDOWS\Fonts

From a friendly Linux****

Swarfing
08-01-2013, 01:05 PM
In case any Linux users need to know it is

/usr/share/fonts/truetype

:encouragement:

cropwell
10-01-2013, 07:33 PM
I have pointed the thing to the fonts directory, but still no joy. I get a couple of messages about ttf2cxf and potrace not present/working, both of which end with the informative message '...Bummer' but I have no idea how to install these and get them running (presumably as background services).
The author's documentation for Windows installation - is just 'double click on the exe file'.

Anyway at the moment I am more pissed off that my Z axis has seized on the Delrin ...Bummer !
But I can fix that, it is, at least. within my intellectual capabilities.

Cheers,
Rob

Swarfing
10-01-2013, 07:36 PM
Rob

I installed it after reading this thread and found there is an issue with the ttf2cxf bit. I got Potrace to work as that threw up issues so unless the guy who wrote it has a look we are a bit stumped?

Musht
11-01-2013, 02:07 AM
Rob

I installed it after reading this thread and found there is an issue with the ttf2cxf bit. I got Potrace to work as that threw up issues so unless the guy who wrote it has a look we are a bit stumped?

Doing better than me, couldnt even find the .exe to install downloaded V1.02.

Have known working V0.7 which as it was originally distributed as freeware presume would be O.K. to pass on via email...

Cheers
Adam

Swarfing
11-01-2013, 05:52 PM
Not for me don't need it just trying help Rob out.

Scorch
11-01-2013, 08:05 PM
First, a couple of links:
F-Engrave Home Page (download section):
F-Engrave (http://home.comcast.net/~sskroch/Fengrave/fengrave.html#download)

F-Engrave Setup page:
F-Engrave Setup (http://home.comcast.net/~sskroch/Fengrave/fengrave_setup.html)

This is the quickest way to get up and running with F-Engrave under windows:
1. Download the windows executable files from the F-Engrave page "F-Engrave-1.02_win.zip"
2. Unzip the file
3. Open the folder that was unzipped and double click on f-engrave-102.exe

Getting running under Linux is a little more involved (see the F-Engrave setup page linked above)

Additional Notes:
F-Engrave needs ttf2cxf_stream for reading TTF fonts. If you get the ttf2cxf_stream warning message you can only use CXF fonts (in F-Engrave Text mode).
F-Engrave needs potrace for importing bitmap images (.bmp, .pbm etc). If you get the potrace warning message you can only open DXF files (in F-Engrave Image mode).

(EDIT: Post if you still can't get F-Engrave running. I can address specific questions but I think downloading the windows zip file should resolve the windows issues.)

Good luck.
Scorch

cropwell
12-01-2013, 10:36 AM
I presume that I can't get any fonts loaded is because I have no CXF fonts. I have a good collection of TTF engraving fonts and would like to use them if possible. Now I know what potrace does I can live without it for the time being. I have v1.01 downloaded, but will start again from scratch with v1.02.

Double clicking on the 101.exe file give me a message - 'This application has failed to start because the application configuraion is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem'
Running 101.py gets the application going but without TTF2CXF or potrace.
I'll get back to the problems when my wife stops finding jobs for me to do....
Cheers,

Rob

GEOFFREY
12-01-2013, 10:48 AM
I'll get back to the problems when my wife stops finding jobs for me to do....
Cheers,

Rob[/QUOTE]

Do you really think that will happen? God never made two different!(IF INDEED God made them). G.

Musht
12-01-2013, 02:30 PM
After unzipping 1.02 into its own folder, Windows 7 regards the little man icon as an app rather than an .exe, but clicking on him starts up a dos box(?) in background and then launches the f-engrave GUI , then going into settings and changing fonts folder to windows/fonts loads majority of True Type fonts, clicking on a font previews it on the job in the main window.

Scorch
12-01-2013, 04:17 PM
Double clicking on the 101.exe file give me a message - 'This application has failed to start because the application configuraion is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem'
Running 101.py gets the application going but without TTF2CXF or potrace.

I don't know what is causing the "failed to start" error. What version of windows are you running?

Since you can run the .py file directly (i.e. you have Python installed) you can try moving the .py file to the directory with the ttf2cxf_stream.exe file. Run the .py file from that directory. That may get everything working.
(Ttf2cxf_stream needs some of the other files in the directory so you can not move that file)

Scorch

Scorch
12-01-2013, 04:24 PM
After unzipping 1.02 into its own folder, Windows 7 regards the little man icon as an app rather than an .exe, but clicking on him starts up a dos box(?) in background and then launches the f-engrave GUI...
You bring up a good point. Depending on your Windows settings you may or may no see the .exe extension on the file.

The DOS box or command window is supposed to come up like that.

Scorch

Szasza880210
15-03-2013, 10:20 PM
hi
The install was easy. I can import a picture. v_carve calc. can run, but When I want to save the G-Code, this following error up in the black window:

"Unicode encode error: ASCII codec cant encode character u '/ xe9 in position 56: ordinal not in range (128)"

Please somebody help resolving this problem!

Scorch
16-03-2013, 04:36 AM
hi
...When I want to save the G-Code, this following error up in the black window:
"Unicode encode error: ASCII codec cant encode character u '/ xe9 in position 56: ordinal not in range (128)"

In text mode F-Engrave does not support characters with a value greater than 128. (These extended characters greater than 128 are my list of things to add support for someday.) The error Szasza880210 is reporting is occurring in "Image Mode". I will look into fixing the error that is occurring in "Image Mode".

Until I get a new version with a fix for this error you may be able to work around this problem by switching to "Text Mode" and deleting all of the text in the "Input Text" box, then return to "Image Mode" and save the g-code.

EDIT: I looked into this a little more... F-Engrave should support characters up to 255 in the latest version. Make sure you are using the latest version (V1.02) from:
http://home.comcast.net/~sskroch/Fengrave/fengrave.html
(http://home.comcast.net/~sskroch/Fengrave/fengrave.html)
Feedback on whether the fix works or not will help me with correcting the program.
Scorch

Szasza880210
16-03-2013, 10:35 PM
HI
YEs i use a (1.02) version.
Yeah sorry I did not write it, the problem is in image mode. Thanks for the advice but failed again, the error message is the same. Simpler images, all right, but not the more detailed images. Thank you for help, for now I use Simpler images. And i wait for a fix or a new version of the program.

Scorch
17-03-2013, 12:38 AM
@ Szasza880210
Right now I am not sure what is causing the error. I have not been able to replicate the problem. If you are willing you could send a sample image file that exhibits the problem so I could try to replicate the problem. (The best way to send an image is via e-mail to the e-mail address in the F-Engrave help menu.)

Scorch

Scorch
18-03-2013, 07:44 AM
Thanks for the advice but failed again, the error message is the same. Simpler images, all right, but not the more detailed images. Thank you for help, for now I use Simpler images. And i wait for a fix or a new version of the program.

I think I have found the cause of the error. If the input image file name contains a non ASCII character (i.e. A character with a decimal value greater than 128) F-Engrave will throw the reported error:
"Unicode encode error: ASCII codec cant encode character u '/ xe9 in position 56: ordinal not in range (128)"

As a work around the input image file can be renamed to something with only ASCII (English alphabet) characters before importing the image into F-Engrave.

I will include a fix for this problem in the next version of F-Engrave.
Scorch

IanParkin
24-06-2013, 11:08 AM
Could I ask a quick question scorch
I have installed your program on my office machine ( win7) no problems so far
when i come to install it on my workshop machine( win xp sp3) i can't get it run after installing

The dialogue goes " the application failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect reinstalling may help""

Any ideas?

as an aside if I try and install on a laptop (win vista) it works fine

But I do need teh program on my workshop machine

Scorch
24-06-2013, 11:13 PM
I don't know. XP SP3 should work fine.

Scorch

cropwell
25-06-2013, 08:02 AM
I hope that soon I can get back to looking at this problem. I have had to put so much on hold recently due to health problems (arthritis and torn ligaments).
Rob

IanParkin
25-06-2013, 08:57 AM
I can manage to install and use on a total of 4 other computers but the workshop one is a clean install of either XP sp2 or Xp sp3 2 different computers? have reinstalled OS 3 times now...Older installed computers seem to work ok.
Result is the same on both new computers " application configuration is incorrect"

ptjw7uk
25-06-2013, 11:17 AM
Just tried this on a Virtual XP machine running on Win7, it runs OK.

Peter

Scorch
25-06-2013, 12:04 PM
I can manage to install and use on a total of 4 other computers but the workshop one is a clean install of either XP sp2 or Xp sp3 2 different computers? have reinstalled OS 3 times now...Older installed computers seem to work ok.
Result is the same on both new computers " application configuration is incorrect"

I assume you have been using the precompiled windows version (i.e. F-Engrave-1.13_win.zip). You may want to try installing Python (Version 2.7.5 from Python Programming Language – Official Website (http://www.python.org)) on your computer and just run the f-engrave-113.py file.

I will see if I can replicate your XP problem when I have a chance.

Scorch

Scorch
26-06-2013, 12:09 AM
@IanParkin
I did some research but I don't have a surefire solution.

I did make a small change and uploaded a new zip file for you to try. Here is a link to the modified zip file F-Engrave-1.13_winIAN.zip (http://www.scorchworks.com/Fengrave/F-Engrave-1.13_winIAN.zip)

Let me know if the new file works for you.
Scorch

IanParkin
28-06-2013, 08:11 AM
I'm sorry still does not work
It seems to be only on a fresh install of windows XP
as I said all the older machines some running xp some not it works fine
Its just annoying not to be able to have it on my workshop one

Ian

IanParkin
28-06-2013, 08:52 AM
Downloaded the python and it seems to work
Many thanks for your help Scorch
do you have a paypal account I can send you a small donation for your work in this software?

Ian

Scorch
28-06-2013, 09:47 PM
Many thanks for your help Scorch
do you have a paypal account I can send you a small donation for your work in this software?

Ian,
Sorry the executable did not work for you. It is really hard to fix problems that I can't replicate on one of my computers. I am glad to hear you were able to get up and running by installing Python. (If you want to import bitmap images or use True Type fonts you will need ttf2cxf_stream and potrace)

I don't accept donations but thank you for the offer.

Scorch

Scorch
29-06-2013, 03:48 PM
I hope that soon I can get back to looking at this problem. I have had to put so much on hold recently due to health problems (arthritis and torn ligaments).
Rob

Rob,
I think we have a solution for the "application configuration is incorrect"" error. Ian reported that it worked for him in a private message to me. (Thank you to Ian for doing the testing.)

I use Py2exe to make windows the executable file and the developers of Py2exe use Microsoft Visual C. So installing Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86) from Official Microsoft Download Center (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=9b2da534-3e03-4391-8a4d-074b9f2bc1bf&displaylang=en) will hopefully fix your start up issues. The versions of the Visual C matter so even if you have installed one before this version might fix the problem.

Good Luck.
Scorch