Help needed with AutoCAD R14

**cropwell** · 03-03-2016

Ey up chaps, I'm stuck.

I have got a very old version of AutoCAD loaded on my CNC computer, which has no unnecessary software (networking etc), so the easy way of explaining my problem is to start with a photo of the screen

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What I am making is a harmonica case. The inside cutout is two rectangles and two circles. I want to end up with a pocket which is the combine of the four shapes. I can do the drawing in Coreldraw, and weld up the shapes, but when I transfer it to the CAM program (EstlCam) it produces a very 'steppy' outline, which is no use. I have to export the drawing to a .dwg file with Corel and then open it in AutoCAD and export it as a .dxf file to go into Estlcam. Somewhere in this process it loses the continuity of the shape.

How do I make the four shapes into one outline ?

I must admit that I do not understand the AutoCAD terminology. The program was bought for my son when he was a student in the late 1990's and I am unwilling to spend money on a CAD program, when there are so many free ones about and I am unlikely to use them to any worthwhile extent.

Cheers,

Rob

**cropwell** · 03-03-2016

Sorted - after a lot of messing about !

**Blackrat** · 03-03-2016

iirc you type in the word TRIM :D

**suesi34e** · 03-03-2016

Hi, sorry I meant to PM you!

**cropwell** · 03-03-2016

I have got past the stage of creating the shapes I need. Now I find I can't make them into a dxf file to put into my CAM program. All I get is the outer rectangle. I attach a copy of the dwg file, if anyone can help. The inside shape was created as a REGION and then made an outline with the UNION command.

Here's the dwg file hc2.dwg

**Clive S** · 03-03-2016

Rob are you trying to convert it to DXF if so here it is

Rob.dxf

**cropwell** · 03-03-2016

Thanks Clive, but I was hoping to find out why I could not do it, What the Fun was I doing that the export command did not pick up the inner bit?

I need to know so that I can do other drawings through the same process.

Cheers,

Rob

**Clive S** · 03-03-2016

Rob was load it into Acad and saved as dxf in your version.

I don't understand why it does not do that for you.

**cropwell** · 03-03-2016

Originally Posted by Clive S

Rob was load it into Acad and saved as dxf in your version.

I don't understand why it does not do that for you.

Maybe because I have a very old version of AutoCAD (R14). It only gives me the .dwg or .dwt option on save as. DraftSight does not export the file either. I thought it might be because I had to create a REGION to combine the shape and this put it on another layer or something.

I tried 'Save As' .dxf in DraftSight and that did not work properly as well.

I reckon it is because I feel knacked at the moment and everthing is working to Sods Law. If I have a fresh go at it over the weekend, I might see what is happening.

Cheers,

Rob

**Robin Hewitt** · 04-03-2016

I tried importing Corel to AutoCAD and it was exceedingly messy, Instead of lines and arcs I got some bizarre Bezier shapes the AutoCAD could barely understand and I did not like at all.