Vigotec VG-L7x : Experience

Lasers
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Continuing the discussion from Vigotec VG-L7X DXF file issue, VigoTEC VG-L7X - New Issues and Vigotec vg-l7x 20w Manual:

The old discussions were getting a bit old (moderator, please close?) - To recap:

1- Most folk don’t like the bundled software - Some have flashed new firmware so that they can run control the engraver using LightBurn, etc. But that disables the WiFi capabilities of the engraver and many users like the WiFi because it allows, among other things for the engraver to be controlled from a remote laptop or even a phone.

2- Many have had problems loading DXF files into VigoWorks which is frustrating because the software implies that DXF files re supported. Various workarounds have been reported. I found that FreeCAD will create Vigoworks compatible DXF files.

I’m creating this topic for new discussions as desired.

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And here I go! Has anyone tried to run the VG-L7x from Linux? I would be curious to hear how you went - what software you used - did the WiFi still work etc etc.

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DXF is a proprietory format from Adobe. It has gone through a number of somewhat incompatible major and minor versions.

Many DXF import libraries simply do not support all the different formats from all the different versions that make up ‘.dxf’. Many cheap laser software tools only support one DXF version and fail with others. It’s a jungle.

Anyway; the workaround is Inkscape. This is a good tool; it reliably imports DXF files from all major versions, and you can then either re-save in a properly documented open format such as .svg, or use Inkscape’s DXF exporter to save in the specific DXF format supported by your software.

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We don’t close old discussions by policy. We keep threads of conversation open for as long as makes sense.

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" DXF is a proprietory format from Adobe. It has gone through a number of somewhat incompatible major and minor versions.

Many DXF import libraries simply do not support all the different formats from all the different versions that make up ‘.dxf’. Many cheap laser software tools only support one DXF version and fail with others. It’s a jungle."

Many DXF import libraries simply do not support all the different formats from all the different versions that make up ‘.dxf’. Many cheap laser software tools only support one DXF version and fail with others. It’s a jungle."

Yes - I found that out the hard way when exploring why DXF imports would not work on Vigoworks.

I’ve never tried DXF exports from Inkscape. But I’ve used it to create SVG and export JPGs - If you know the external dimensions of the model then its an easy task to adjust the scaling in VigoWorks

I also found that FreeCAD, my CAD program of choice, can export DXF files that are compatible with the DXF format that VigoWorks expects.

I think that there are enough workarounds that that problem has been solved. It would have been great if Vigotec had gotten the imports to work - but as you say, its a mess.

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