SVG cutout tutorial for Library Editor?

pencilart · Post by **pencilart** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:16 pm

I need a tutorial to learn how to cut out a shape for a staircase (for my grand staircase) when using the Library Editor. How does one determine the coordinates? Is there some sort of program that the .obj can be opened with so that the coordinates can be figured out?

Puybaret · Post by **Puybaret** » Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:37 pm

You have to describe with SVG path syntax a closed shape that is within a 1 unit wide square.
To find the good shape for the spiral staircase in the default catalog, I added this staircase to the plan, resized it to 1meter wide and 1meter deep and placed it on the grid in a way it touches a meter grid line (of course you'll have to chose metric system in the preferences).
Then I measured the points of the cut out shape and described it with SVG path syntax (the syntax isn't very easy to understand but the previous link gives many examples to guide you).
Describing the shape of a pie is quite tedious and finding the right values of the shape of the spiral staircase took me several minutes:

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M0,0.35 h0.47 l0.375,-0.35 l0.088,0.118 A0.5,0.5 0 1,1 0,0.35 z

But describing a polygonal shape should be much easier. For example, the following expression describes a L shape:

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M0,0 h0.5 v0.5 h0.5 v0.5 h-1 z

Don't forget to close the shape with a final z and pay attention to the difference between upper case letter (followed by absolute coordinate values) and lower case letter (followed by coordinate values relative to the previous move) syntax.
Hope you can handle it.

Merry Christmas [:)]

pencilart · Post by **pencilart** » Sat Dec 24, 2011 4:48 pm

I found a way to convert my .obj grandstaircase into .svg by using Inkscape. (found this in the Inkscape forums):

take a look at the extension 'Render > 3D Polyhedrons' which can import (and draw as SVG paths) 3d objects from a Wavefront .obj 3D file stored in a local folder [1], with various settings (for appearance, lighting, rotation, etc.)

I found too, that I can open this file in a text editor and found all kinds of coordinates (as told in this tutorial: http://www.stoimen.com/blog/2011/02/11/ ... ete-guide/ ).

I'm wondering if I can copy and paste one of those, but which one(s) are the right ones?

I guess I'll try it out the way you said when I get time. I was just hoping that there would be a quicker way to do it.

If you have Inkscape and want to see what I've done so far, I can email the Inkscape file(s) to you.

Puybaret · Post by **Puybaret** » Sat Dec 24, 2011 5:04 pm

I don't think Inkscape will help you that much, and yes, it's not that easy to do. That's why I put this advanced feature only in the Furniture Library Editor at this time.

pencilart · Post by **pencilart** » Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:52 pm

ok, how did you measure the points of the cut out shape when all you see is a rectangular representation of the object?

This little section is from the file that I made in Inkscape:

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<path
         id="path17222"
         d="m -276.002,80.133 7.638,6.829 51.287,0 z"
         style="fill:#cd0000;fill-opacity:1;stroke:#000000;stroke-width:2;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-opacity:1"
         inkscape:label="Face:1857"
         inkscape:connector-curvature="0" />

I noticed the d="m -276.002,80.133 7.638,6.829 51.287,0 z" parts.

SVG cutout tutorial for Library Editor?