An easier way to make buttons

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

Moderator: cnckeith

Post Reply
Tlempicke
Posts: 164
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:32 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: No

An easier way to make buttons

Post by Tlempicke »

I tried to make a couple of new buttons for my VCP in Inkscape and was frustrated by the program It is really designed for an artist and does not pay all that much attention to keeping dimensions accurate and unchangeable.
Also I am used to working in Aspire and the interfaces are just different enough that I kept tripping over my own two feet.
So what I did was create a project in Aspire that was 12 inches by 12 inches with the origin in the center.
Drew a square 10 inches on a side
Used the Text feature to put the words into the button. By putting text in a box all of the automatic features work and you can use any True Type font.
Exported that as an .svg file
Opened it in Inkscape
Added the colors I wanted using the pour paint feature
Saved it
And it worked perfectly in the VCP
slodat
Posts: 793
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:16 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by slodat »

Care to share the Aspire file?
ShawnM
Posts: 2190
Joined: Fri May 24, 2019 8:34 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 7804734C6498-0401191832
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by ShawnM »

I use Adobe Illustrator and it's pretty easy to use but I have some experience with it. It is not a free program either. It's very easy to draw precise shapes, center text, outline the button, radius corners and color fill. Illustrator is a professional graphic program.

What I found that really helped speed things up was to make a blank buttons of each color used on the VCP and then simply pick the color button you need and add your text. Then "save as" whatever button you just created. Need a blue button? Open the "blank blue" button and add your white text and "save as". Edit the xml accordingly and you are good to go. Saves time and banging your head on the desk. :mrgreen:
martyscncgarage
Posts: 9912
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:01 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by martyscncgarage »

"Most" any program that can generate a true .SVG can be used. Inkscape happens to be free....
Centroid programming team worked hard to create VCP 2.0 to be user customizable and make it reasonably easy to use. Now a user can remove what they don't like, add what they do like and make what suits them best.
Hat's off to them for their hardwork.
Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
cnckeith
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:23 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
Oak CNC controller: Yes
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Contact:

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by cnckeith »

cool glad your method work for you thanks for sharing.
fyi...inkscape does have size and position (cad like) controls in it,
and unless you are already in illustrator user..there is no need to jump to illustrator which is more complicated :D than inkscape in my opinion :D .
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
ShawnM
Posts: 2190
Joined: Fri May 24, 2019 8:34 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 7804734C6498-0401191832
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by ShawnM »

cnckeith wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 1:51 pm .....and unless you are already in illustrator user..there is no need to jump to illustrator which is more complicated :D than inkscape in my opinion :D .
I was already an illustrator user so it went pretty quick. I wanted to try inkscape but figured it would be more complicated trying to learn yet another graphics program. :mrgreen:
mrichards
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 12:05 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: Yes
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: An easier way to make buttons

Post by mrichards »

This post was a favorable mention of the Boxy .svg editor.
It seemed great, it's not.
The .svg files it makes don't play nice with Centriod.
Back to Inscape.

Forget I mentioned it.
------------
Mark
Post Reply