How to import vector graphics from Inkscape into Eagle?

[_Marek]

Hi,

I have read articles in this forum. Conclusion is that Eagle almost does not support any imports of vectors. My intention is milling shapes in PCB and place the components with precisely appointed places (eg the LEDs must fit to holes in enclosure).  I tried to use a couple of methods:

1. Direct import of DXFs.

There was necessary to scale by strange coefficient 3.779527 and only lines and rectangles can be imported. No polylines, arcs, ellipses are allowed. The PCB in project is not a rectangle.

2. Import a bitmap (*.bmp)

Works but converting vectors to bitmap in order to convert it again into vectors is not wise.

3. Import SVG

I found svg2poly.ulp but functionality is poor. Almost nothing is imported from project.

Does anyone have tested solution which allows to import vector graphics?

[jorge_garcia2]

Hi @_Marek,

I hope you're doing well. This is an area the needs improvement in EAGLE and we are working in that direction. I still think number 1 is the best option for now, use the import-dxf.ulp that comes with EAGLE it supports polylines, lwpolylines, lines, arcs, circles, etc. It's not complete (notably missing are splines) but it does work well if your DXF file contains polylines.

Please let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[_Marek]

Hi Jorge,

Importing DXF generated by Inkscape was first thing I did. The result was worst. If native format SVG for Inscape was converted to DXF then imported to Eagle, result seemed useless.  Probably it works with specialized CAD software where I can decide how each of the path will be represented in DXF file. The same when Adobe Illustrator was used. 😞 

[jorge_garcia2]

Hi g1234321,

I hope you're doing well today. Something that has worked well for me is to bring the SVG into Fusion360 and then export the sketch using the Splines to Polylines Fusion Add on. This produces a DXF that always imports correctly into EAGLE. If you are looking for a filled polygon this won't work, but from your description I think this will work for you.

Please let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[tommy.britnell]

Hi Jorge,

I also really need to import vector drawings into eagle.

I am designing a capacitive touch pad, here the precise geometry is important and with all the symmetry it is easy to draw in other programs but really difficult in Eagle.

1.  importing .dxf is working but I can not fill out the shape :

I found these sparkfun tutorials  great . importing a .dxf file works but it is bare lines and I need the shapes to be filled out. all i can find on this is that polygons too are empty, then filled by running ratsnest. but this does not work on the imported .dxf, is there more precise documentation / tolls / commands on filling polygons? In properties I can see fields to fill but there is none...

2. autoCAD

I see another route would be to design a pattern in autoCAD, then export as dxf and import into eagle, is there more reference on that? It is another SW but I am happy to use that if it works well. (obviously there are still many issues with import vectors drawings...)

3. geometric drawings

It seems to me like many precise, geometric drawings like antennas, touch pads, etc. are pretty difficult in Eagle, how do designers handle these? I can't see them importing the way we are trying here...

[jorge_garcia2]

Hello @tommy.britnell,

I hope you're doing well. This is something that definitely needs to be improved in the short term. For very precise shapes you end up calculating the points where the wire segments need to be and entering those in the command line to make the polygon. It's a lot of work but it's the most successful approach we have right now.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[david.rura]

Hello guys,

My very first question is about how does it look like with working with vector graphic in eagle. Are there any progress in this from the last comment?

And I have few tips for you. import-dxf ulp script doesn't cover every line although if it is a line or polyline or sth else. I found on some forum very good tutorial how to do it. The following script gives me the best results. If you really need a high precision of dimensions you have to break lines and curves in many small ones to get a perfect result. I use adobe illustrator but export is in R13 dxf format. You can specify it during export in the menu. 
And for a graphic, I use a bitmap. Eagle can't work with the huge amount of small polygons and edit takes a little more worth time. But the results are very good with a resolution higher than 400. We make at work enclosures from PCBs and any problems yet. 
Please try this script and let me know if you're satisfied with results.

/**********************************************************************
**                                                                   **
** Filename:  import_dxf_polygons.ulp                                **
**                                                                   **
** Author:    Tim Ruetz                                              **
**            tim at caiaq.de                                        **
**                                                                   **
** This ULP imports polylines and splines from DXF files             **
** Use it for importing vectorized logos, fonts etc.                 **
** Arcs, circles, splines, curves are not supported yet.             **
** Since this is a very simple, rudimentary script it just uses      **
** straight lines as approximation.                                  **
** Please use a vector graphics editor to edit/refine you DXF file:  **
** - add as many as needed vertexes to the shape                     **
** - convert all curves to straight lines                            **
** - no negative shapes are supported by eagle, so create openings   **
**   to connect negative shapes to outside (see example DXF)         **
**                                                                   **
***********************************************************************
**                                                                   **
** Legal issues: This program is provided as it is. Without any      **
**               warranties of any kind of data lose or damages.     **	
**                                                                   **
** Feel free to modify and improve this program and let me know.     **
**                                                                   **
** Version:      0.4                                                 **
** Date:         04.07.2011                                          **
**                                                                   **
***********************************************************************
**                                                                   **
** Version history                                                   **
**                                                                   **
** 0.1           initial version                                     **
**                                                                   **
** 0.2           added default pen with = 0.0                        **
**               added insert offset settings to dialog              **
**                                                                   **
** 0.3           increased coordinate precision                      **
**               to import very tiny shapes                          **
**                                                                   **
** 0.4           added WIRE vs POLYGON option                        **
**               by Tod E. Kurt, http://todbot.com/blog/             **
**                                                                   **
***********************************************************************
*/

#usage "<b>Simple DXF Polyline Import V0.3</b>\n"
       "<p>"
       "Imports and scales (only!) POLYLINE and SPLINE entries in DXF files."
       "Splines are not drawn as splines but as stright lines!"
       "<author>Author: Tim Ruetz (tim@caiaq.de)</author>"

string	dxf_filename;	
int		dxf_len;	
int		i, j;	
string	dxf_filedata[];	

int		dxf_code;
string	dxf_value;

int		state = 0;

real	vertex_x;
real	vertex_y;
real 	vertex_x_buf;
real	vertex_y_buf;
real	scale = 1.0;

real	pen_width = 0.2;	// mm
real	angle = 0.0;		// degrees
real	rot_s;				// rotation sinus
real	rot_c;				// rotation cosinus
int		mirror_flag = 0;	// 1=mirror 

real    xmin, xmax;
real    ymin, ymax;

real	width_orig;
real	height_orig;
real	w, h;

string	parse_msg = "";

string	l;
string	cmd;
string	script_out;

int		layer_cnt;
int		layer_sel=0;
string	layer_list[];

int		pen_sel = 0;
string	pen_list[] = { "0.0", "0.1", "0.2", "0.3", "0.4", "0.5", "1.0", "1.5", "2.0" };

int		line_sel = 0;
string	line_list[] = { "WIRE", "POLYGON" };

real	offset_x = 0.0;
real	offset_y = 0.0;


void find_layers()
{
	if (library) {
		layer_cnt=0;
		library(L) {
			L.layers(LA) {
				if (LA.visible)
				{
					if ((LA.number < 17 || LA.number > 19) && (LA.number < 23 || LA.number > 25) && LA.number != 28)
					{ 
						if (LA.number == 94) layer_sel = layer_cnt;
						sprintf(layer_list[layer_cnt++], "%3d - %s", LA.number, LA.name);
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
	if (board) {
		layer_cnt=0;	
		board(B) {
			B.layers(LA) {
				if (LA.visible)
				{
					if ((LA.number < 17 || LA.number > 19) && (LA.number < 23 || LA.number > 25) && LA.number != 28)
						sprintf(layer_list[layer_cnt++], "%3d - %s", LA.number, LA.name);
				}
			}
		}
	}
	if (schematic) {
		layer_cnt=0;
		schematic(S) {
			S.layers(LA) {
				if (LA.visible)
				{
					if (LA.number < 95 || LA.number > 96)
					{
						if (LA.number == 94) layer_sel = layer_cnt;
						sprintf(layer_list[layer_cnt++], "%3d - %s", LA.number, LA.name);
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
}



void update_script()
{
	script_out  = "";
//	script_out += "SET UNDO_LOG OFF;\n";
	script_out += "GRID MM;\n";
	script_out += "SET WIDTH "+pen_list[pen_sel]+";\n";
	script_out += "CHANGE POUR SOLID;\n";
	script_out += "LAYER "+strsub(layer_list[layer_sel],0, 3)+";\n";
	script_out += "SET WIRE_BEND 2;\n";
	script_out += cmd;
//	script_out += "SET UNDO_LOG ON;\n";
    script_out += "WINDOW FIT;\n";  // zoom in on window, thx to carlyn
}


void parse_dxf()
{
	string	cmd_temp = "";
	int 	vertexes = 0;
	cmd = "";
	xmin = ymin =  100000.0;
	xmax = ymax = -100000.0;
	
	rot_s = sin(angle / 180.0 * PI);
	rot_c = cos(angle / 180.0 * PI);

	for (i=0; i<dxf_len; i+=2)
	{
		dxf_code  = strtol(dxf_filedata[i]);
		dxf_value = dxf_filedata[i+1];

		if (dxf_code == 0) 
		{

			if (state > 2 && dxf_value != "VERTEX") 
			{
				if (vertexes > 2)			// only draw polygons with at least 3 vertexes
				{
					cmd += cmd_temp+";\n";
				}
				state = 0;
				cmd_temp="";
				vertexes = 0;
				
			}
			

			if (dxf_value == "POLYLINE")
				state = 1;
			
			if (dxf_value == "VERTEX" && state==1)
			{
                cmd_temp += line_list[line_sel];
//				cmd_temp += "POLYGON";
				state=2;
			}

			if (dxf_value == "SPLINE")
			{
                cmd_temp += line_list[line_sel];
//				cmd_temp += "POLYGON";
				state = 2;
			}
			
		}
		
		
		
		if (state >= 2)
		{
			if (dxf_code == 10) 
				vertex_x = strtod(dxf_value) * scale;
				
			if (dxf_code == 20) 
			{
				state = 3;
				vertex_y = strtod(dxf_value) * scale;

				if (vertex_x > xmax) xmax = vertex_x;
				if (vertex_x < xmin) xmin = vertex_x;
				if (vertex_y > ymax) ymax = vertex_y;
				if (vertex_y < ymin) ymin = vertex_y;
				
				if (vertex_x != vertex_x_buf || vertex_y != vertex_y_buf)
				{
					vertex_x_buf = vertex_x;
					vertex_y_buf = vertex_y;
					if (mirror_flag)
						vertex_x = -vertex_x;

					sprintf(l, " (%5.6f %5.6f)", (vertex_x * rot_c - vertex_y * rot_s) + offset_x, (vertex_y * rot_c + vertex_x * rot_s) + offset_y);
					
					cmd_temp += l;
					vertexes++;
				}
			}
		}
	}
	sprintf(parse_msg, "%s\n\nWidth: %5.3f mm\nHeight: %5.3f mm\n\nLeft: %5.3f mm\nRight: %5.3f mm\n\nTop: %5.3f mm\nBottom: %5.3f mm\n\n", 
				dxf_filename, xmax-xmin, ymax-ymin, xmin + offset_x, xmax + offset_x, ymin + offset_y, ymax + offset_y);

	if (scale==1.0)	// at least the first time
	{
		w = width_orig  = xmax-xmin;
		h = height_orig = ymax-ymin;
		
	}

	update_script();
}




//
//	main()
//

find_layers();

dxf_filename = dlgFileOpen("DXF file to import", ".", "DXF files (*.dxf);;All files (*)");
if (dxf_filename == "")	exit (0);
	
dxf_len = fileread(dxf_filedata, dxf_filename);
if (dxf_len<1) exit(0);
	
parse_dxf();

// dialog
int result = dlgDialog("Simple DXF Polyline Import") {
	dlgTabWidget {
		dlgTabPage("Settings")
		{
			dlgGridLayout {
				dlgCell(0, 0) dlgLabel("Scale");
				dlgCell(0, 1) dlgRealEdit(scale, 0.0, 999.0);		
				dlgCell(0, 2) dlgPushButton("+Rescale") parse_dxf();		
		
				dlgCell(1, 0) dlgLabel("Scale to width [mm]");
				dlgCell(1, 1) dlgRealEdit(w, 0.1, 9999.0);		
				dlgCell(1, 2) dlgPushButton("+Scale to width") { scale = w/width_orig; h=scale*height_orig; parse_dxf();	}
		
				dlgCell(2, 0) dlgLabel("Scale to height [mm]");
				dlgCell(2, 1) dlgRealEdit(h, 0.1, 9999.0);		
				dlgCell(2, 2) dlgPushButton("+Scale to height") { scale = h/height_orig; w=scale*width_orig; parse_dxf();	}
		
				dlgCell(3, 0) dlgLabel("Info");
				dlgCell(3, 1, 3, 2) dlgTextView(parse_msg);;
				
				dlgCell(4, 0) dlgLabel("Import to layer");
				dlgCell(4, 1, 4, 2) dlgComboBox(layer_list, layer_sel) update_script();
				
                dlgCell(5, 0) dlgLabel("Wire or Polygon");
                dlgCell(5, 1, 5,2) dlgComboBox( line_list, line_sel) parse_dxf();

				dlgCell(6, 0) dlgLabel("Pen width [mm]");
				dlgCell(6, 1, 6, 2) dlgComboBox(pen_list, pen_sel) update_script(); 

				dlgCell(7, 0) dlgLabel("Angle (ccw)");
				dlgCell(7, 1) dlgRealEdit(angle, 0.0, 360.0) parse_dxf(); 
				dlgCell(7, 2) dlgCheckBox("Mirror", mirror_flag) parse_dxf();

				dlgCell(8, 0) dlgLabel("Insert offset [mm] x=");
				dlgCell(8, 1, 8,2) {
					dlgGridLayout {
						dlgCell (1, 1) dlgRealEdit(offset_x, -999.0, 999.0) parse_dxf(); 
						dlgCell (1, 2) dlgLabel("y=");
						dlgCell (1, 3) dlgRealEdit(offset_y, -999.0, 999.0) parse_dxf();
					}
				}
			}
		}	
		dlgTabPage("Generated Script")
		{
			dlgTextView(script_out);
		}

	}

	dlgGridLayout {
		dlgCell(0, 0) dlgPushButton("-Cancel")  dlgReject();
		dlgCell(0, 3) { 
			dlgPushButton("+Execute") 
			{
				parse_dxf();
				dlgAccept();
			}
		}
	}
};

if (result == 0)
	exit(0);
else
{
	exit(script_out);
}

[jltharin]

Hi @_Marek,

I was needing to import some custom silkscreen Logos into Eagle.

After long research over the internet, I finally found a solution who works fine and not so difficult to use.

And bonus for you, It uses Inkscape as design logo.

Here the link to the script creator: https://gfwilliams.github.io/svgtoeagle/

Follow the instruction and all is working!

See you and have fun

Jltharin