TUTORIAL
This tutorial is designed to guide you through a session using the DXF2SV software.
Sample starting files are provided that enable you to work through this tutorial. They were installed in the DXF2SV program folder.
Step 1 – Filename Setup
The Filename Setup tab will be the first tab page to display when you load the program. The two edit boxes displayed in this page will contain the two filenames necessary for file setup.
Filename Setup Tab Page
DXF File Edit Box: The first edit box in this tab page is the DXF file edit box. This box will allow you to enter the name of the DXF file that contains the initial tube definition. You will also see the button with the ellipses (the three dots) at the end of this box. This button allows you to browse for the filename using an Open file dialog. It doesn’t open the file yet – it just places the name in the program.
Click on the button at the end of the first edit box. The “Choose the DXF file to convert” dialog will open.
Select the sample autocad.dxf file and press the Open button.
You will now see the autocad.dxf filename in the DXF File edit box.
Build Supravision File Edit Box: The second box allows you enter the name of a new file to build or browse for a Supravision file to replace. This file will be built during conversion. It is the file that you or your bender operator will load into the Supravision measuring center to transfer directly to the bender.
Click on the button at the end of the second edit box. The “Designate a Supravision filename for building a file” dialog will open.
Enter a name like we show here: tutorial.$$$. You can use any name that you want. The $$$ filename extension is the default file extension for Supravision files.
Press the Save button when you are finished naming the file.
You will now see the filename in the Build Supravision File edit box, and the screen should look like this:
Step 2 – DXF Conversion Setup
Click on the DXF Conversion Setup tab. This tab page configures DXF2SV for the incoming DXF data.
Search Layer: This box contains the layer name that contains only 3-D line entities for the tube centerline and the 3-D arcs (arcs are optional). The program defaults to layer TUBE.
Using search layers allows the CAD operator to draw other tubes or entities in the same layout, and it allows DXF2SV to find the unique entities (lines and arcs) that defined the tube shape that you want to convert. (You can think of layers as a filtering device.)
DXF Layers Dialog: If you click on the dialog button at the end of the line search layer edit box, DXF2SV will display a DXF Layers dialog that allows you to load, display, and select a layer name for use in searching for the correct tube shape.
Select the TUBE layer, then press the Use Layer button. You will now see TUBE in the Search Layer edit box.
Assume Distance Units: This setting helps DXF2SV know what distance units are the DXF file. This is necessary because Supravision data always uses millimeter distances internally. The converter converts between units. This setting defaults to English (Inches).
Intersection Tolerance: This value allows for rounding errors when matching intersections. The default is 0.10 units.
Internal Arcs: Using the DXF 3-D arcs to define the radii is ON by default but can be switched OFF. If it is set OFF, then enter a default radius in the “Use this radius for all bends” value box. The sample DXF file contains 3-D arcs, so leave this checked.
Arc Search Layer: If you use arcs that are in the DXF file to define the bend radius at each bend, then you must also indicate the layer where the arcs reside. They often reside on the same layer as the centerlines, but using this feature, they can be placed on their own layer. The search layer to use in the sample autocad.dxf file is arc.
STEP 3 – Supravision Conversion Setup
This tab page allows you to control certain parameters within the Supravision conversion file that is built.
Use Drawing Number: This allows the program to control the internal drawing number that is included in the Supravision file. (This number does not change any of the filenames.)
Convert To Distance Units: Set the distance units for the Supravision file here. The converter will automatically convert the distances from the incoming units to the outgoing units.
Include Diameter in SV: Diameters are not part of the DXF file. The diameter can be included in the Supavision file by entering it here.
Diameter: Set the diameter to use in the Supravision file here.
Diameter Entered As: Set the diameter unit used in the Diameter Value box.
Include Total Length in SV: The total length of the centerline is automatically calculated if you check this box.
STEP 4 – CONVERT DATA
Convert: Convert the data by pressing the convert button.
CONVERSION LOG: Any messages (success or errors) will be displayed in the Conversion Log. (See the tab at the bottom of the DXF2SV screen.)
If conversion is successful, then the last line in the log will report that a Supravision file was saved to disk, and the Conversion Complete message will display next to the Convert DXF File Now button:
For conversions that completed you will see:
For conversions that failed you will see:
If conversions are incomplete, then read the Conversion Log for detailed information about why it failed.
SV BENDER DATA CREATED LOG: The SV Bender Data created is placed in the Supravision Data Created log. This displays the data that was saved to the Supravision file. When the Supravision data is transferred to the measuring center, this is also the data that you will see displayed on your measuring center’s setup screens.
STEP 5 – SAVE PROGRAM SETUP
After your setup is complete, you may want to save it for use in another conversion session. The File menu contains the Save Data Setup File As… command that will allow you to name or select a project setup file for saving the current setup of DXF2SV.
All the variables displayed on the screen in DXF2SV are saved to this file.
The New Data Setup command clears the variables in DXF2SV.
The Open Data Setup File loads any existing project setup file that was saved using the Save Data Setup File command.
The project file (last saved or opened) is displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen.
