Contents

Help topics are divided into categories represented by the icons below. To select a category with the mouse, point to its icon then click. With the keyboard, press Tab to highlight the category you want then press Enter. To return to this screen, select the Contents button at the top of the Help window. If you are using the software for the first time, select the "Start Up" icon. It contains a series of procedures which you must complete in order to use the software.

Toolbar Buttons

Overview

The Buttons

Undo

Zoom

Fit All

Fade

Pan

Recall

Draw

Delete

Move

Overview of Toolbar Buttons

To make the process of editing and viewing your work more convenient, a toolbar containing frequently used commands in the form of buttons, has been placed across the top of the edit window just below the pull down menus. The toolbar buttons can be accessed at anytime.

Undo

The Undo button removes the last created text in its entirety. The screen is returned to the same condition it was in before the Create command was selected. Effectively, this command deletes the letters created with the last Create command.

Zoom

The Zoom button lets the user select a certain portion of the screen which is magnified on the screen. When the Zoom button is clicked with the mouse, the cursor changes to a magnifying glass. With this, the user can move the cursor to the desired portion of the screen, and define the area which is zoomed to the full width and height of the screen. The screen area is selected by pressing and holding the mouse button down, while dragging the mouse. A rectangular shape is drawn on the screen. This rectangle defines the area which is magnified to the full screen size.

Fit All

The Fit All button adjusts the viewing area automatically so that all drawing elements can be seen on the screen.

Fade

The Fade command is used to zoom out or fade backwards to gain a wider view of the drawing elements which have been loaded into memory. The Fade button increases the viewing area by a factor of two each time the button is clicked.

Pan

The Pan command moves the screen viewing area to a new position. When the Pan button is clicked with the mouse, the cursor changes to a crosshair shape. Wherever the mouse is clicked next is selected as the new screen center and the contents of the screen are redrawn

accordingly.

Recall

The Recall button changes the view of the drawing elements to the previous view. For example, if the geometry is shown on the screen, and then the view is changed to zoom in on one particular part of the geometry, selecting the Recall button with the mouse recalls the view displayed before the zoom command was executed.

Draw

The Draw button deselects everything in the viewport and redraws the elements on the screen.

Delete

The Delete button is used to delete currently selected elements. Contours can be selected individually by clicking on them, or groups of elements can be selected by dragging (pressing and holding the mouse button down while moving the mouse) across a group of elements. All elements which fall inside the dragged rectangle are selected.

Move

The Move button is used to copy and move currently selected elements.

Getting Started

About the Software

About the Postscript Language

Copyright Notice

About the Software

The TextCam software is designed to be used with most CAD/CAM packages or directly with NC Mills and HPGL compatible cutting equipment. The function of TextCam is to make engraving letters and alpha-numeric characters as simple as typing the words on the computer keyboard. Through use of the PostScript page description language, and the TrueType font technology, TextCam is capable of creating engraving patterns from fonts which are installed in the computer's operating system software. Additional fonts and artistic designs may also be translated using the TextCam software.

This program is intended to be used as a stand-alone utility for creating outline information in DXF, HPGL and G-Code file formats. DXF files can be immediately turned into control specific G-Code by any CAD/CAM package. HPGL files can be downloaded to most sign cutting machines (Roland, Graphtec, etc.).

Verification of Text Created with TextCam

Additional artwork, and designs can be generated by using any PostScript compatible drawing program. The TextCam software can read the Encapsulated Postscript File format (EPS or EPSF) and create tool paths from the curves contained within. Designs created in this manner need to comply with only a few rules to remain compatible with the TextCam software.

About the Postscript Language

The PostScript language was originally created by Adobe Systems, Inc. as a page description language for laser printers. This means that it is a very versatile language that draws on a large library of commands. The vast majority of these commands, such as line weight, area shading, and color descriptions, have no meaning in describing engraving tool paths. This means that a large part of the PostScript language is not interpreted at all.

The PostScript language uses Bezier curves to describe most drawing elements. It is these Bezier curves that TextCam reads to create a part program. By fitting tangent arcs together, TextCam is able to approximate the PostScript Bezier curves to within very small tolerances which the user can adjust. This method of approximating the Bezier curves with tangent arcs instead of small straight line segments, results in smaller G-code files, and more smoothly cut parts.

In order for the TextCam utility to read lettering from a PostScript drawing program, the letters must be drawn and saved as outlines, or curves within the drawing program. In CorelDraw this is accomplished using the Convert to Curves command found in the Arrange menu. In Adobe Illustrator, the same task is performed by selecting the Create Outlines command in the Type menu.

Copyright Notice

COPYRIGHT 1992 by PCAM SOLUTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This manual describes software that contains published and unpublished works of authorship proprietary to PCAM Solutions, Inc. It is made available for use and maintenance of our products. Under copyright laws, this manual or the software it describes, may not be copied in whole, or in part, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior written consent of PCAM Solutions, Inc. except in normal software use, as described in this manual.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by PCAM Solutions, Inc.

TextCam is a trademark of PCAM Solutions, Inc.

PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.

Adobe Illustrator is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

TrueType is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

CorelDraw is a registered trademark of Corel Systems, Inc.

Installation Procedures

The TextCam disk has a setup program designed to install the program file, and the included fonts which are copy protected. If you try to install the program file without using the setup program, you may damage the integrity of the disk To install the TextCam software, follow the steps listed below.

1. Start the Windows program. To start Windows 3.X, type WIN at a DOS prompt.

2. Select the Run command from the File menu.

3. A dialog box is displayed asking for the path of the program to be run. Put the TextCam disk in either the A or B drive.

4. Depending on which drive the TextCam disk is in, type either A:\SETUP or B:\SETUP, then press Enter or click the mouse on the OK button.

5. A screen with the message Installing TextCam is displayed. The prompt Please enter the desired directory for TextCam. is shown in a dialog box.

6. Type the full path name to the directory where TextCam should be installed, and press Enter

or click the OK button with the mouse.

7. When the installation is complete, the TextCam icon is displayed in the TextCam window.

8. Attach the supplied hardware lock (SIM) to your parallel (printer) port. This enables the software to save files and fully function. Some systems are shipped without a hardware lock and instead use a special code present on the installation disk which will be transferred to the hard drive upon installation.

Font Facts

Creating Custom Fonts

Rules for Creating Custom Fonts

ASCII Character Codes

Creating Custom Fonts

The TextCam software is designed to work with PostScript files containing boundary curves. The fonts that TextCam recognizes are directories that contain files of boundary curves for each letter. Every letter must be described individually and uniquely within the font directory (i.e. there can be only one file describing each character in any one font directory); however, there is no limit to the number of fonts which TextCam can recognize as long as the rules of compatibility are followed.

Rules for Creating Custom Fonts

The TextCam software can only recognize fonts which follow the rules given below. It is the responsibility of the user to make certain that these rules are followed when creating customized fonts.

1. Characters must be saved as outlines only. Type the character, then Convert to Curves if using CorelDraw, or Create Outlines if using Adobe Illustrator.

2. Characters must be created at 720 points with the baseline of the character at Y=0 within the PostScript definition. In CorelDraw place the baseline at the bottom of the drawing page, in Adobe Illustrator, place the baseline on the bottom margin of the page. TextCam can recognize characters which do not adhere to these rules; however, consistency is compromised.

3. Character files must be saved with the name of their ASCII decimal code equivalent and with the file extension .EPS (e.g. the file containing the letter a must be named 97.EPS. All of these files must be located within a directory on the hard disk.

The font supplied with the TextCam software is Modern. This font is included on the TextCam disk and is installed automatically with the TextCam software.

ASCII Character Codes Decimal Symbol Keystroke

0 NUL CTRL @

1 SOH CRTL A

2 STX CTRL B

3 ETX CTRL C

4 EOT CTRL D

5 ENQ CTRL E

6 ACK CTRL F

7 BEL CTRL G

8 BS CTRL H

9 HT CTRL I

10 LF CTRL J

11 VT CTRL K

12 FF CTRL L

13 CR CTRL M

14 SO CTRL N

15 SI CTRL O

16 DLE CTRL P

17 DC1 CTRL Q

18 DC2 CTRL R

19 DC3 CTRL S

20 DC4 CTRL T

21 NAK CTRL U

22 SYN CTRL V

23 ETB CTRL W

24 CAN CTRL X

25 EM CTRL Y

26 SS CTRL Z

27 ESC CTRL [

28 FS CTRL %

29 GS CTRL ]

30 RS CTRL ̂

31 US CTRL _

32 SP SP

33 ! !

34 " "

35 # #

36 $ $

37 % %

38 & &

39 ' '

40 ( (

41 ) )

42 * *

43 + +

44 , ,

45 - -

46 . .

47 / /

48 0 0

49 1 1

50 2 2

51 3 3

52 4 4

53 5 5

54 6 6

55 7 7

56 8 8

57 9 9

58 : :

59 ; ;

60 < <

61 = =

62 > >

63 ? ?

64 @ @

65 A A

66 B B

67 C C

68 D D

69 E E

70 F F

71 G G

72 H H

73 I I

74 J J

75 K K

76 L L

77 M M

78 N N

79 O O

80 P P

81 Q Q

82 R R

83 S S

84 T T

85 U U

86 V V

87 W W

88 X X

89 Y Y

90 Z Z

91 [ [

92 \ \

93 ] ]

94 ̂ ̂

95 _ _

96 ` `

97 a a

98 b b

99 c c

100 d d

101 e e

102 f f

103 g g

104 h h

105 I i

106 j j

107 k k

108 l l

109 m m

110 n n

111 o o

112 p p

113 q q

114 r r

115 s s

116 t t

117 u u

118 v v

119 w w

120 x x

121 y y

122 z z

123 { {

124 | |

125 } }

126 ~ ~

127 DEL DEL

The File Menu Commands

Load EPS

Load DXF

Save DXF

Save HPGL

Save EPS

Save G-Code

Clear All

Quit

Load EPS

This command is used to load an EPS file. The screen displays a dialog box when this command is selected, in which the user can select the disk drive, file directory, and file name of the PostScript file to be loaded. The EPS file can come from any PostScript compatible drawing program, as long as the file is properly formatted (no bit map graphics header). The EPS file should contain only outline curves with no shading or lettering. Lettering must be converted into outline curves in order to be interpreted by TextCam.

The Load EPS dialog box.

As soon as the filename is selected from the dialog box, click the Open button to load the file into memory. The Bezier-to-arc conversion is automatically applied and the file is quickly displayed on the screen as a collection of lines and arcs. When a file is shown on the screen, arcs are drawn first, and then straight line segments.

Load DXF

The Load DXF command is used to load a DXF file created either by AutoCAD or some other CAD type software package that supports the DXF file format. When the Load DXF command is selected, the screen displays a dialog box in which the user can select the disk drive,

directory and file name of the DXF file to be loaded. The Line-to-arc conversion is automatically applied and the file is quickly displayed on the screen as a collection of lines and arcs.

Save DXF

The Save DXF command is used to save the contents of memory as a file in the DXF format which is readable by most CAD/CAM packages.

Save HPGL

The Save HPGL command is used to save the contents of memory as a file in the HPGL format which is compatible with most of the Sign Cutting Machines.

Save EPS

The Save EPS command is used to save the contents of memory as a file in the EPS format which is readable by most desktop publishing programs like CorelDraw.

Save G-Code

The Save G-Code command is used to save the contents of memory as a file in the G-Code format compatible with Fanuc controls.

Clear All

The Clear All command clears the screen and the contents of memory. It may be desirable to clear the memory between loading two different files.

Quit

This command is used to quit the TextCam utility. No files are saved, and the contents of memory is not preserved in any way.

The Menus

File

Setup

Create

Fonts

The Setup Menu Commands

G-Code...

Conversion...

G-Code...

This command activates the G-Code Settings dialog box. Click anywhere on the graphic for specific information.

Program Start Lines

In this portion of the dialog box, you can specify the lines of code that will appear at the beginning of the G-Code file.

Program End Lines

In this portion of the dialog box, you can specify the lines of code that will appear at the end of the G-Code file.

Z-Rapid

Specify an absolute Z coordinate where rapid X-Y moves can occur without running into the part.

Z-Contour

The value specified here defines the bottom of the contour.

Z-Step

The value specified here defines the depth of each rough cut.

Z-Passes

The value specified here determines many rough cuts are required. If Z-Passes is equal to 1, the Z-Step parameter is not used and only one pass at Z-Contour is output.

Start #

The number entered here determines where the lines of G-Code will be inserted. Make sure that the starting number is greater than the number of Program Start Lines.

Plunge Feed

The value specified here determines the speed of the cutting tool as it plunges into the stock.

Mill Feed

The value specified here determines the rate at which the table moves.

Absolute I, J, K

Check this box if your control requires that I, J, K values represent the absolute circle center for G2 and G3 moves. Do not check this box if you have a Fanuc control. If you have a Bridgeport control, you will need to check this box.

OK

This button accepts changes and closes the dialog box.

Cancel

This button closes the dialog box without saving changes.

Conversion...

This command activates the Conversion Data dialog box. Click anywhere on the graphic for specific information.

Show Endpoints

Places black dots at endpoints. Click the Draw button to redraw the screen.

Blue Arcs

Colors every arc blue while leaving lines green. Click the Draw button to redraw the screen.

DXF Save Format:

This portion of the dialog box allows you to save you data in one of two ways: Polyline or Line/Arc. Polyline is preferred for giving shorter files, but some software packages may not accept arcs in a polyline file. If you have problems loading the DXF file to another package, try Line/Arc output.

Conversion Type:

Choose either Bezier to Arc or Line to Arc. Bezier to Arc is a direct conversion of Bezier splines into tangent arcs, and may be used for converting fonts or EPS files. If a DXF file is loaded with this conversion setting, the file will be loaded as-is, with no conversion taking place. Line to Arc conversion is more aggressive in reducing points and may be used on any input file format (EPS, DXF and fonts). However, if tolerances are set too high, it may round sharp corners less than 30 degrees. If this occurs, reduce the chordal tolerance or switch to Bezier to Arc conversion.

Lines per Bezier

Used with Line to Arc conversion of EPS files and fonts. Use a higher number for finely detailed artwork, and lower values for less detailed work. Higher numbers may slow calculation time. The default is 25.

Max Chordal Deviation

Maximum amount generated arc toolpath is allowed to differ from input file toolpath. The higher the setting, the smaller the file generated. However, too high a setting may distort the original shape. This value will generally need to be lower with Line to Arc conversions as compared with Bezier to Arc conversions in order to retain the original shape.

Max Angle Deviation

For Bezier to Arc conversion, all generated arcs will be perfectly tangent to each other, but will deviate from the original toolpath's tangentials up to this Max Angle setting. For Line to Arc conversion, the generated arcs will be tangent to each other within this Max Angle setting.

OK

This button accepts changes and closes the dialog box.

Cancel

This button closes the dialog box without saving changes.

The Create Menu Commands

Overview

The Commands

Text...

Frame...

Overview

The Create menu has two commands, Text, which is used to enter a string of up to 255 characters to be engraved and Frame, which is used to create a rectangle around the entities. The dialog box displayed with Text command contains parameters which control letter size, and spacing, word spacing and position, text justification, rotation, and shape. Special effects can also be applied to the text to be engraved.

Text...

Click anywhere on the graphic for specific information.

Enter Text Here

This field in the dialog box is used to enter the characters to be setup up for engraving. If the Create command has been selected previously in the current TextCam session, then this field displays the text that was last entered.

The text entered in this field is created exactly as it is typed. Capital letters and punctuation are included the same as it is typed. Spacing, however, may change if any special text-altering effects are chosen.

Effects

The Effects field contains a list box with five options: None, Rotate, Fit to Arc, Wrap to Arc, Vertical. These commands determine the shape and orientation of the base line along which the text is placed. All of the Effects use the parameters shown on the left side of the Create dialog box. These are Max Height, Scale-X, Scale-Y, Letter Spacing, and Word Spacing. The parameters on the right side of the Create dialog box may change as the Effect and Justify settings are changed.

None

Rotate

Fit to Arc

Wrap to Arc

Vertical

None

This is the default value for the Effects field. When this is active, the text is placed along a straight line. The position of the text is determined by the Start X-Coordinate and Base Y-Coordinate parameters. If Stretch or Right is selected in the Justify field, then the End X-Coordinate parameter is used.

See Also

Effects

Rotate

Fit to Arc

Wrap to Arc

Vertical

Rotate

This effect is used to rotate the text about the point of justification. For example, if the text is right justified, then the text is rotated about its right endpoint. If the text is center justified, then it is rotated about its centerpoint. The amount of rotation is determined by the Rotation Angle parameter.

The Rotate Effect

The text shown above was created using the Rotate effect, an angle of 37.0 degrees, and one inch high letters, in the Chicago font. No scaling was applied.

See Also

Effects

None

Fit to Arc

Wrap to Arc

Vertical

Fit to Arc

The Fit to Arc effect is used to change the base line of the text to an arc. The letters created in

this case are not changed except that they are placed on an arc which is specified by the Radius parameter, and by the Center X and Center Y coordinates. The starting point for the text is determined by the Start Angle parameter. If Stretch or Right is selected in the Justify field, then the End Angle parameter is used to align the text.

The Fit to Arc Effect with Left Justified Text.

The text in the figure above was created using the Fit to Arc effect, an arc with a 4.0 inch radius, and 1.0 inch high letters in the Chicago font which were Left justified to 180°. No scaling was applied to this text.

The Fit to Arc Effect with Text Scaled to -1 in the Y Axis

The text shown above was created using the Fit to Arc effect, an arc with a 4.0 inch radius, and 1.0 inch high letters in the Chicago font which were left justified to 180°. In this case, the Scale-Y factor was -1.0. The LetterSpacing must also be changed when placing text around an arc this way, otherwise the letters run together. In this case the Letter Spacing was changed to 0.2 inches.

Text Stretched between 180 and 360 degrees.

The text shown above was created using the Fit to Arc effect, an arc with a 6.0 inch radius, and 1.5 inch high letters in the Chicago font, which were Stretch justified from 180 degrees to 360 degrees. The Scale-Y factor was changed to -1.0 to orient the text correctly on the bottom of the arc (otherwise the text would have been upside down).

See Also

Effects

None

Rotate

Wrap to Arc

Vertical

Wrap to Arc

The Wrap to Arc effect also places the text on an arc which is specified by the Radius and Center X and Center Y parameters. The letters are altered, however, in that they are distorted radially. The text is positioned on the arc using the Start Angle parameter, or, if Stretch or Right is selected in the Justify field, the End Angle parameter is used.

Text Centered at 90° using the Wrap to Arc Effect

The text shown above was created using the Wrap to Arc effect, an arc with a radius of 4.0 inches, and 3.0 inch high letters in the Chicago font which were Center justified at an angle of 90.0 degrees. Note that the text appears distorted from the bottom of each letter to the top.

See Also

Effects

None

Rotate

Fit to Arc

Vertical

Vertical

The Vertical effect places characters vertically. Letter Spacing and Word Spacing are applied in y-direction.

See Also

Effects

None

Rotate

Fit to Arc

Wrap to Arc

Max Height

The Max Height parameter sets the maximum height of the letters typed in the Text field, when the tool paths or curves are created. This also establishes the height of the tallest letter that is typed within the Text field. This is usually a capital letter, since all capital letters are drawn to the top extender line. Lower case letters are not drawn to the top extender line, and will be sized in relation to the tallest letter typed in the Text field. Some lower case letters such as b, d, f, h, i, k, l, and t extend above the height of other lower case letters. If one of these letters is the tallest letter in the Text field, it will be sized to the Max Height value, and the other letters will be scaled accordingly.

Text is Scaled Proportionately to the Tallest Letter in the Text

For instance, if the word Press were to be engraved, and the Max Height parameter was set to 2.0 inches, the capital letter P would be scaled to 2.0 inches, and the letters ress would be scaled to a size less than 2.0 inches.

Lower Case Letters are Scaled if no Capital Letters Appear in the Text

If the word were typed in all lower case letters as press then all of the letters would be scaled to 2.0 inches high since all of these letters are the same height. Actually, the letter p would be created somewhat larger than 2.0 inches, because it extends below the base line when it is drawn. Letters which extend below the base line are g, j, p, q, and y. These may vary from one font to another. It is important to note though, that the Max Height parameter determines the distance from the base line of the letters, to the top of the tallest letter in the Text field. When changing the letter size, also consider that the letter spacing and word spacing values should be changed in proportion to the letter size. There are no set rules for setting these values, but the larger the letters appear, the further apart they need to be spaced. This may also vary according to the application of the lettering.

Scale-X

The Scale-X parameter is used to alter the letters of the text by scaling them along the X-axis. The default value for this parameter is 1.000. This results in the text being produced at normal size. If the text is scaled with a factor smaller than 1.0 the text will appear compressed. If the text is scaled with a factor larger than 1.0 the text will appear stretched. When the Stretch effect is chosen from the Effects menu, the Scale-X value is changed automatically to fit the specified arc or line length. If the Create dialog is shown again after using the Stretch effect, the Scale-X parameter shows the value used previously.

Note that negative values can be used in scaling in both the X and Y direction. In certain cases this may be desirable, for instance to create a negative image set the Scale X parameter to -1.0 and enter your text backwards.

Scale-Y

The Scale-Y parameter is used to alter the letters of the text by scaling them along the Y-axis. The default value for this parameter is 1.000. This results in the text being produced at normal size. If the text is scaled with factor smaller than 1.0 the text will appear compressed. If the text is scaled with a factor larger than 1.0 the text will appear stretched. If the Scale-Y value is entered as -1.000 and either Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc is chosen from the Effects menu, then the text will be placed on the inside of the arc.

Letter Spacing

This parameter determines the space in inches, that is placed between each of the letters within the words of the typed text. This space is measured from the extreme right-most edge of one letter, to the extreme left-most edge of the following letter as is shown below. The default value for this parameter 0.050 is typical for one inch high letters.

Note that this parameter setting is also adhered to when a special effect is selected that may alter the text somewhat. The letter spacing is important in how text appears to the reader. Also be careful that enough room is left between letters to allow for machining. If the letter spacing is

set too small, machining may be difficult to impossible if gouging is to be avoided.

Letter Spacing in TextCam

Word Spacing

The Word Spacing parameter sets the distance that is placed between letters each time the spacebar is pressed in the Text field described above. This spacing is applied from the extreme right-most edge of the last letter of one word, to the extreme left-most edge of the first letter of the following word. If two spaces are desired, then the spacebar should be pressed twice in the desired location in the Text field.

Word Spacing in TextCam

Text Justify

The Text Justify field contains a list box with five options: Left, Right, Center, Stretch, Even. Each parameter determines how the entered text is aligned when the tool paths or curves are created. The text can be aligned several ways, and also in conjunction with the Effects commands.

See Also

Left

Right

Center

Stretch

Even

Left

This is the default setting for the Text Justify parameter. When the text is Left justified, it is aligned so that the left edge of the first letter is placed at the Start X Coordinate. If Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc is chosen in the Effects field, then the text is aligned so that the text begins at the Start Angle on the arc.

See Also

Text Justify

Right

Center

Stretch

Even

Right

This setting for the Text Justify field causes the text to be aligned so that the right edge of the last letter in the text is placed at the End X-Coordinate. If Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc is chosen in the Effects field, then the text is aligned so that the right edge of the last letter is placed at the End Angle on the arc.

See Also

Text Justify

Left

Center

Stretch

Even

Center

When text is Center justified, the center of the text is mathematically calculated, based on the combined width of all of the entered characters. This center is then placed on the Mid X-Coordinate or the Mid Angle depending on which of the Effects is chosen.

See Also

Text Justify

Left

Right

Stretch

Even

Stretch

The Stretch setting in the Text Justify field is the only one of the four settings which may cause the letters to be distorted. When the Stretch command is chosen, the text is aligned so that it starts at the Start X-Coordinate and it ends at the End X-Coordinate. When the Stretch command is used, the Letter Spacing and Word Spacing values are not changed, only the letters themselves are stretched or compressed to fit into the specified space.

When the Stretch justify setting is used in conjunction with the Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc effects, the necessry parameters are changed slightly. The Start X-Coordinate becomes Start Angle and the End X-Coordinate becomes End Angle.

Text can be Compressed with Stretch Justify

The text shown in the figure above was created by setting the Start-X Coord and End-X Coord closer together than normal. The text must then be compressed to fit into the specified space. Note that only the letters, not the spaces between the letters, are altered.

See Also

Text Justify

Left

Right

Center

Even

Even

When the Even setting is chosen, the text is aligned so that it starts at the Start X-Coordinate and it ends at the End X-Coordinate. The Letter Spacing and Word Spacing values are modified to place the letters evenly in the specified space.

See Also

Text Justify

Left

Right

Center

Stretch

Start X-Coordinate

This parameter establishes the X-coordinate of the left edge of the first letter in the Text string. It is necessary to specify an X-coordinate so that an appropriate coordinate system is established for machining.

The Start X-Coordinate parameter is also affected by the use of the Text Justify parameter described below. If Text Justify is set to its default setting of Left, then the X coordinate specified is used as described above. If Text Justify is set to Center, then the entered text is centered at the X coordinate specified in the Mid X-Coordinate parameter.

To place another letter in the same word as the last letter in the text entered previously (assuming the text is Left justified), change the Start X-Coordinate to the End X-Coordinate and add the letter spacing value. To start a new word on the same line as the previous text (assuming the text is Left justified), set the Start X-Coordinate to the End X-Coordinate value plus the Word Spacing value.

Start Angle

This value is used to set the starting point on the arc for the text, when either Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc is chosen in the Effects field. The angle is measured from the positive X axis (i.e. the X axis is designated as the zero angle).

End X-Coordinate

This parameter can be used to set the X coordinate of the right edge of the last letter in the entered text. This is useful if the entered text is limited to a particular amount of space. To activate the End X-Coordinate parameter, either Right or Stretch must be selected in the Text Justify field.

If the Stretch command has been chosen in the Text Justify field, the entered text is stretched or compressed as needed (the letter and word spacing values are not changed) so that the text begins at the Start X Coordinate, and ends at the End X-Coordinate.

Text Stretched to Fill the Space Between the Start and End Points

The End X-Coordinate parameter is also automatically calculated when the Center justify command is selected. To display the calculated value, select the Create command in the top menu after the engraving paths have been created.

End Angle

If either the Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc effect is chosen in the Effects field, the End X-Coordinate parameter is changed to End Angle. This value is used to establish the desired end angle for the text when the Stretch command is chosen in the Text Justify field. This angle is also used if the text is Right justified while either of the arc effects are chosen.

The End Angle parameter is also automatically calculated when the Center justify command is selected, and either of the arc effects is used. To display the calculated value, select the Create command in the top menu after the engraving paths have been created.

Base Y-Coordinate

This parameter sets the Y coordinate for the base line of the entered text. The base line is the imaginary line drawn at the bottom of each character in the text. All of the typed letters are placed on this line. If some effect is selected that changes the base line, such as Wrap to Arc, or Rotate, then the Base Y-Coordinate meaning is changed.

Radius

The Radius parameter is used when either of the two arc effects are chosen from the Effects menu. If either Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc is chosen in the Effects field then the value entered in the Radius field determines the radius of the arc on which the text is placed. The Radius value is measured from the Center X and Center Y location to the base line of the text.

Rotation Angle

The Rotation Angle parameter is used to rotate text about the justification point of the text. To activate this parameter, the Rotate effect must be chosen in the Effects field. The angle of rotation is measured from the positive X axis. Negative angles can also be used.

Angles Specified in TextCam are Referenced from the Positive X Axis

Center X / Center Y

These two parameters are shown in the dialog box when either of the two arc effects (Fit to Arc or Wrap to Arc) are selected in the Effects field. These two parameters determine the position of the text in the XY plane by specifying the center location of the arc. These parameters do not affect the position of the text on the arc.

OK

When all of the parameters in the Create dialog box have been entered correctly, click the OK button to create the engraving tool paths for the entered text. This may take several seconds depending on the number of characters entered, and the complexity of the font selected. The view is automatically changed to display all of the entered text in the window.

Cancel

The Cancel button in the Create dialog box is used to escape from the Create command without creating any tool paths or affecting any of the parameters.

Frame...

This command actives the Frame Data dialog box which allows you to create a rectangle around the existing geometry. The offset distance between the characters and the rectangle is user-definable. An example of the Frame Data dialog box is shown below.

The Fonts Menu Commands

Overview

PostScript Directory...

TrueType...

Overview

The Fonts menu allows the user to select the font which will be used to create the engraving patterns for the entered text. There are two different kinds of fonts that TextCam can recognize. These are customized PostScript fonts created specifically for TextCam, and TrueType fonts which may be installed in Windows 3.1.

PostScript Directory...

This command allows the user to select a directory which contains a font created specifically for TextCam. This command is used to select the Modern font which is supplied with the TextCam software. These font was created using a PostScript drawing program according to the rules which are defined at the end of this manual in the section titled, Creating Custom Fonts. If TextCam is running in Windows 3.0 this is the only command which can be used to load a font for engraving. For the easiest and best selection of fonts, it is best to update to Windows 3.1.

TrueType...

The TrueType command allows the user to select any of the TrueType fonts which are installed in Windows 3.1. These fonts are not available in Windows 3.0 or earlier versions of Windows. The font dialog box displayed on the screen lists all of the TrueType fonts installed in Windows and allows the user to pick a type style and type size which is used as the default size in the TextCam Create window.

The TrueType Dialog Box used to Load Fonts in TextCam.

TextCam Tutorials

Creating Text for Engraving

Converting EPS Artwork to Toolpaths

Creating Text for Engraving

1. Under Setup: Conversion, set the Conversion Data.

2. Under Setup: G-Code, set the G-Code Settings.

3. Under Fonts: select TrueType and then select a font from the the list (it must be a TrueType font). Click OK. TextCam provides you with a Postscript Modern font. The Modern font uses single lines to draw each letter and is typically used for engraving basic lettering quickly. You may access it under the PostScript menu.

4. Under Create: Text, click on the arrow in the Effects box and select Wrap to Arc. Click on the arrow in Text Justify and select Stretch. Change the value in Word Spacing to 0.2.

5. In the Text box at the top of the dialog box, type "Engraving is easy". (Use the TAB key or click in the box to begin typing). Click OK. The transformed text will appear on the screen.

6. Under File: select Save G-Code, type a file name, and click OK.

Converting EPS Artwork to Toolpaths

The PostScript language uses Bezier curves to describe most drawing elements. It is these Bezier curves that TextCam reads to create a toolpath. By fitting tangent arcs together, TextCam is able to approximate the PostScript Bezier curves to within very small tolerances which the user can adjust. This method of approximating the Bezier curves with tangent arcs instead of small straight line segments, results in smaller CNC code files, and more smoothly cut parts.

1. Use the Convert to Curves command (located under the Arrange menu of CorelDraw) or a similar command in your art software to convert any fonts to outlines only. If you have scanned images they must be vectorized using CorelTrace, Adobe Streamline (recommended), or a similar package. TextCam will only convert Bezier curves and will not process Bitmap data. Save the artwork file in EPS format in your drawing package.

2. Under Setup: Conversion, set the Conversion data.

3. Under File: select Load EPS and select the appropriate directory and file. Click OK. The converted artwork will appear on the screen.

4. Under File: select Save DXF, type a file name, and click OK. Load the DXF file to your CAM system and assign a tool to the DXF toolpath geometry. You're ready to engrave your artwork.