Editing shapes

The tools are on the right under Properties → Edit shapes as soon as shapes are selected, and in the Arrange menu.

Combine

Select at least two closed shapes.

The result takes the layer and cut settings of the bottom shape. The originals disappear; Ctrl+Z brings them back. Circles stay true arcs, so the machine cuts them round.

Offset (outline)

Creates an outline at a fixed distance around the shape, outside or inside, with round or sharp corners. With Keep original on, the shape stays. Typical use: a border around lettering or a fit that is one bit width larger.

Edit points

Press N, double-click the shape or use Edit shapes → Edit points to show the points of a shape. Rectangles, circles and polygons become paths on the first change. A bar with all commands appears at the top of the canvas.

In the bar, Corner, Smooth and Symmetric set the type of the selected points, Straight and Curve the lines between them. Break opens a path at the point, Join connects two end points (also of two shapes) or closes an open path with one selected end point.

Round or chamfer corners

Every corner between two straight lines gets a true arc (the machine cuts it round) or a bevel. For the whole shape use Edit shapes → Round or chamfer corners, for single corners the bar of Edit points (select the points first). A rectangle keeps its corner radius in the properties. If an edge is too short, the rounding becomes smaller there and the app tells you.

Arrange and exact transform

On the right under Properties → Arrange:

• Align to the Selection (the common bounds of all selected shapes) or to the Material. A single shape always aligns to the material.
• Distribute from three shapes: with equal gaps or with equal distances between centres, horizontally or vertically. The two outer shapes stay in place.
• Mirror and Group or ungroup.
• Exact transform by number: Move by ΔX/ΔY, Rotate left or right by an angle, Scale in percent (with the chain in the same ratio), Skew horizontally or vertically in degrees. With Each shape separately every shape rotates, scales or skews around its own centre instead of all together.

Skewed rectangles, circles and texts become paths, as they could not take a slanted form otherwise. Reliefs cannot be skewed.

Pattern: row, grid, circle

Under Properties → Pattern on the right (or in the Arrange menu) you repeat the selection. The selected shapes are the original; together with the copies they form a Pattern group.

For rows and grids the spacing is either the gap between shapes or centre to centre (handy for rows of holes). For circles the program suggests a radius at which the parts do not touch.

While the pattern is selected you can change its type and values; the copies are rebuilt at once and every change is one step for Undo. This also works after reloading in the same browser. If the pattern extends beyond the material, a note appears. Dissolve pattern turns the original and copies into single shapes.

Nesting

Arrange → Nest shapes… places the selected shapes (or all shapes if nothing is selected) on the sheet to save material, a feature otherwise reserved for programs with a Pro licence. Each shape or group is one part; texts and groups stay together as a unit, holes and inner contours stay with their part (nothing is placed inside them). The calculation uses the real outline, not just the bounding box: L-shaped pieces, arcs and letters interlock.

On the left the preview shows the sheet with all placed parts (numbered in selection order) and the utilization in percent. With many parts a progress bar runs; the drawing stays usable. Arrange creates the copies and moves, rotates and mirrors the shapes in one step, Ctrl+Z brings back the old positions and removes the copies again. Copies belong to the same operations and laser profiles as their part.

If not everything fits on one sheet, tabs Sheet 1, 2, 3… appear: when arranging, the further sheets land to the right of the first one, each on its own layer “Sheet 2”, “Sheet 3”… Save sheet n as a project turns a further sheet into a separate project file that can be opened and produced later. Parts that do not fit on the empty sheet even when rotated stay where they are and are listed.

Fill the sheet: a part marked ∞ has no fixed quantity but is placed as often as it fits on the sheet (spacing, margin, rotation and mirroring apply as usual). If only one part is selected, the Fill the sheet with this part button appears below. Afterwards the list shows the number reached for each part and the preview the utilisation. If there are also parts with a fixed quantity, they come first (on as many sheets as needed), then the ∞ parts take turns filling the free space of every sheet in use; filling never opens a new sheet. One run places at most 2000 pieces; the app then tells you there would be room for more.

Measure

The Measure tool (D, ruler in the toolbar) shows its values in a bar at the top:

• Drag to measure length, angle (from the horizontal, counter-clockwise) and ΔX/ΔY. The ends snap to corners and centres, with Shift in 15° steps.
• Where the line crosses shapes, crossings appear and the segments between them are labelled, so you read wall thicknesses and gaps directly.
• Click a shape to see its width, height, perimeter and area (holes subtracted). Open lines have no area.

Esc or Done returns to selecting.

Dimensions

Dimensions are measurements that stay in the drawing: to check sizes, for a screenshot or as a drawing for the workshop. They are never cut or engraved.

• From the measure tool: Measure a line with D and choose the type under Keep as dimension in the bar: Length (along the line), Horizontal (ΔX only), Vertical (ΔY only) or Angle (from the horizontal).
• On shapes: Clicking a shape with the measure tool shows Add dimensions. For selected shapes use Draw → Dimensions ▸ Add dimensions to selection. Shapes get width and height, circles the diameter. These dimensions belong to the shape and follow it when you move or scale it. Delete the shape and its dimensions go too.
• Edit: Click a dimension and drag the dimension line where you want it. On a diameter, dragging rotates the line. Del or the bin next to the number deletes it. Every step can be undone.
• Show and hide: View → Show ▸ Show dimensions. Numbers and arrows keep their size at any zoom and follow the chosen unit (mm or inch).
• Export: In the Export window, Include dimensions (SVG only) adds them as a separate layer “Dimensions”. Leave it off for a router or laser, otherwise another program would cut the dimension lines too.

Star, gear, spiral

The Star, gear, spiral tool (S, star in the toolbar) shows a bar at the top: pick the kind, set the values, then drag out from the centre. A click without dragging places the shape at 50 mm diameter.

The gear flanks are true involutes, so two gears with the same module mesh cleanly. As long as you do not edit the shape otherwise, its values and diameter can still be changed on the right under Star, Gear or Spiral; each change is one Undo step. After that it is an ordinary path.

Path: break apart, combine, smooth

On the right under Path (and in the Arrange menu):

Texts and reliefs are skipped when smoothing and simplifying; convert text to a path first.

Check vectors

Drawings from other programs often bring small faults you cannot see but that get in the way when milling. Arrange → Path ▸ → Check vectors … (or Ctrl+K “check”) looks for them in the selection or in all shapes. After importing an SVG, DXF, PDF or PLT file the app reports issues by itself; Check in the message opens the window.

Gap up to sets how far apart ends may be to still count as “almost joined” (default 0.5 mm). Show selects the shapes, zooms to them and marks the spots with rings until you change the drawing. Fix all does everything fixable in one step; Ctrl+Z undoes it. Locked shapes stay unchanged.

Text on path

Select a text and a second shape (circle, arc, line …) together. Text on path appears on the right:

• Start, Middle, End: where the text sits on an open line. On circles and other closed shapes it sits outside at the top, starting, centred or ending at the highest point.
• Offset: distance of the baseline from the shape; negative moves the text to the other side.
• Reverse (inside, bottom): runs the other way; on closed shapes the text then sits inside along the bottom, like on a stamp.

Put text on path turns the text into a path; the shape stays. So set font and wording first; Undo brings the text back.

Convert to path

Rectangles, circles, polygons and text become freely editable paths. Their position stays the same. Afterwards properties such as the number of corners or the font can no longer be changed.

Warp: arc, bulge, perspective, wave

Select text, paths or a motif and click Warp in the properties under Edit shapes (also Arrange → Path → Warp …, and for text below the bend). A bar appears at the top of the canvas:

• Arc lays the selection on a circular arc up to 180°; unlike the bend of a text, the letters themselves are bent too.
• Bulge makes the middle taller than the sides; negative values pinch it.
• Perspective makes a trapezoid: positive narrows the top, negative the bottom.
• Wave makes the selection wavy; you set the number of waves.

The Strength slider shows the result immediately as a preview on the selection; the sign sets the direction. Several shapes are warped together as if they were one. Apply takes over the warp, Esc or × cancels, Undo brings the shapes back. Text, rectangles, circles and polygons become paths; the bend of a text is kept. Curves are subdivided finely enough that the result deviates at most 0.01 mm from the exact shape. Reliefs and locked shapes stay unchanged; the app places custom tabs anew.

Shrink wrap

The shrink wrap is a new cut line that encloses the selected shapes like a tightly pulled film, for example to cut out lettering with a motif as a sticker or tag. You find it in the properties under Edit shapes and under Arrange → Path → Shrink wrap ….

• Offset: how far outside the shapes the wrap runs (0 = touching the shapes).
• Smoothing: closes gaps up to twice this width and rounds inner bays with this radius. If gaps remain open, the bar shows how many parts the wrap consists of.
• Convex: tight like a rubber band, with no bays at all.

Holes in the shapes (such as in an “O”) do not count. Insert places the wrap behind the selection; it is cut through along the outside. For a group cut out as one part, the same bar is available under Shrink wrap as outline … (see Group as one part).

Common messages

• Only closed shapes can be combined: a line or open polyline is selected. Close it (click its start point).
• Nothing would be left: the shapes do not overlap.

Dogbones

A round bit never reaches fully into a corner; square parts (joints, finger joints) then do not fit. Dogbones help: in the properties under Edit shapes enter the bit diameter and click Add dogbones. At every outward-curving corner of the shape a circle the size of the bit is created and united with the shape. Circles and soft curves have no corners and stay unchanged. Keep original places the result next to it, Undo reverts it.

Create a monogram

Draw → Lettering ▸ Create monogram … turns one to three letters into a finished monogram: a frame (circle, diamond, shield or rectangle), an inner line and the letters in the font you choose, fitted into the frame and centred on the workpiece.

All parts are ordinary shapes. The frame is cut through on the outside, the inner line is traced once, shallow, and the letters are pocketed. For sharp, elegant letters switch them to V-carving.

Insert a motif

Draw → Motifs ▸ Insert motif … opens a library of about 170 free motifs (animals, plants, home and garden, crafts, food and drink, sports, transport, signs and more). Search for a word such as “heart”, “fir” or “anchor” (English or German) or pick a group at the top, click a motif, set the size of the longest side and insert it. Double-clicking a motif inserts it at once.

The motif becomes an ordinary shape in the middle of the workpiece. As Filled it is pocketed (engraved with the laser), as Outline only it is traced once, shallow. Change size, position, depth, bit, V-carving or laser mode afterwards as with any shape.

The motifs come from the Maki (Mapbox) and Temaki (Rapid) collections and are CC0: you may use them freely and without credit, also for workpieces you sell. The source of the selected motif is shown below the window.

Draw → Motifs ▸ From free catalogs … opens the same window directly in Free catalogs: about 12,000 symbols from Material Design Icons (Apache 2.0), Game Icons (CC BY 3.0) and Health Icons (MIT). Pick the catalog at the top and search as with the motifs. The author and licence are shown below the window; for CC BY, credit the author when you pass the workpiece on.