How to import a file into inkscape that it might not normally recognize KNK AI EPS GSD

How to import a file into inkscape that it might not normally recognize KNK AI EPS GSD

02/04/2009, 5:29 pm
Filed under: HOME Paper Scissors Paint Create | Tags: ai, cutting, file, gsd, how to, import, inkscape, knk, pdf, question, scut, tutorials

Hello to all out there to all of you creative people! I stumbled upon this question in one of the forums I belong to so I thought I would write about it here as well. So just as an example if you want to import let’s say a KNK file …. well…….first things first KNK stands for (Klic n’ Kut) this is just one of the die cutting machines out on the market . A KNK file is made with their software. OK so to all Cricut users out there since we can’t just run out and but yet another die cutter if you find a design you like you can convert it to an SVG file in order to cut it with SCAL.   (this can work with AI,EPS,GSD files)

( NOTE of Warning: Some files are just too large and will not work with this)

First you will need the file that is in a PDF format, if not you can try to convert it to a PDF file if you don’t have Adobe Acrobat software there are a couple freeware programs that will convert your files to PDF format (here’s one PrimoPDF, DoPDF,Neevia and the list goes on just choose which one suits you best) After you have converted your file to a PDF you now can import it into inkscape.

• Open new file in inkscape
• Select  File –>Import (select your file)
• It will then let you know it is converting it to a .text file say OK
• If the file is not too large it will show up on your blank inkscape file 

Post ammended below for Clarification:

typing this with one hand and a baby in the other sorry if there are any grammatical errors.

WARNING: Oh Yeah! Frustration will be part of the process but if you are like me you just keep doing it until you have spent a boat load of time working on just one file. (I have never claimed to be normal :) )

Disclaimer: please don’t hold me accountable if these suggestions don’t work.

So to everyone ……I wan’t to just clarify some things because I don’t want any one to be confused I guess in a long about way what I was trying ta get at is that to those of you who are not aware you can import a PDF file into inkscape (some cut files will sometimes be offered in this format by the designers) and once you have your image imported into inkscape you can then trace it as a bitmap and start palying around with it.

Now to those of you who have or know anyone who has KNK studio (GE) or the Graphtex software you can convert the files to a PDF file and this is where the free PDF converters come into play ( see post above) Kay is correct to point out that without the native software printing cannot be achieved because the manufacturer’s of all the diff. die cutters have all different software and all of them have their own proprietary file formats, so you can’t necessarily open files designed using different software, unless they share a format that is common to both. Usually designs that have been created using each software is saved with their proprietary file format but can sometimes give you the option to export it in a few other common formats.

OK so to all who don’t own the above software programs here is another method…. you can of course, go the screen capture method and then trace in Inkscape as bitmap.

In conclusion I would just like to say that there is really no easy one button way to convert cut files there are definitely ways to do it but deifnitely not for the faint of heart. You will spend an inconceivable amount of time for a cut so it better be a really really great cut or if you are just crazy like me you just spend time on it anyway and get obssesed with the project : ) .

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