I have made an amazing discovery, which I wanted to share with everyone who is using CorelDRAW. I recently upgraded to version X4 of CorelDRAW, and was using it to create artwork for engraving with my CNC Router. If you have ever tried to import files containing text into LazyCAM, I am sure that you have experienced the problem this poses: the font used will invariably come in as an Outline of the actual font. This poses a problem, because the lines used to construct the font are so close together, that instead of a delicately detailed engraving, you end up with a largely unrecognizable hole being carved into the wood!
While composing a CDR file to send to Corel's Jeff Harrison about macros for use in CorelDRAW, I came across a work-around for this problem. The Trace utility available in X4 features a Centerline, Technical drawing option. The steps I used, are as follows:
1-Using the Text tool in CorelDRAW, I typed in the desired text
2-I selected the text, and changed the Font to Edwardian Script (any font you desire which is installed on your system works here).
3-I then selected the text, and converted to Artistic Text format, and Grouped it together.
4-I selected Convert to Bitmap from the Bitmaps menu
5-I selected the Trace option, Centerline Trace, Technical drawing
6-I exported the selected result as a HPGL PLT file
7-I opened the file from LazyCAM's Open Vector File option, and selected HPGL PLT as the format
I then selected the layer, and the tool of choice (engraving bit) and set the depth , and then Posted the file to Mach3! The engravings are beautiful!