An extension to drive a Silhouette Cameo and similar plotter devices from within inkscape. 100% pure python, ontop of the libusb backend.

Here is the wiki with photos and a video: https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette/wiki

This extension should work with the following devices:

• Silhouette Portrait
• Silhouette Portrait 2 (working confirmed)
• Silhouette Portrait 3
• Silhouette Cameo
• Silhouette Cameo 2
• Silhouette Cameo 3
• Silhouette Cameo 4
• Silhouette Cameo 4 Plus
• Silhouette Cameo 4 Pro
• Silhouette Curio (partial success confirmed in #36)
• Craft Robo CC200-20
• Craft Robo CC300-20
• Silhouette SD 1
• Silhouette SD 2

# Add inkscape dev team's PPA key to APT.
# This project require minimum of inkscape V1.0+
# But we want to always keep to latest inkscape version
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:inkscape.dev/stable

# Install Inkscape
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install inkscape

# Install Inkscape with newer version directly from inkscape dev team
# even if newer than what Ubuntu's package management team is willing
# to certify at the moment
sudo apt-get --with-new-pkgs upgrade inkscape

# Install requirements for usb support
sudo apt-get install python3-usb

# Install requirements for Silhouette Multiple Actions
sudo apt install python3-wxgtk4.0

# Install all requirements from python package manager
sudo apt-get install python3-pip
python3 -m pip install -U pip
python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt

• Same as Debian-based, except install the usb package with sudo zypper in python-usb

sudo pacman -S inkscape python-lxml python-pyusb
git clone https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette.git
cd inkscape-silhouette

sudo pkg install inkscape py39-libusb1
cd /tmp
wget -c "https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette/archive/main.zip"
unzip main.zip
cd inkscape-silhouette-main
sudo make install   # OR: make install-local  # latter installs only for this user

Refer to the userguide instructions for further details.

Run sendto_silhouette.py --help for information on CLI usage.

• Templates showing the cutting mat on a background layer can be found in examples/mat_templates
• Copy those files into the templates subdirectory below inkscapes configuration directory
• To identify the correct path open inkscape's preferences and selecting System. There you find the path as User templates
• Those templates can then be selected within the dialog available through File → New from Template...
• Once you have created a new document from those templates you can import other *.svg-files and place the contained objects for cutting

>>> import usb.core
>>> usb.core.find()
<usb.core.Device object at 0xb720fb8c>
>>>

If this reports no usb.core.Device to you, please help troubleshoot.

python
>>> import usb.core
>>> usb.version_info[0]

This fails on win32/64 with 'module has no attribute 'version info' which then causes Graphtec.py to error even though usb.core is installed.

• Path sorting for monotonic cut. We limit backwards movement to only a few millimeters, and make the knive pull only towards sharp corners so that most designs can be done without a cutting mat!
• Coordinate system conforms to inkscape SVG.
• Exact Margins. Can start at (0,0).
• Pen mode used to avoid the precut movement of the knive. Those movements are visible a) at the left hand side, when starting, b) at each sharp turn.
• Bounding Box. Can optionally plot (or calculate only) the bounding box instead of plotting all strokes. This can be used (with low pressure=1 or removed knive) to just check, where the plot would be.
• The standalone script arrow_test.py can be used to test drive the SilhoutteCameo class.
• Robust communication with the device. Small writes and timeouts are handled gracefully. Timeouts will occur, when we travel far with low speed.
• Multipass: Can repeat each stroke multiple times to enhance plot or cut quality. This can also be used to attempt a cut without cutting mat, by applying very little pressure.
• reverse toggle options, to cut the opposite direction. This might also be helpful with mat-free cutting via multipass.
• honors hidden layers.

• object transforms are missing most of the time.
• Stars, polygons, and boxes are plotted not closed, the final stroke is missing. (Must be me, no?)
• always plots all layers, even if hidden.

• Implement the triangle in a square test cut.

• Test MatFree cutting strategy with the WC-Wunderbach-Wimpern font, which is especially well suited as a test-case.

• Improve MatFree cutting by finding a better scan sort algorithm. Wide shadow casting towards negative y?

• Implement paper-zip as a separate inkscape extension.

• https://inkscape.gitlab.io/extensions/documentation/authors/
• https://inkscape.gitlab.io/extensions/documentation/authors/inx-widgets.html
• https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/ExtensionsSystem