Pen-plotter

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# What can you
            # do with the
            # pen-plotter?

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# Agenda
            
            
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            1. Setup
            
            --
            2. Plotting with InkScape 
            
            --
            3. Command Line Interface

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# Setup
            
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# Setup

* The pen-plotter is capable of plotting in A3

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            * bring your own pens when you want to plot (the only limit is the diameter, ca. 2cm)
            
            
            
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# Setup
            
            --
            
            * this is how it looks:
            
            .right[![The pen-plotter](img/plotter_min.png)]

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# Plotting with InkScape
            
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            # Plotting with InkScape
            
            * [InkScape](https://inkscape.org/) is an open source vector graphics app (comparable to Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer)
            
            --
            
            * You need to install some [additional software](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mDPv3P24jBe4Dkz6jCn9UlGHwQM1bb9V) to use the plotter with InkScape
            
            --
            
                * please follow the provided installation guide all through to the end

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            # Plotting with InkScape
            
            * Once everything is installed, you find `iDraw Controls` in your Extensions panel
            
            
            .right[![The Extension panel in InkScape showing the iDraw Controls](img/iDraw-Controls.png)]
            
            
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            # Plotting with InkScape
            
            * The first thing to verify is the basic setup 
            
            --
            
            * plug the plotter to your computer and to a power source
            
            --
            
            * here you can set up the pen up and down position 
            
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            .right[![The Extension panel in InkScape showing the iDraw Controls](img/general-options.png)]
            
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            # Plotting with InkScape
            
            * A few notes:

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                * best practice is to test the pen up and down positions in all for edges of the paper to avoid smearing
                
                * take a look at all the other tabs in the settings as well to experiment with writing speeds, etc. 
            
            
            * A video turorial can be found [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tphcpTOt0PE)
            
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            # Plotting with InkScape
            
            * Advanced notes:

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                * you can use advanced settings during your plot such as changing speeds for different layer. More about this in [this handbook](https://wiki.evilmadscientist.com/AxiDraw_Layer_Control)
                
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# Command Line Interface
            
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            # Command Line Interface
            
            * Motivation:
                
                * Plotting multiple files in one go while having influence on plotter parameters
            
                * Using the plotter interactively
            
            
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            # Command Line Interface
            
            * Installation (Mac only):
            
            --
            
                * Install a [recent version of Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/macos/) (>3.1)
            
                * Install the AxiDraw Command Line Interface:
            
                    * open Terminal on your Mac
                    
                    * `python -m pip install https://cdn.evilmadscientist.com/dl/ad/public/AxiDraw_API.zip` and hit enter
            
            ---
             
            # Command Line Interface
            
            * Let’s construct a little script to use the plotter:
            
                * first we need to import the plotter tools like so:
            
                `from pyaxidraw import axidraw`
                `ad = axidraw.AxiDraw()`
            
                * we can import svgs like so:
            
                `ad.plot_setup("path/to/testfile.svg")`
            
                * setup the pen up and down positions:

`ad.options.pen_pos_down = 45`
                `ad.options.pen_pos_up = 20`
            
            ---
                
                * you can print layer by layer, using the layers mode:

`ad.options.mode = "layers"`

* and then plot the first layer in this case with acceleration set to 100
            
                `ad.options.layer = 1`
                `ad.options.accel = 100`
                `ad.plot_run()`

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            # Command Line Interface
            
            * The whole script looks as follows:
            
            `from pyaxidraw import axidraw`
            `ad = axidraw.AxiDraw()`
            
            `ad.plot_setup("path/to/testfile.svg")`
            `ad.options.pen_pos_down = 45`
            `ad.options.pen_pos_up = 20`

`ad.options.mode = "layers"`

`ad.options.layer = 1`
            `ad.options.accel = 100`
            `ad.plot_run()`
            
            
            ---
            # Command Line Interface
            
            * More commented scripts can be found in [this sample directory](https://github.com/haw-type-design/newpage-x-y/tree/main/pen-plotter/sample-scripts)