How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Use this forum to ask questions about how to do things in QCAD.

Moderator: andrew

Forum rules

Always indicate your operating system and QCAD version.

Attach drawing files and screenshots.

Post one question per topic.

Post Reply
iOne iTwo
Active Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2023 5:50 pm

How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by iOne iTwo » Tue Aug 26, 2025 8:21 am

In the attached file, the text looks fine in Qcad, but comes in way too big in SVG/Inkscape 1.4.
I must be missing something, what might that be ?
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (33.16 KiB) Viewed 1835 times
Inkscape is mostly happy, but gives this warning: "$PDMODE is ignored. A point is displayed as normal."
Text comes in out of whack.
Normal lines come in great, unless they are fat in which case they end up several mm wide in the Inkscape drawing.

Version: 3.32.3.0 (3.32.3)
Build Date: Jun 2 2025
Revision: b079d79
Qt Version: 5.13.2
Architecture: x86_64
Compiler: MSVC++ 14.0 (2015)
Host OS: Windows 10

Inkscape 1.4.2 (f4327f4, 2025-05-13)
OS version: Windows 10 22H2

If I export to PDF first, then import Inkscape, it works better. Only the direct DXF import results in weird text.
Attachments
Test Plans.dxf
Imports to Inkscape with text scale issues.
(120.65 KiB) Downloaded 13 times

CVH
Premier Member
Posts: 4873
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:17 pm

Re: How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by CVH » Tue Aug 26, 2025 9:50 am

Hi,

First issue I see is that it concerns inline formatted text.
We clearly see the \H10... as part of the export in your screen capture.
Curious, as there is no such blue text in the attached file.

For example:
  • Main Point of Entry/New Switchbox
    Behind Unit #2.
Is inline formatted to be 20 drawing units high with \H20 while the Text entity Text Height property is 1000.
The formatting is probably not handled in SVG and the text is 1000 whatever large.


With line-art I presume that the pen size is converted to an SVG stroke width.
CAD Lineweights don't scale, it are the physical pen sizes from when we drew the design directly with ink ...
... SVG strokes scale with the overall displayed or printed size.
It will only look as several mm wide when the overall size is very large.
Displayed as scaled down to icon size it may even be not visible.

The stroke width of the line in this QCAD button icon is for example 16 (in pixels).
What is quite large and it will hardly be more than a pixel wide when used in QCAD.
If you download it and display it in your browser, screen wide, the line is even much 'fatter'. :wink:

Perhaps the Advanced SVG export is a better option.
It is said to be able to "Preserve Geometry" but also that "The visual appearance of the output might not exactly match that of the CAD drawing".
Unsure if that strips inline formatting.

Regards,
CVH
Last edited by CVH on Tue Aug 26, 2025 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

CVH
Premier Member
Posts: 4873
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:17 pm

Re: How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by CVH » Tue Aug 26, 2025 11:29 am

iOne iTwo wrote:
Tue Aug 26, 2025 8:21 am
Inkscape is mostly happy, but gives this warning: "$PDMODE is ignored. A point is displayed as normal."
Meaning that points are displayed as simple dots.
But: A) There are none in the drawing. B) The global drawing mode for points is Mode 0 Size 0.

If we look it up then it may also be related to the 'DefPoints' layer.

Simply ignore that.

Regards,
CVH

User avatar
andrew
Site Admin
Posts: 8766
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am

Re: How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by andrew » Wed Aug 27, 2025 7:09 am

Is there a particular reason why you are importing the DXF into Inkscape rather than exporting SVG from QCAD? In most cases exporting SVG from QCAD yields better results.

iOne iTwo
Active Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2023 5:50 pm

Re: How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by iOne iTwo » Fri Aug 29, 2025 1:25 am

andrew wrote:
Wed Aug 27, 2025 7:09 am
Is there a particular reason why you are importing the DXF into Inkscape rather than exporting SVG from QCAD? In most cases exporting SVG from QCAD yields better results.
No particular reason. One less step though?

Text size in Qcad is fiddly at times.

CVH
Premier Member
Posts: 4873
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:17 pm

Re: How do I scale text at architectural 1:1 scale, so it imports in Inkscape?

Post by CVH » Fri Aug 29, 2025 7:54 am

iOne iTwo wrote:
Fri Aug 29, 2025 1:25 am
No particular reason. One less step though?
One step less in which process?
- 1) Start QCAD - 2) Create a drawing - 3) Export as SVG - 4) Optionally save as DXF/DWG.
- 1) Start QCAD - 1) Create a drawing - 3) Save as DXF/DWG - 4) Start Inkscape - 5) Import DXF/DWG into Inkscape - 6) Save as SVG.
OR
- 1) Start QCAD - 2) Open an existing DXF/DWG drawing - 3) Export as SVG.
- 1) Start Inkscape - 2) Import an existing DXF/DWG drawing into Inkscape - 3) Save as SVG.

It would matter if you use QCAD as an intermediary for reading/converting a third-party DXF/DWG.
Then you should ask that question in the third-party fora.
Even QCAD doesn't support all text formatting that various third-party CAD applications may use.

Concerning the Inkscape import capabilities for files in the DXF/DWG format I would ask that question in the Inkscape fora.

iOne iTwo wrote:
Fri Aug 29, 2025 1:25 am
Text size in Qcad is fiddly at times.
Not really, you also called it 'weird' text formatting before.
You must clearly understand that inline formatting supersedes the standard text entity properties.

Inline formatting is applied when you alter text properties in the Rich Text panel of the QCAD Text editor.
Simply because you want it differently as the main properties on purpose. :wink:
If they match with the main font properties, no specific inline formatting is required.

True, you can not open the Text Editor with a blank canvas, with properties reverted to default.
Just like persistent options, the content and textual properties are those of the previous usage.

Regards,
CVH

Post Reply

Return to “QCAD 'How Do I' Questions”