Image2Gcode

Image2Gcode is a desktop application that converts raster images into G-code for CNC machines or laser engravers. It provides a user-friendly PyQt5 GUI with adjustable settings, performing image-to-SVG conversion using pixels2svg and SVG-to-Gcode conversion via the svg2gcode tool.

Features

• Drag-and-drop or file dialog to select images (PNG, JPG, BMP, etc.).
• Conversion of image to SVG (polygon outlines of pixel groups).
• Conversion of SVG to G-code for CNC/laser using svg2gcode.
• Settings panel to adjust:
  • Color tolerance for pixel grouping.
  • Background removal options.
  • Group shapes by color on output SVG.
  • Custom G-code tool ON/OFF commands (M3/M5 by default).
  • Default output filename.
• Persistent settings saved in config.yaml.
• Async processing to prevent UI freezing.
• Error handling with user-friendly alerts.

Preview

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Docker (if using the Docker container)

Installation

Local

1. Install Rust and Cargo: This project uses svg2gcode-cli which requires Rust's package manager, Cargo. Install Rust (which includes Cargo) by following the official instructions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/getting-started/installation.html.
2. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/LittleSurvival/image2gcode.git or download the source code.
3. (Optional) Create and activate a Python virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv
   # On Linux/macOS:
   source venv/bin/activate
   # On Windows:
   .\venv\Scripts\activate

4. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Install the SVG to G-code converter:

   cargo install svg2gcode-cli

6. Ensure the output/ directory exists: The application will attempt to create it automatically on the first run if it's missing.

Docker

1. Clone the repository or copy the source code into a directory.
2. Build the Docker image: docker build -t image2gcode
3. Run the container (with X11 for GUI support): docker run -it --rm -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix -v $(pwd)/output:/app/output image2gcode

Note: You may need to allow X11 connections with xhost +local:docker.

Usage

1. Launch the application:

• Locally: python app.py
• Docker: as shown above.

2. In the GUI, load an image via drag-and-drop or the Load Image button.
3. Adjust settings in the Settings panel as needed.
4. Specify an output filename (default comes from settings).
5. Click Convert to G-code. The G-code will be saved in the output/ directory.
6. Use the generated .gcode file with your CNC or laser software.

Project Structure

Notes

• Ensure pixels2svg and svg2gcode are compatible with your images. Large images may produce large SVG/G-code files.
• The default tool ON/OFF commands assume a laser (M3/M5). Adjust in settings if your machine uses different commands.
• If the application cannot find svg2gcode, ensure it's installed (pip install svg2gcode) or use the Docker image which has it pre-installed.

License

This project is open-source and available under the MIT License.