Sorry this is a newbie question but having searched the focums I can't find a solution.
I am using inkscape to drive a cutter and need to produce perforated lines. The cutter requires that lines are created as paths.

If I draw a line in inkscape, select one of the dashed stroke formats and then convert the line to a path using STROKE TO PATH the path I end up with is a series of small rectangles ie 4 nodes allowing for the thickness of the line. It does not seem to matter how thin I define the line, i always get 4 nones. This causes the cutter to make two passes (one in each direction) of the dash as it tries to cut a very thin rectangle.

Is there a way of converting a dashed line to a path with no thickness, ie just a node at the beginning and end of each dash?

TIA
Hugh

hdouglas wrote:Is there a way of converting a dashed line to a path with no thickness, ie just a node at the beginning and end of each dash?

'Extensions > Modify Path > Convert to Dashes' was added to improve support of desktop cutting plotters:

Alvin Penner wrote:The intent is to take the selected paths and, if they have a dashed Stroke Style attribute, then convert the dashed Stroke Style into an explicitly cut path with actual gaps in the path.

The Extension is part of Inkscape 0.47.

Also please see our Inkscape and Cutters forum for support from people who know and use various brands of cutting machines.
viewforum.php?f=31

Many thanks. Now sorted