Why Did the Keychain Outline Fill In? Check Stroke Versus Fill
A stroke describes a path; a fill describes an area. Inspect imported SVG objects in line and filled views, then use a no-output preview to confirm which regions are intended to engrave and which paths are intended to cut.
Stroke and fill describe different geometry
Current LightBurn file-fixing training shows SVG imports changing appearance and explicitly switches between filled rendering and line mode to diagnose geometry (source discussion or guidance).
A donut-shape example
A donut shape needs an outer boundary and an inner negative path. If the hole is not part of the compound geometry, the filled preview exposes the mistake before material is used.
Read the keychain in line and filled views
| Object | Line view | Filled preview | Intended role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer keychain | closed path | solid silhouette | cut only if eligible |
| Name text | font outlines | filled letters | engrave |
| Hole | inner closed path | negative opening | cut |
| Duplicate path | two coincident lines | may look unchanged | remove before output |
Fix holes, duplicates, and compound paths
- 1. Save an untouched copy of the imported SVG.
- 2. Toggle display modes and select objects to identify open paths, duplicate lines, and compound shapes.
- 3. Assign operations only after the preview matches the design intent.
- 4. Frame without output and confirm the physical envelope on eligible material.
A1 Mini file-preview boundaries
The current A1 Mini page lists 3.5W, 5W, and 10W variants and compact beginner positioning; No variant makes unknown material eligible or removes the need for a suitable supervised workspace; the workflow described for “Why Did the Keychain Outline Fill In? Check Stroke Versus Fill” is a user-owned process, not built-in automation or a guaranteed outcome. Check the current A1 Mini product page before purchase or use.
SVG preview questions
Why did an outline engrave as a thick block?
The object may be filled, expanded, duplicated, or assigned to a fill operation. Inspect geometry and preview rather than guessing settings.
Why did the keychain hole disappear?
The inner path may not be part of the compound shape or may be on the wrong layer.
Does a correct preview prove safe output?
No. Preview validates file interpretation, not material, workspace, focus, or fire controls.
