Install

Linux, Python 3.11 to 3.13:

uv tool install svg2plot   # or: pipx install svg2plot
svg2plot                   # optional: svg2plot <path_limit>, default 75

The user needs write access to the serial port (/dev/ttyUSB0), e.g. sudo gpasswd -a <username> uucp (dialout on Debian).

How it works

file.svg → read → check → optimise → G-code → USB stream → GRBL → motors

The conversion is equivalent to this vpype command, with a generated chelonograph profile that writes the pen pressure into the Z moves:

vpype read in.svg linesimplify reloop linemerge linesort write in_optimized.svg \
      gwrite -p chelonograph in_optimized_p07.gcode

Streaming is send-and-wait: one line, then wait for GRBL’s ok.

Development

git clone https://codeberg.org/mononym/svg2plot.git
cd svg2plot
uv sync                    # package + dev dependencies

CI (Woodpecker) runs the same checks on Python 3.11, 3.12 and 3.13.

Layout:

src/svg2plot/
  tui.py                 interface, conversion and streaming
  gcode_highlighter.py   terminal colours for G-code
docs/source/             Sphinx docs (tutorial, how-to, explanation, reference)

Issues and contributions: https://codeberg.org/mononym/svg2plot/issues

Acknowledgements

• vpype and vpype-gcode

• GRBL and its simple_stream.py

Licenses

• svg2plot: GNU General Public License v3.0 or later

• documentation & images: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

• sphinx files: 2-Clause BSD License

• miscellaneous: CC0 1.0 Universal