How do I join, close, and weld vectors in VCarve Pro & Aspire, and what do I do when vectors won't join?

Overview

Joining, closing and welding vectors are among the most frequently needed operations, especially after importing artwork from DXF, AI or SVG files. Open vectors prevent V-Carve toolpaths from calculating, cause pocket toolpaths to behave unexpectedly and break 3D modeling operations. This entry covers the methods for fixing them and for finding what is wrong when a toolpath will not calculate.

Open vs Closed Vectors

Open vector: has a start point and an end point that are not connected. It looks like a curve with two free ends.

Closed vector: the start and end are the same point, so it forms a continuous loop.

Why it matters:

• V-Carve toolpaths require closed vectors.
• Pocket toolpaths require closed vectors.
• Profile toolpaths can work on open vectors (cutting along the line).
• 3D modeling tools such as Create Shape and Two Rail Sweep have specific requirements per tool.

Finding Open and Duplicate Vectors

• Edit > Selection > Select All Open Vectors: selects every visible open vector in the design. Run it with nothing pre-selected to find all open vectors across the whole job.
• Edit > Selection > Select All Duplicate Vectors: selects vectors that are exact copies of each other in shape and location, so they look like one vector. They can cause problems for some toolpath and modeling functions, so delete them or move them to a new layer.
• Vector Validator (Drawing tab): finds overlapping contours, intersections and zero-length spans. It does not report open vectors, so use it together with Select All Open Vectors.

Method 1: Join Open Vectors (Automatic, with Tolerance)

Best for: vectors that are almost touching but have a small gap from import rounding.

1. Select the open vectors you want to join (or select all with Ctrl+A).
2. Open Join Open Vectors from the Edit Vectors section of the Drawing tab (Edit > Join Vectors, or press J).
3. Set the Tolerance: end points that lie within this distance are joined or closed automatically.

• Start with a small tolerance and increase it gradually. A tolerance that is too large can join vectors that should stay apart.

4. Apply. Nearby end points are connected.

If joining does not work: the end points are further apart than the tolerance, or the vectors overlap instead of leaving a gap.

Method 2: Join / Close with a Straight Line

Two separate tools sit alongside Join Open Vectors:

• Join with a Line: finds the closest end points on 2 selected open vectors and joins them with a straight line.
• Close with a Line: closes a single open vector with a straight line between its two end points.

Method 3: Join / Close with a Smooth Curve

Join with a Curve finds the closest end points on 2 selected open vectors and joins them with a smooth curve. There are two smooth joining methods: a smoother one and a more symmetrical, shallower one. Use it when the join needs to look smooth and continuous.

Method 4: Join / Close by Moving End Points

Finds the closest end points on 2 selected open vectors, works out the midpoint between them and moves both end points to it. Use it when you want to close a gap without adding a line segment.

Method 5: Manual Join via Node Editing

Best for: overlapping vectors, vectors that will not auto-join, or when you need to control exactly how the join happens.

1. Select one of the vectors.
2. Press N to enter Node Editing mode.
3. Drag the end node onto the end node of the other vector.
4. With two open vectors selected in Node Editing, press J to join them (or right-click a node and choose Join). Press N to exit.

Right-click on a node or span in Node Editing also offers Close for a selected open vector.

Method 6: Weld (Combine Overlapping Closed Vectors)

Best for: two overlapping closed vectors that you want to merge into one outline, removing the overlapping interior.

1. Select the closed vectors to weld.
2. Click Weld Vectors on the Drawing tab.
3. The overlapping shapes merge into one outline that follows the outermost edge of all of them.

Use it to:

• Combine text letters that overlap each other. Welding text preserves the inner regions of the characters.
• Merge two shapes into one clean closed vector.
• Prepare artwork for pocket or profile toolpaths where overlap creates unwanted islands.

Method 7: Overlapping Vectors (Trim)

When vectors overlap instead of leaving a gap (common in DXF imports where lines pass each other):

1. Use Interactive Vector Trim to remove the overlapping ends.
2. Or, in Node Editing, drag the overlapping nodes back to the intersection point.
3. Then use Join Open Vectors to close the shape.

Toolpath Warnings

If a toolpath will not calculate, the warning usually points to open or unsuitable vectors. The exact wording varies by version, but typical messages say that unsuitable or open vectors are being ignored, or that the selection contains open vectors, and the count tells you how many. Work through the steps above, then re-run the Vector Validator and recalculate.

When Vectors Still Will Not Join

• Check for duplicates: use Select All Duplicate Vectors and delete them.
• Increase the tolerance step by step if gaps are larger than expected.
• Check for groups: ungroup (U) before joining, in case grouped vectors are blocking the operation.
• Import as AI or EPS instead of DXF: DXF often arrives as short line segments with tiny gaps, while AI and EPS keep curves.
• Vectors on different layers: make sure all the vectors are selected, including those on other layers, before joining.

When You Do Not Need Closed Vectors

Not every toolpath requires closed vectors. A profile toolpath cutting on the vector line (not inside or outside) works with open vectors. An "open vectors ignored" warning is only a problem when you need the toolpath to treat the vector as a closed boundary.