User guide

Dieline user guide

How PacFully represents foldable packaging as parametric SVG: panels, cut vs crease, dimension sync, artwork clip paths, and vector export — with honest limits.

Dielines exist for 6 box templates only (mailer, tuck-end, RSC, drawer, pillow, gable). Bottles, jars, cans, pouches, and tubes correctly set dielineAvailable: false.

1. What a dieline is here

In PacFully a dieline is a parametric SVG document generated from the same millimetre dimensions as the 3D mesh:

  • Cut — solid red perimeter (through-cut)
  • Crease — dashed blue fold lines
  • Bleed — offset guide (~3 mm DIELINE_BLEED_MM)
  • Panel regions — labeled areas mapped to 3D panel ids
  • Dimension annotations — live mm callouts

DXF export mirrors layers: CUT, CREASE, BLEED, DIMS (R12, mm units).

Full dieline sheet for a mailer box
Full mailer dieline — cut/crease legend at bottom-left.

2. Opening dieline view

  • Gallery: /dielines lists foldable structures, then opens the editor.
  • Editor: bottom toggle → Dieline (or Split).
Dielines gallery entry point
Dielines gallery — structure-first entry.
Editor switched to dieline view
Editor dieline mode.

3. Reading the sheet

  • Legend: Cut (red bar) · Crease (blue dashed) · “mm · click a panel to target artwork”.
  • Zoom controls (top-right): zoom in/out, fit to sheet.
  • Click a panel region to select it — mirrors 3D selection for artwork targeting.
Zoomed dieline focusing on panel geometry
Zoomed sheet — inspect flaps, glue tabs, and annotations.

4. Editing dimensions → live update

With the dieline (or split) visible, change Width / Height / Depth on the properties panel. generateDieline(templateId, dims, thickness) re-runs in the same React commit as the 3D rebuild. There is no separate “update dieline” button.

Dimension controls that drive the dieline
Properties dimensions are the dieline’s source of truth.
Split view after dimension edits
Split view — prove 3D and blank stay aligned while you edit.

5. Artwork overlay on dieline panels

Artworks placed in the asset panel are drawn into dieline panel regions using SVG clip paths derived from each PanelRegion polygon. The same composite (package color + artwork) used in 3D feeds the 2D overlay — so transparent PNGs still show panel color on the blank.

Artwork on 3D used as source for dieline overlays
Place artwork in 3D (or while a dieline panel is selected)…
Split view showing artwork clipped to dieline panels
…and it appears clipped to the matching dieline panel in split/dieline views.

6. Export SVG / DXF / PDF sheet

Open Export:

  • SVG — themed vector download (Lite gate in UI)
  • DXF — CAD-friendly R12 with CUT/CREASE/BLEED/DIMS (Pro gate in UI)
  • PDF — opens a print-themed sheet → browser “Save as PDF” (Pro gate; not a true vector PDF writer yet)
Export dialog highlighting dieline formats
Export dialog — SVG / PDF / DXF rows with plan badges.
Pro plan preview unlocking dieline exports
Plan preview set to Pro unlocks DXF/PDF rows in-browser (client-preview only).

7. Print considerations & bleed

  • Default bleed guide is 3 mm (DIELINE_BLEED_MM).
  • Documented manufacturing-plausible tolerance intent: ±0.5 mm — still proof with your converter.
  • Safe-zone guides in 3D are separate overlays; do not confuse them with dieline bleed.
  • Prefer SVG/DXF for prepress handoff; treat the PDF print sheet as a review artifact until a vector PDF writer ships.

8. Designing in Split view

Split is the recommended review mode for structural + graphic checks: orbit the mockup while confirming flap geometry and art placement on the blank. Panel highlight is shared — click either side to retarget artwork.

Split view for combined 3D and dieline design
Split view — the practical packing-design loop.

9. Limitations (honest)

Next

Return to the Editor guide for materials, GLB import, and shortcuts — or see Architecture for how generators sit in the monorepo.