mars

I am thinking of taking the plunge and getting this program. Have a little extra money and can use the help in vectorizing customer supplied images. Where to buy? Any place offering discounts? Competitive upgrades? At $690 for the pro version - it probably is worth it, but if there is any way to get it at a lower cost I can use the money towards adding a new printer - and a millyun other things. -mike

I was having trouble trying to use the node editing tool (Shape tool on the toolbar) until I realized that part of the node editing job is done using the bezier draw tool (Draw tool on the toolbar) 1. Moving nodes is done in the Shape tool. Just select and drag them to the new location. 2. Changing the type of node is done in the Shape tool - use the right click while hovering over the node - or select the node and then use the right click to open the menu - under Path is the choices to convert the node to 4 types Corner, Cusp, Smooth and Symmetric. A little quirky - but once you know you can work with it. 3. Adding nodes to the path is done with the Draw tool - bezier pen icon. Hover over the path and the cursor shows a + sign you can add a node by left click/release while holding the mouse steady. Go back to Shape tool to move the new node around. 4. Deleting nodes is done in the Draw tool too - hover over a node and the cursor shows a - sign a left click will delete the node. I had watched the tutorials and was trying to add dodes using the shape tool and gettng frustrated because I didn't see any + or - signs - so thought I would post this in case somebody else was missing the point of using 2 different tools to get the job done. Also if you mess up - use the Ctrl-z combo repeatedly to undo the mistake step by step and try it again. -Mike

Another thing to be aware of in InkScape is to make this change in the svg output which is reccomended for better importing of svg files into MTC! - and probably would be of benefit for SCAL3Pro too

The same applies when saving to .svg - convert text to paths In Inkscape, select the text, then go to Path » Object to Path (Ctrl+Shift+C) These files are simple text with a shadow - you might save yourself some grief and just do them in SCAL3Pro from now on. I understand wanting to import something you have worked out in InkScape - or something that is not doable in SCAL3Pro though.

You have to select more than one shape for the group choice to be available. Selecting shapes is done like in any program click on the first one then hold shift and click on any others you want to include in the selection you are working with. Or just left click and drag to encompass the shapes inside the selection box shown as a dotted line rectangle. But you can just select the shapes all together and mirror without having to group them. Be sure none of the shapes are locked (can't sleect if they are locked)

Unless this person has or is sceduled to donate a kidney to me - I would not have done as much work as you have - the Maple Leaf watermark would prove to be impossible even if she gave me both kidneys LOL

Well I set mine to .01 cm which is .1 mm right - the preview shows the reg marks are snugged right up against the shape's bounding box.

If you resize your shape the registration marks follow - based on any settigns you make in your cutter's settings dialog - is this what you are trying to do?

The registration marks in my cutter (copam) setup can have the offset/size/thickness changed by clicking on the settings button and entering the desired values in 3 boxes labeled with those names. The size of the object determines where the reg marks willfall using those settings. Border or borderless printing? not sure what would be affected by those settings. The purpose of these registration marks is to enable making adjustments to the cutter to match any skewing of the position of the printed page before cutting a printed shape to exactly cut out the shape. Of questionable value to me with the Copam - no laser on my machine.

Draw your arc using the bezier tool and get the shape you want the text to follow. Then use the type text to path tool (sounds like you are doing that already - it is under the text button in the toolbar in case you aren't already using it.) Click on your path while you have the type to path tool selected and type the team name. If the text goes the wrong way around you need to reverse the path of your line(or shape)

BTW I didn't mean to leave out slice&dice when I thanked for the posted files - sorry

Traced it - here it is. Nice graphic thanks Bob! BOB'S HUMMINGBIRD.eps

NOW! I see what you are doing. Opening .scut2/.scut3 files (or "importing" them for that matter will place them on separate pages - as you see (and don't want) What I was saying was to "Import" as many shapes as you wish. To do this you need to save the files you want to work with in this way as .svg files. Then use the import to "load" them to the page you are working on and move/size/edit them to make economical use of your vinyl. OR you can make custom libraries like in the video I posted (don't be thrown by the utility being named lib it up 2 - it works for SCAL3Pro too) Then you can add them by clicking on thumbnail image in library. -Mike

Hope ths will be a topic where ideas for improvements to SCAL3Pro can be available for the developer to get wquick input from the USCutter users. Feel free to add your thoughts. 1- In another topic there is already a request for a tiling function to make cuttable pieces of a design too large for your machine or your material. -- it should allow you to set for pieces that overlap to keep from showing spaces if the material shrinks after you install it. 2- I would like to see a duplicate/array capability to make it easier to design and cut a sheet of small stickers. Just a couple of wishes to start tlhe list -- look forward to seeing what others are wanting added. -Mike

Eazy, I am talking about SCAL3Pro -- I never used SCAL until the pro version. Are you saying each imported file makes a new page? Across the top just above the design area (mat) are tabs showing the page(s) in the project. Do you have a tab for Page 2 after importing the second image? If not then what you are calling pages are acutually layers -- I know each new shape is placed on a new LAYER all on the same page1 mat in my program If that is the case in yours there no need to move anything to make them all cut at once. If they are shown (eye open) they will cut. If you want to not cut certain ones - just hide (close eye) and they will be ignored. Make sense?

You are welcome Kissfan76 Also moparmanheat1 are you talking about registration marks for multi-layer vinyl applications - or registration marks for the laser to read in doing print & cut operations?

I don't think there is a way to continously display the silhouette registration marks. However to see them on the mat and judge if there is room to scale up your project a bit more - just use the preview command under the cutter menu. You can look - then resize and then look at the results until you get the results you want.

Just use import to add as amany files as you wish to the mat - you can then arrange them and cut them any way you want to. If they are things you do over and over. you can make a custom library and add them to the mat by clicking on the thumbnail in the shapes library window. You have to use a free program to create the custom shape library.

They have launched the new version - here is a search of eBay with the current listings http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC1&_nkw=Vinylmaster&_sacat=0&_from=R40 The basic level (VinylMaster Ltr) is a pretty good value - one listing has it for $98.66 or best offer - so it is cheaper than SCAL3Pro and it is a much more robust application. They have a more basic verison - and 2 more advanced versions to choose from. Check out the Demo version - link in the eBay listings.

I just bought VMP 3.0 the middle level of Vinylmaster at a very good price. I am using it on my XP machine and it works on everything up to Win 7 - there may be some issues with Windows 8 - so ask questions if that is your operating system. Here is the eBay page of auctions from the seller I dealt with - Steve is great to deal with - I am a happy customer - no business connection other than that. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=VinylMaster&_sacat=0&_from=R40 Version 4.0 is coming out pretty soon - which in software terms means anything from a few weeks to maybe a year or more LOL. Meantime you can snag a copy of the level of functionalty (VML -VMP -VMX) you need for a discounted price since the current version is on clearance. Here is a link to a .pdf with feature comparison for the 3 different levels. http://www.iifuture.com/shared/info/en/vm/VinylMaster_Comparison.pdf The VML is very basic - VMP (which I bought) is good enough for most cut vinyl work which is what I needed for now. VMX has the extra features needed for printing - which I don't do yet. Just thought I would post - since it is so much more powerful than Sure-Cuts-A-Lot 3 Pro which I also just bought (for the $50 intro price) I do like some features of SCAL3P and it is still improving - VinylMaster is just a more powerful program for cutting vinyl and not much more expensive. I liked VinylMaster from previous versions - so am happy to be up to date until the new verison comes out. -Mike

If text goes the wrong way round try using the reverse path command (right click and look under path in the popup) Wrapping text is a little cumbersome in SCAL3Pro. I agree it would be nice to be able to open multiple projects and switch between them - only thing I can suggest is that you CAN import additional shapes into your project and add/move between pages and/or layers - so it gives some capability to have multiple shapes inside a single project. Not sure why you are having crash issues - contact craftedge for advice is the first thing I would try. There are some another programs you might want to look at in addition to SCAL3Pro. Both of them offer free demo versions - check them out. MTC!(http://www.make-the-cut.com/) is one of them - in a lot of way I prefer it to SCAL although it does not support as many of USCutters machines as SCAL3Pro. It sells for less than $60 ($58.36) and is much easier to design and layout in (once you learn a bit about it) not a steep learning curve - but it's approach to doing things is sometimes different than what I was used to In SBE or VinylMaster (both of which I still use as well) - VinylMaster 4.0 is out now and the basic level is a lot more powerful than SCAL - and it's on eBay for less than $100 ($98.66 or best offer) There are 2 more powerful versions for more money - if you are a serious user I would recommend one of them. Here is a link to a current auction for the basic level - the listing has movies and links to the demo and .pdf brochure and feature list/comparison of the 4 versions available (one version is just a basic cutting program - Ltr is the second tier - and Pro and Xpt are the better and top of the line versions) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Home-Office-Hobby-Sign-Software-Vinyl-Cutters-and-Plotters-VinylMaster-Ltr-V4-0-/161006536107?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257cbcc5ab -Mike

The add shadow layer command is under the object menu at the top of the screen - or you can right click on the text and look under the appearance heading in the popup menu. The trick is to make the shadow layer and check the "Blackout Shadow" checkbox before clicking on OK to complete the operation. Now you have a shadow layer that will form the black outline and also a base for the white letters to be applied on - no spaces inside the shadow outline. You can add registration marks if you wish - but you should be able to eyeball tha alignment to center the white shapes inside the black shadow outlines.

Grieve Custom Calls is "A Charming Font" Reel is Aqualine Outdoors is Almagro

If you line them up vertically on the screen "mat" they will cut in a narrow strip and feed vinyl with lots of waste. If you line them up horizontally they will cut side by side and use your vinyl more effectively. Assuming you use the "origin" not the "WYSIWYG" cutting method.

Just a thought - since you are new - you may have the idea that there is a program that will take just any picture and make a workable vector. But you will learn if you haven't already that if you have a crappy bitmap you will never get a decent trace from it. The vectorizing in SCAL3Pro is pretty good for some things. Working with it might take some getting used to - but so will any program that you work with. The best vectorizing software I have used is Imagaro Professional Z. BUT!!! you STILL have to have a decent image with enough resolution or you will not get good results. Take a look at the videos for the current version which is Sept 2011. http://www.imagaro.com/imagaroproz.html Don't settle for the less expensive version - for $ 287 the Pro version is worth the extra $90 over the Inagaro Z. Strong points for the program are the ability to tweak the bitmap image - increase resolution automatically (although it will not make a decent image from a really crappy bitmap so don't expect miracles) - brush touchup blemish areas - combine /mask colors - and then after vectorizing there are some nice cleanup tools that make hard jobs easier. For text the font recognition tools are great - and you can't possibly do a vectorization of text that matches the quality of using the actual font and recreating actual shapes. -Mike .