speleopower

My initial assesment and continuing help thread

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I just want to take a minute to thank each one of you for taking the time to test this program and report your results. I too was hoping this would be a good replacement for SB and was ready to push the purchase button a few days ago.

BUT, I have been following your trials and tribulations and think maybe this SCAL-P program release was premature....and possibly it's capabilities inflated a bit. It's worrysome that many experienced people can't get it to work/cut on "supported" cutters. How will newbies be able to handle it?

If it performed as advertised we would all be one happy crew.

Hopefully CraftEdge will be able to take over and work through the problems.

Sue2

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Once I downloaded the patch the actual cuts are very very good and did not need any tweaking of offset or overcut. But the number of actual file types supported and the design/editing features are lacking. After watching all of the tutorials on Craft Edge's website it seems this software is more geared toward scrapbooking rather than hardcore sign making/design work.

Sue-2 If you read through this thread from the beginning I sat a benchmark to achieve with the software of creating a fairly complex set of airbrush stencils using only Sure Cuts A Lot 3 Pro and compare the process to SignBlazer and Inkscape. I have had all weekend to do it and have so far come up with nothing. The node editing is just to clunky for more complicated designs at least for me.

After playing with the software for 2 days straight since I have been sick all weekend I have mixed feelings.

The following 3 points are my basic uses and goals as laid out in the first post of this thread for Sure Cuts A Lot followed in bold by what I have found.

For my above specified uses I would like a single software package that is:

1) Easy to make basic coroplast signs with a few words and maybe a graphic. Excellent and easy to use basic sign layout program.

2) Ability to quickly import an image and convert it to a vector graphic. Powerful tool but maybe to powerful for beginners. I found the trace function quite good-however you need number 3 below to put together a good stencil.

3) Easy intuitive node editing the graphic to use as an airbrush stencil. I do not recommend this software for more complex node editing. After 2 days of playing and learning the software I have not been able to achieve my benchmark goal.

1)I really like the menu layout and options for simple text and designs

2)It is not really easily capable of quickly designing or editing more complex jobs-such as the benchmark stencil I wanted to create with just this software.

3)The number of file types supported for import and export is just not enough for a software labelled as Pro.

A member indicated earlier each piece of software has good and bad points and is just a tool to achieve a goal and it's always good to have more tools. Overall I am ok with the software doing simple things but it is not as good as SignBlazer for more detailed/complex jobs at this point.

-Scott

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I've been playing a little bit with the software today and cannot figure out what it going on while using the Node edit tool.

When the node edit tool is selected and you hover over a node I see 3 different things.

1)a plus (+) looking sign indicating you can move a node around

2)a dotted box that lets you draw a box around multiple nodes to select them and move them as one.

3)a squiggle line (~) I have no idea what this is for and have not found anything in the tutorials. Does anyone know what this is for or does it do nothing at all?

-Scott

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My understanding of the squiggly line meant that it was over a path.

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Have you had any troubles importing .ai vector files? Whenever I try to do so I get an error stating: Microsoft Visual Runtime Library Runtime Error. This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way."

Ditto

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I tried converting this file from CS, CS2, 3, 4, and 5. None of the above worked when exporting these from corel as these types, however, SCAL Pro did not crash either.

I tried in Illustrator 8 which is quite old and what I have to use in SignCutPro but it just crashed with the runtime error also. I put in a support request so hopefully they will get back with me in a few days.

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I just did an airbrush stencil for a friend tonight using Sure Cuts A Lot 3 Pro and it cut perfect!! The only thing is it is a complex script type font and it does need a little bit of node editing to get just right. I was able to do some of what was needed but gave up and just cut the stencil and called it good.

Please Craft Edge polish up the node editing.

-Scott

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I have spent a few hours watching some tutorials and then playing around. I see a lot of areas for improvement in the design/draw end some of which have been mentioned already. I would like to be able to multi select items. Also have had a bad time with AI files importing (my primary design tool) I figured out that CS5 files WILL import but older ones wouldn't. The colors and/or layers aren't coming through the transfer. I think these AI issues are probably simple fixes the designers can take care of and I know they are already working on them. I am most disapointed in the cutting tools and functionality as a cutting utility. I design elsewhere and am hoping for a good cutting program to run my cutter. This seems almost an afterthought in the program...oh yeah lets be able to send this to a cutter. I would most like to see big upgrades in that department. I have been using SignCut Pro for 1-1/2 years and have gotten used to the weeding/tiling abilities and the cut by color options. I think SCALP can compete especially in the cut by color area if they fix the AI import problem but it needs a few more tools to work with for cutting. For instance, I use the tiling lines to control vinyl consumption. SCALP has a weeding tool that will inject some weeding lines but you can't exclude the other areas, at least I have not been able to find it. Also missing preview options that show actual cut image size to help pre-size vinyl for cutting (SC shows calculated vinyl length and width and a small detail showing current orientation in the cutter) I'm not bashing the program just giving input.

On a positive note. If I were new to the whole thing and just getting a cutter to play around and do crafts and hobbies I think SCALP could easily be a one stop shop for simple design and cut work. I do NOT think that in its current state it is satisfactory for full on sign building (which unfortunately is how it was advertised). I think it can get there. I actually like the general layout of the workstation and it has some decent merge and exclude tools, the image orientation tools are very useable and I didn't have a bunch of learning time to trace an image or even play with the nodes. (that is probably in large part due to prior experience with AI and Inkscape) With Inkscape available for free I don't think many people will be using the design end of things in this program but for an entry level program to send out with US Cutter machines its probably perfect.(once the bugs are worked out) I don't agree with Sue 2 who posted that it was released prematurely, I think if the design team is trying to make this into a real great viable program the best thing they can do is get it out to a bunch of geeks like us and let us rip them up about it. If they can wade through all our biased input they can get some real good input that may be things they wouldn't have thought of. Personally the jury is still out...

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I don't agree with Sue 2 who posted that it was released prematurely, I think if the design team is trying to make this into a real great viable program the best thing they can do is get it out to a bunch of geeks like us and let us rip them up about it. If they can wade through all our biased input they can get some real good input that may be things they wouldn't have thought of. Personally the jury is still out...

Most programs are offered for BETA testing in order to get the bugs worked out.

Don't get me wrong....I would love for SCAL-P to succeed. We need a good basic design/cutting program that can keep up with future tech changes. But first it has to be able to perform well in today's workflow.

Sue2

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It is getting there. In just the past 5 days of working with the software development team, directly, they have gotten many things working that were not as well as adding parts that were missing (*contour cutting for the CE5000) and potentially adding cutting capability for the FC7000-75!

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I made a handful of stickers and a couple logos for my friend. I'm still very impressed with how well Sure Cuts A Lot 3 Pro cuts with my 34" SC machine. All of the letters are crisp and the shapes are excellent. No little scallops at the start of a cut and no offset issues. I haven't even adjusted the offset because it was more spot on than it has ever been.

-Scott

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Most programs are offered for BETA testing in order to get the bugs worked out.

Sue2

Touché

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speleopower, I was ready to replace my laserpoint due to the poor cuts it was making. Never would of thought that it was a software issue but it cuts better now than when I bought it. As a side note my laserpoint has been used in my store 5-6 days a week for probably 3 years now with success. It has broke a carriage, wore out the vinyl clamps, and even fried a motherboard but all were easy fixes and still making me money every day. Sorry to get sidetracked but keep reading about laserpoint being entry level and not that great and had to give a little testimonial.

Jay

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Does anyone know how to limit vinyl movement during a cut? It seems like the vinyl rolls back and forth through my cutter way to much. SignBlazer and SignCut have features to limit vinyl rolling.

-Scott

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This shouldn't be an issue as long as the vinyl tracks properly and you aren't trying to cut outside of the capabilities of the machine (ie, most machines can only gurantee tracking so far etc) Also, pre-feeding the vinyl helps. If you pre-feed, this creates a "tread" pattern in the vinyl itself with the grit rollers and it will feed along that line each time in and out.

Yes, I would tend to agree cutting order optimization is helpful- but even with my old laserpoint it wasn't necessary.

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I do prefeed the vinyl back and forth to get the tracking pretty darn close. Cut order optimization would be nice mostly to save a little bit of time. It seemed to me Sure Cuts A Lot back tracks quite a bit which takes a lot more time to finish a cut job.

-Scott

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the prefeeding tip is great. thanks. I've tried a few really big jobs and in the end it was a hand application of each element. Right..I have a MH series eco cutter.

a program that was upgraded to handle a much larger print size like scalp often has unanticipated problems of a core nature. Such as the " least material movement vs. fastest cutting" coding. Might be on the wish list..depends how complex such a thing really is.

I;m not complaining here, at $50 on sale the product deserves quite a bit of applause considering what competing software ( I should say other software) asks for thier subscription/purchase fees. But any product should beet some basic operation UI checkpoints, and this is where the product spec for scalp was lacking

I was on the development team for a desktop publishing package in the late 80's that went from supporting an apple LaserWriter at 8x10 to nearly unlimited page lengths on a linotronic image/film setter. There were lots of unintended consequences, and at the cost per foot of material ( it would make you cry ) it generated a qa hit list.

The scalp development team needs forward thinkers. Not very popular these days as it causes huge expenses and people tend not to like their work taken apart line by line and it's always the trouble of the other module developer. You can sell lots of hammers at fifty bucks a crack. Much tougher sell on that fancy air nailer.

In the end it was the air nailer problem that killed the software company, all the developers wanted to sell something affordable. And lots of em. The marketing wanted to sell a few at an astronomical price. As the story goes...a program called "Photoshop"..right....photoshop....that was it ....came along and before you know it..we were all collecting severance AND unemployment I do remeber it was a pretty good summer for a few weeks

I'd like to see multi line text blocks and a beefier text editor, and guide lines and and and...but I'm pretty pleased with it right now. The interface is good.<issues aside>. I'd hope to seee a bug fix/change list with each release..that's also an industry norm.

One last thing for the developers..installers can be pretty smart..using flash for an installer and then have a blind installer that won't detect which cutter is connected is another spec problem. I might try the mac package for grins..but my cutter is run off a windows box. Installations as mentioned above have to be 100% painless. No exceptions allowed. If I wasn't experienced in dealing with balky hardware and software, scalp would have gone into the mail with a request to refund. It was aggravating and reminded me why I went into semi-retirement

I'm hoping this deal with USC bring in enough cash so they can put the man hours they need into bringing this entire package up to snuffs.

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SCALP might have some problems, but remember they are being fixed compared to SB that people seem to love. The developers seem to be working on things and if they can accept EPS files, we'll be pretty good.

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Even if you use it just to CUT...compare the price to a lifetime license( $348) or yearly license($98) of SignCut.

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Speleopower - sorry you're sick but I'm really hoping you find a conversion that works. My PC with SB crashed and burned (motherboard) so I need this to work with my mac! I uninstalled/reinstalled programs, drivers and all and it looked promising for about 20 seconds. It once again tried cutting, got half way through and hung. But the inkscape SVG is the closest I've gotten so far...

As a quick aside, are you using a keyspan adapter on your Mac? I am having the same issue with hanging, and am curious to see your solution should you find one.

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I doubt I'm using a keyspan adapter... I have no idea what one is... I'm using straight USB from the machine. I've been emailing Craftedge for a week now. They just emailed me at 9pm last night saying 3.038 was released for mac. No more freezing! BUT I still can't get a complete cut. At least I don't have to force quit every 2 seconds. A step in the right direction.

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I doubt I'm using a keyspan adapter... I have no idea what one is... I'm using straight USB from the machine. I've been emailing Craftedge for a week now. They just emailed me at 9pm last night saying 3.038 was released for mac. No more freezing! BUT I still can't get a complete cut. At least I don't have to force quit every 2 seconds. A step in the right direction.

this is a Keyspan adapter, you connect your serial cable to it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Keyspan-High-Speed-USB-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS-/120420154018?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c0999baa2

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Yes a Keyspan adapter is the way to go. I was having minor issues unitl I got a Keyspan awhile back.

-Scott

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