speleopower

My initial assesment and continuing help thread

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HELP!!!!! I just downloaded 3.039 and uninstalled 3.037. Now 3.039 will not activate. It says "The activation information you have entered is invalid. Please try again 2550"

UUUGGGGHH this software is getting annoying.

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Yup did that first except I did not "deactivate". Installed 3.039 and it would not activate.

Here is the FAQ for updating to the latest version from the Craftedge website. It does not say to deactivate first.

You can download the latest updates from the Support Downloads and install again. Make sure the old version is not open and running when installing the update.

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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.

Bang and you hit the nail on the head , since most design in others programs like Corel X? etc. etc. and export or send to cutter programs like SignCut. This program is a good fit and will grow , but we can't make everyone happy ( impossible task beleive me I have tried) moving forward keep up the goodwork USCutter/Craft Edge team.

Im sticking around!

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I finally got around to cutting a job using SCALP. I have been hesitant to waste vinyl with some sort of mistake and have mostly just been using the plotting pen. I was very satisfied with the cut. It went about it differently and I had to go into the cut by color menu and deselect a couple stray items that somehow found their way in but it did a good job.

One interesting thing I noticed was the way it chose to work down through the lettering I was doing. It was definitely different than SignCut which follows the stacking order of the design. I'm not quite sure if I am happy with letting go of having control over the cut sequence or relieved that I can skip that on my design checklist. I sometimes spend quite a bit of time re-ordering things to make the cut track as fluid as possible rather than jumping around in the order I drew things. SCALP was sort of like a modified step by step cutting although that would neccessarily change had my design been one with a large object spanning the design. This project was a 12"x 36" quote from the constitution for someones rear window so it was just a bunch of words.

I have also noted for design glitch complaints that if for any reason you stop a cut in progress it will freeze up SCALP to the point you have to kill it in the program manager and start over. Thats just a weird quirk really and quirky can be dealt with. SignCut does the same thing if I forget to hook up the USB cable to the cutter, freaks it out for some reason.

All in all as they proceed to make the improvements that are still in the works I can see this being a great program. I don't use the editing end of it because I draw everything in AI but its a nice change to have it there if I find something I screwed up I cold just fix it right there. I'm also loving that I can import CS5 version artwork from AI. There is still a problem with the colors coming through the transfer but I'm sure they will cure that one easily enough.

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Been almost a month and I have had a few chances to play with the program a little more. I do my graphic work in AI but I decided to play around a little with the design capability and was pleasantly surprised at how well it did. I was actually surprised at the ease of use on the text edit menu and the ability to stretch and modify live text very much like AI. I can honestly say that if I didn't already have AI I would be comfortable working with the program and it will be a good backup if my other computer goes down. I think I like SCALP better than Inkscape. Its a little more user friendly or maybe a little more like AI not sure why but I definitely prefer it. A lot of my work is traced images from existing logos where they don't have the original vector. The tracing operation is a little different but once you're used to it it works fine. I think its going to be a great program for USCutter to sell with cutters.

 

There are still a lot of things that need attention and I know they are working on them and making regular progress. I had initially found that SCALP seemed to progress through the cuts almost in a sensible order like step by step cutting but as I have had opportunity to use it a bit more I think that was just a fluke with that particular design so hopefully they will continue to improve some of the cutting utilities including step-by-step and tiling. 

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Has anyone been able to open an .eps file from Vectorstock.com?  I have about $30 in files from Vectorstock and have not been able to open any of them in SCALP.  

When I try to "import" into SCALP I get a message saying Sure Cuts A Lot has stopped working.  I am using 3.044.

 

-Scott

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I've been using fotolia & only about half of them will import. SCALP keeps working after the import. The import just ends with nothing on the mat. I'm using the same version 3.044... Looks like the eps filter is needing a little more work. Maybe the next update will resolve this. Fingers crossed...

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Is anyone still using SCALP?  This forum seems to have really dropped off.  

I still can not open any of the .eps files I have bought from Vectorstock.com

 

-Scott

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 Is anyone still using SCALP? 

 

Well, since it's shipping with every new cutter, there is no doubt that plenty of people are using the program to get up and running.

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Its all I use to cut. If I cant get SCALP to open the file I open it in CorelDraw, do any changes that need to be done and send to SCAP through the plug-in. In my experience it just a lot cleaner then signblazer does using the same files to cut from.

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Is anyone still using SCALP?

 

I use it for cutting. It does a better job cutting for me than SignCut or SignBlazer. It seems more intelligent with where it starts and stops cuts so weeding is easier.

 

For editing however, I use InkScape. I'm a few versions behind on SCALP, so maybe its editing has gotten better, but last I tried, I wasn't too happy with editing. I'm sure I'll try again in the next couple months, as I am still interested in one app for both editing and cutting.

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Yes, it is good for cutting and that's all.  The editing still stinks in my humble opinion.

I've been using Inkscape to design in lately.

 

-Scott

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This software is amazing! Unfortunately, It's amazingly bad

.

When making vectors to rhinestones the paths disappear and there is no way of converting the path back from rhinestones to correct them.

 

The text editor has no kernelling ability so as you widen letters they overlap.

 

The path editor is a piece of work-in-progress spelled with a capital JUNK sometimes misspelled with a capital S__T they turn a simple job into a frustrating molasses filled cesspool of useless moves and wasted effort! I could truly get poetic at it's total failure but I have a life and I'd rather move on.

 

USCutter I want you to know I have great respect for your company, and you have always done right by me, but this software is an Edsel.

 

This is my opinion and your results may vary - good luck with that!

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I'm not going to start a fight but I don't have near the issues with it that Lueman does. SCALP is definitely not Flexi but if you are that serious about things then you can design in AI or correl and import it anyway (or Inkscape for that matter). It definitely has a ways to go in some regards but I have been surprised at the fervor with which the design team has tackled things to date. Also have received prompt concise answers to my questions that I sent to the design guys at Craft Edge. I have been using SignCut Pro with a paid subscription of $100/year and am excited to put that money in my pocket this year. I already draw in AI so the design issues aren't an issue but I did take the time to play around with SCALP and found I liked it as much as Inkscape. Yes kearning is an issue occasionally and maybe they will upgrade that too but it DOES have tracking which can usually deal with it anyway.

Bottom line, for entry level cutters and newbies it's enough and will probably teach newbies some great lessons by having to deal with an Edsel rather than having a Ferrari and they will appreciate things more if/when they upgrade. I have a P-Cut 1200 series cutter which has been at times a real PITA but I think I'm better for having to have figured out how to make a budget cutter get me by. I am planning on an upgrade this season to a Graphtec and I am looking forward to using Cutting Master straight from Illustrator but I will still have the old machine in the corner in case something goes down and SCALP ready to save the day.

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Ok so now that I'VE vented, here are the good points:

Rhinestones are so easy to make, I added them to my offerings, hopefully there's money to be made.

Importing svg files is accurate down to 1/10TH mm - Nice change from Sb's input

The layers tab is clunky, but sometimes a true godsend-thankyou for that

Overall if they fix the path editor Scal passes

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Is there any option to make the cutter stop at the point when it's finished, or does it have to return to the origin point every time?

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most all cutters I know, return to origin,  either at the place it started, or after advancing after cut.  unless you have a hold button on the cutter. Like the Graphtecs.

 

What are you trying to accomplish by doing that?

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In the >>cut settings screen >> click on >>end action :advance amount >> I set mine to .50 inch

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i use SCAL 3 for all my cutting and i really like it so far, way better then signcut pro thats for sure.

only thing i havent been able to figure out is a easy way of adding weed lines

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Cuts great and traces better than any other program I have used. The last update I got added the advance after cut option. I'm running a Laserpoint 1 (old model) and if I set advance after cut to 5.25" it works out so all I have to do is walk over and cut in the slot then roll it back for the next cut. Way better than when it would rewind the whole job back to the origin in the beginning. SCALP may not be the greatest but for the price and how much they've improved it already I have no complaints.

 

Jay

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