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My First Experience with VM was not a pleasant one - Help Me Understand

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Well I moved a production file to VM from SCALP I exported it as an SVG and after several tries I discovered VM likes SCALP exports at 90dpi ok I can live with that CorelDraw likes them at 96.

 

So I cut the file and I admit I was slow at the design but that should improve in time.

 

1) My SCALP file had 2 colors Black & Gray -- VM Only cut the black how do I cut both colors at the same time ?? The gray was my weeding box so needless to say that bunch of vinyl is now in the trash.

 

2) In SCALP I always advance 5 inches when done so I can cut the vinyl from the plotter - How do I do this in VM ?

 

3) In SCALP I can cut an item 1,2,3,4,5 times if I want, this if helpful when cutting laminate - I am not finding this option in VM or am I overlooking it ?

 

 

I'm sure these are learning curves but none the less it is not enticing me to move to VM anytime soon. And I will need to buy 2 more copies for the other cutters. If you can help me out on 1,2 or 3 it would be appreciated. 

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I don't use that software but I'm curious about the exporting of the file. You say you export it at 90dpi, but if it's a vector, dpi shouldn't come into play. DPI, Dot per Inch is a raster image term, or at least I've never heard it in reference to vectors. Does DPI here mean something else?

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I don't use that software but I'm curious about the exporting of the file. You say you export it at 90dpi, but if it's a vector, dpi shouldn't come into play. DPI, Dot per Inch is a raster image term, or at least I've never heard it in reference to vectors. Does DPI here mean something else?

 

I didn't write it I just use it - That is the option for exporting.

post-64078-0-05211000-1462992470_thumb.j

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Guest Future Corporation Support

If you want different colors to be cut on the same piece of vinyl, rather than separating each color, there is an option "Separate by Color". Simply turn this option off, and all of the colors will be cut on the same cut file.

 

 

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If you want the file to cut over the top of it self multiple times select the number of passes in Send to be Cut.

Thanks, that will be useful.

 

What about advancing 5 inches or so after the plotting is complete or rewinding to the start position ?

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If you want different colors to be cut on the same piece of vinyl, rather than separating each color, there is an option "Separate by Color". Simply turn this option off, and all of the colors will be cut on the same cut file.

 

When I generate the cut file it is showing the items in different locations so I must be doing something wrong.

 

I have attached an example. I may design in different colors but I want them to Plot in the same location as I design them. The software keeps relocating them.

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If you want different colors to be cut on the same piece of vinyl, rather than separating each color, there is an option "Separate by Color". Simply turn this option off, and all of the colors will be cut on the same cut file.

 

When I generate the cut file it is showing the items in different locations so I must be doing something wrong.

 

I have attached an example. I may design in different colors but I want them to Plot in the same location as I design them. The software keeps relocating them.

post-64078-0-21790600-1463019542_thumb.j

post-64078-0-28499300-1463019849_thumb.j

post-64078-0-54345900-1463019943_thumb.j

post-64078-0-85525300-1463019988_thumb.j

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No you're not doing anything wrong - this is just one method of several cutting options and is all by design. Some sign makers prefer to cut in the designed position and others like to save vinyl or a combination of both and VinylMaster Pro accommodates both methods. Send to Cutfile is targeted for high-production output where saving vinyl and/or having fine control over cutfile position is paramount.

 

To keep the position, instead select: Send to Cutter (from the dropdown in the 1st row of tools) and in the Send to Be Cut window just check: Absolute (position) and the cutfiles will cut in the position they were laid out in the artwork.

 

If you click on the Help (menu) > Help Topics and go to Cutting and Plotting you will find an explanation of the different cutting options and methods of which there are many:

 

post-97599-0-67275400-1463048255_thumb.p

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VM just like any other software requires time to learn regardless of the program your coming from. The video tutorials are your best friend when learning, and trying different options for designs. I look forward to more videos being produced on all the options included in VM Pro. I believe once you give yourself a few days to weeks of adjusting to the new software you will come to see its superior to SCALP.

 

 Futurecorp support on this forum is very good. They will work quickly to answer all your questions. If in doubt ask first as it saves bunches of time with trial, and error.

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VM just like any other software requires time to learn regardless of the program your coming from. The video tutorials are your best friend when learning, and trying different options for designs. I look forward to more videos being produced on all the options included in VM Pro. I believe once you give yourself a few days to weeks of adjusting to the new software you will come to see its superior to SCALP.

 

 Futurecorp support on this forum is very good. They will work quickly to answer all your questions. If in doubt ask first as it saves bunches of time with trial, and error.

 

I would assume so, I would not have asked if I could have easily found the answers in the help section however the terminology from SCALP to VM differ. The program is very well made, and looks like it has a lot of promise.

 

Do you know how to advance the vinyl when cutting is complete ? I would prefer to have the software do so as old habits are hard to break and I don't want to cut through a project when I remove it from the machine.  I searched the help but evidently I'm not using the correct terminology.  

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I don't use that software but I'm curious about the exporting of the file. You say you export it at 90dpi, but if it's a vector, dpi shouldn't come into play. DPI, Dot per Inch is a raster image term, or at least I've never heard it in reference to vectors. Does DPI here mean something else?

 

With SVG you got the concept of user units.  SVG can have user space units and real world units like inches and millimeters.  There are situations where if no real units are specified user space units are assumed.  A px unit is defined to be equal to one user unit.  Somewhere in the chain though, one needs to know how to do unit conversions.  A mm would be 3.543307 user units(px) at 90 ppi but not at other ppi/dpi.  I think the SVG specification makes an assumption about dpi in the absence of other data.  The target for many svg's are monitors.  If you designed in inches, at some point you have to know how many pixels is an inch displaying on a monitor.

 

I admit I don't understand all the implications of how SVG deals with user units verses real world units.  I know internally Inkscape assumes 90dpi when doing size conversions to inches, points, feet, centimeters ect.  I am guessing that export value he is seeing is dealing with unit conversions and user units.  I tend to use eps, so don't I don't have to grok it.

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Well i got my hands on vinylmaster cut and i am not happy with the software.  Importing svg files are a hassle as well.. I currently use SCALPS4PRO and i have to say scalps has this software beat by a long shot,I tested everything out in vinylmaster and im disappointed to see its worse than scalps.  I have searched around in vinylmaster and compared everything between the 2 and vinylmaster gets a bad score... I think its a waist of software to push on people .I know its basically made for just cutting and very very minimal designing in but sorry to say scalps came in first place over this .....Just my 2 cents... I will stick with scalps4pro and Ai cs6 and cc and photoshop cs6 .These combined make the perfect setup for doing anything i have done so far. Vinylmaster in my own opinion is a flop that needs re-doing bad. I will not suggest vinylmaster cut etc to anyone.

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only about the second person to say they didn't like it over the cricut software - but that is why they make different software for people with different taste.  personally i found vm easy to navigate and we have had several people solve cutting issues with changing to it.  again opinions will vary.  SkarKrow - don't you use VM??

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would be interesting to hear from Busterbay to see how he is getting along now after using it a bit

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21 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

... SkarKrow - don't you use VM??

I do & have owned Vm Pro for just over 2 years. Haven't found anything in the vector arena it can't handle with ease.

The "Cut" version primal mentioned is the bare-bones version and (though I've never used it) has scant few of the tools and abilities of the Pro version. Don't know what the exact problem with his importing but, Drag & Drop is my preferred method for "importing" svg's (or any other file type for that matter)... couldn't be easier, IMO.

Among so many other things, Vm Cut apparently doesn't have the vectoring module or the ability to export pdf's.

Can't imagine being happy with the "Cut" version either and would suggest you step up to at least the Pro(fessional) version.

 

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21 hours ago, skarekrow said:

I do & have owned Vm Pro for just over 2 years. Haven't found anything in the vector arena it can't handle with ease.

The "Cut" version primal mentioned is the bare-bones version and (though I've never used it) has scant few of the tools and abilities of the Pro version. Don't know what the exact problem with his importing but, Drag & Drop is my preferred method for "importing" svg's (or any other file type for that matter)... couldn't be easier, IMO.

Among so many other things, Vm Cut apparently doesn't have the vectoring module or the ability to export pdf's.

Can't imagine being happy with the "Cut" version either and would suggest you step up to at least the Pro(fessional) version.

 

Somewhere in the forum a few days ago i think i seen someone else had a issue with importing svg's as well.. Im sure the step up from the cut version may be better but the Cut version it isnt as good as scalpspro4.  i did play around in the software and it wasnt a demo version , it was activated but i was able to find everything i used in scalps and to me there is still no comparison ,scalps is just easier to me and  and better work around and features ,,,my buddy bought the vm cut version with his cutter awhile ago and  had issues as well and so he tried scalps and is now using it instead of vm cut.. He had never seen scalps or vm before till he bought his cutter..  so im not sure what to say beyond that ., and scalps is no longer associated to the cricut.. that ended awhile ago. they still sell it for the titan machines etc on craftedges website..... thank you  for the input..

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On 7/14/2016 at 7:44 PM, Dakotagrafx said:

would be interesting to hear from Busterbay to see how he is getting along now after using it a bit

I only use VM for the contour cuts which it does an excellent job at.  I will clarify that I Export the file to a PDF and use Scalp to cut it. With SCALP I just hit cut and it cuts, VM has to many hoops to jump through to make a cut. Maybe I will warm up to it someday but I have not found that day yet.

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I'm gonna have to install the cut edition just to see how different it really is......I purchased the XPT version and it is by far more superior than anything I have used in the past......

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